мәмә
məməDungan
The English word "bread" translates to мәмә (məmə) in Chinese. Wiktionary also lists 麵包 / 面包 (mī-pau) and 麭 /𮮆 (pháng).
Meaning: baked dough made from cereals (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| мәмә | məmə | Dungan |
| 麵包 / 面包 | mī-pau | Hokkien |
| 麭 /𮮆 | pháng | Hokkien |
This term refers to baked dough made from cereals.
Which one should you use?
The Dungan form is мәмә, while Hokkien speakers may use either 麵包 / 面包 (mī-pau) or 麭 /𮮆 (pháng).
Is it said differently in some regions?
мәмә is used in Dungan, whereas 麵包 / 面包 and 麭 /𮮆 are forms used in Hokkien.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is məmə.
Did you know?
- While most Chinese dialects use characters, the Dungan form мәмә is written using the Cyrillic alphabet.
- The Hokkien word 麭 has a surprising global lineage that traces back to the Latin word 'panis' via Portuguese and Japanese.
- The character 麵 used in 麵包 refers to noodles or flour, highlighting that in Chinese culture, 'bread' is often categorized by its primary ingredient rather than its shape.
Examples in context
- 我想要一块面包I would like a piece of bread.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bread” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 麭, CC BY-SA 4.0.
