孜然
zīrán
Cumin in Chinese is 孜然 (zīrán). Wiktionary also lists 安息茴香 (ānxī huíxiāng) and 阿拉伯茴香 (Ālābó huíxiāng).
Meaning: its seed used as spice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 孜然 | zīrán |
| 安息茴香 | ānxī huíxiāng |
| 阿拉伯茴香 | Ālābó huíxiāng |
In Chinese cuisine, particularly in Xinjiang-style cooking, 孜然 is frequently used as a spice for grilled meats.
Which one should you use?
安息茴香 is the formal, botanical name for cumin used in scientific or technical contexts. 阿拉伯茴香 is another way to refer to the spice.
How do you pronounce it?
zīrán
Did you know?
- The name 'Anxi' in 安息茴香 refers to the Parthian Empire, meaning that calling someone 'Anxi fennel' is essentially calling it 'Parthian fennel'.
- The common term for cumin, 孜然, is actually a loanword from the Uyghur language rather than being a native Han Chinese word. It reflects the spice's deep historical connection to the Silk Road and Central Asian culinary traditions.
- While 孜然 is common in the west of China, the term 茴香 used in 安息茴香 actually refers to fennel, meaning cumin is categorized as a type of 'foreign fennel'.
Examples in context
- 我在炒菜时加了一点孜然。I added a bit of cumin when stir-frying the vegetables.
- 烤羊肉串不可少的调料就是小茴香。The essential seasoning for grilled lamb skewers is cumin.
- 这种肉里放了孜然。Zhè zhǒng ròu lǐ fàng le zīrán.This kind of meat has cumin in it.
- 我喜欢孜然的味道。Wǒ xǐhuān zīrán de wèidào.I like the smell of cumin.
- 请给我一点孜然。Qǐng gěi wǒ yīdiǎn zīrán.Please give me some cumin.
Example conversation
At a barbecue restaurant, Jia Yi and Jun Jie are ordering food.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这里的羊肉加孜然好吃吗？Zhèlǐ de yángròu jiā zīrán hǎochī ma?Is the lamb good with cumin here?
- 俊杰 Junjie非常棒，一定要多加一点。Fēicháng bàng, yīdìng yào duō jiā yīdiǎn.It's great, you must add a bit more.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好，那我点一份烤羊肉。Hǎo, nà wǒ diǎn yī fèn kǎo yángròu.Okay, then I will order a portion of roasted lamb.
- 俊杰 Junjie我也想吃那个。Wǒ yě xiǎng chī nàge.I want to eat that too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cumin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 孜然, CC BY-SA 4.0.
