卡士達 / 卡士达
kǎshìdá
In Chinese, custard is 卡士達 / 卡士达 (kǎshìdá). Wiktionary also lists 吉士 (jíshì) and 奶油凍 / 奶油冻 (nǎiyóudòng).
Meaning: sauce (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 卡士達 / 卡士达 | kǎshìdá |
| 吉士 | jíshì |
| 奶油凍 / 奶油冻 | nǎiyóudòng |
| 乳蛋糕 | rǔdàngāo |
| 奶黃 / 奶黄 | nǎihuáng |
| 蛋羹 | dàngēng |
| 軟凍 / 软冻 | ruǎndòng |
| 牛奶沙司 | niúnǎi shāsī |
| 蛋漿 / 蛋浆 | dànjiāng |
| 蛋奶凍 / 蛋奶冻 | dànnǎidòng |
The term 卡士達 / 卡士达 is a phonetic transliteration of the English word 'custard'.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 蛋奶凍 / 蛋奶冻 is composed of 蛋 (egg), 奶 (milk) and 凍 (jelly/gelatinous dessert), literally meaning 'egg milk jelly'.
Which one should you use?
蛋羹 typically refers to a savory steamed egg custard (often a side dish in Chinese cuisine), whereas 卡士達 / 卡士达 refers to a sweet dessert custard. Additionally, 奶黃 / 奶黄 is specifically used when referring to custard-flavored fillings, such as in 奶黃包 (custard buns).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong and Cantonese-speaking regions, the term 吉士 is commonly used to refer to custard. In Southern China, specifically in Cantonese-speaking regions, the term 流沙包 (which literally translates to 'flowing sand bun') is used to refer to a custard-filled steamed bun.
How do you pronounce it?
kǎshìdá
Did you know?
- Depending on the region and historical influence, the term 吉士 may have evolved from different English roots including 'custard', 'cheese' or even 'guts'.
- The term 流沙包 describes a custard bun as 'flowing sand' because of the golden, grainy texture of the salted egg yolk filling.
- The character 凍 / 冻 in 蛋奶凍 / 蛋奶冻 refers to a gelatinous consistency rather than a cold temperature.
Examples in context
- 我想要一个蛋挞，请给我一个I would like an egg custard tart, please.
- 请给我一块奶黄糕点Please give me a piece of custard pastry.
- 这个蛋奶酥很香滑，口感很细腻，非常美味This custard pastry is fragrant, smooth, and has a delicate texture. It's absolutely delicious!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “custard” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 卡士達, 吉士, CC BY-SA 4.0.
