麵團 / 面团
miàntuán
The English word "dough" is translated into Chinese as 麵團 / 面团 (miàntuán). Wiktionary also lists 生麵糰 / 生面团 (shēngmiàntuán).
Meaning: mix of flour and other ingredients (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 麵團 / 面团 | miàntuán |
| 生麵糰 / 生面团 | shēngmiàntuán |
麵團 / 面团 is the most common and standard term for dough in Chinese. If you want to refer to dough that has not been cooked or steamed yet, you can use 生麵糰 / 生面团. To emphasize that the dough is composed of flour, the term 面粉团 can be used. For a dough batter, which refers to dough mixed with liquid ingredients to achieve a more fluid consistency, use 面浆.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 麵團 / 面团 is composed of 麵 (miàn), meaning flour or noodles and 團 (tuán), meaning ball or lump.
How do you pronounce it?
miàntuán
Did you know?
- The word 團 (tuán) in 麵團 / 面团 also means 'group' or 'unit' in a military or organizational context. It describes anything that is gathered into a tight, cohesive sphere.
- In traditional Chinese medicine and folklore, certain types of 生麵糰 / 生面团 (raw dough) were historically used as simple poultices to draw out heat or toxins from the skin.
- The term 生 (shēng) in 生麵糰 literally means 'raw' or 'unripe', but it is also used to describe 'living' or 'fresh' things. This gives the dough a sense of being 'alive' or 'active' in a culinary sense.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢吃包子，但是不太会做面团。I love eating buns, but I'm not very good at making the dough.
- 今天的面团儿不太好，可能得再加些面粉。Today's dough isn't turning out well, I might need to add more flour.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dough” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
