麵筋 / 面筋
miànjīn
The English word gluten can be translated into Chinese as 麵筋 / 面筋 (miànjīn) or 麩質 / 麸质.
Meaning: cereal protein (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 麵筋 / 面筋 | miànjīn |
| 麩質 / 麸质 | fūzhì |
In Chinese cuisine, 麵筋 / 面筋 refers to wheat gluten, often used as a meat substitute. When discussing biological or dietary matters, such as the phrase 'gluten-free' (無麩質), you should use 麩質 / 麸质.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 麵筋 / 面筋 (miànjīn) literally means 'wheat muscle' or 'flour sinew', referring to the elastic texture of the protein.
Which one should you use?
Use 麵筋 / 面筋 (miànjīn) when referring to the edible food product or the texture of wheat dough, such as wheat gluten strips. Use 麩質 / 麸质 (fūzhì) when referring to the protein component in a biological or dietary context.
How do you pronounce it?
miànjīn
Did you know?
- The texture described by 麵筋 / 面筋 is often associated with 'Q' texture, a popular term in Chinese food culture used to describe a bouncy, elastic mouthfeel.
- The term 麩質 / 麸质 is a relatively modern import to the Chinese language to match the Western medical focus on 'gluten' as an allergen.
- The character 麩 (fū) in 麩質 / 麸质 specifically refers to 'wheat bran', highlighting the historical link between the bran and the extraction of the protein.
Examples in context
- 我对麸质过敏，所以我需要不含麸质的选择。I have a gluten allergy, so I need gluten-free options.
- 许多中国菜都含有麸质，所以我需要小心一些。Many Chinese dishes contain gluten, so I need to be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gluten” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
