芥末
jièmò
The Chinese word for "mustard" is 芥末 (jièmò).
芥末 is a noun used to refer to the condiment. You can make the term more specific to the actual condiment paste by adding the character 酱 (jiàng, meaning sauce) to the end, forming 芥末酱.
Meaning: condiment (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
jièmò
Did you know?
- The character 芥 is used in the Chinese idiom 芥蒂 (jiè dì) to describe a lingering grudge or a small seed of resentment.
- In modern Chinese, 芥末 is the most common word for wasabi, even though wasabi comes from a completely different plant species than true mustard.
- In classical Chinese literature, the character 芥 (jiè) was often used as a metaphor for something tiny or insignificant, rather than just the plant itself.
Examples in context
- 不要加太多芥末。Easy on the mustard.This sentence is useful for showing how to advise someone to use less of the 芥末.Tatoeba #1365932 by tsayng, translation #32804 by Dejo
- 吃午饭的时候，一坨芥末酱滴下来弄脏了我的领带。A drop of mustard fell and stained my tie during lunch.This sentence is useful for describing a situation involving 芥末 at a meal.Tatoeba #812285 by fucongcong, translation #640843 by darinmex
- 请给我一些芥末酱Please give me some mustard sauce.
- 我想要一些芥末醬I would like some mustard sauce.
- 这款热狗里有芥末。Zhè kuǎn règǒu lǐ yǒu jièmò.There is mustard in this hot dog.
Example conversation
Two friends are eating sushi at a restaurant.
- 俊杰 Junjie梓涵，你想要芥末吗？Zǐhán, nǐ xiǎng yào jièmò ma?Zihan, do you want some mustard?
- 梓涵 Zihan想要，请给我一点。Xiǎng yào, qǐng gěi wǒ yīdiǎn.Yes, please give me a little bit.
- 俊杰 Junjie小心，这个芥末很辣。Xiǎoxīn, zhège jièmò hěn là.Be careful, this mustard is very spicy.
- 梓涵 Zihan没关系，我喜欢辣的。Méiguānxì, wǒ xǐhuān là de.That's okay, I like spicy food.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mustard” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
