腌菜
yān cài
The English word 'pickle' (referring to a preserved cucumber) is translated into Chinese as 腌菜 (yān cài).
腌菜 is a noun used to describe pickled vegetables. Related verbs and nouns are used to describe the process of preserving food in salt, sugar or vinegar solutions.
Meaning: preserved cucumber (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 腌菜 consists of 腌 (yān), which means to pickle or salt and 菜 (cài), which means vegetable or dish.
Which one should you use?
While 腌菜 is a general term for pickled vegetables, there are more specific terms depending on the method used. 泡菜 specifically refers to vegetables preserved in a liquid brine or fermentation liquid. In contrast, 咸菜 (or 鹹菜) specifically emphasizes the use of salt, often referring to more heavily salted or dried-then-rehydrated vegetables.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form 腌 (yān) can be used alone to describe the action of pickling or salting food.
How do you pronounce it?
yān cài
Did you know?
- While 腌菜 is a general term, the specific 泡菜 of Sichuan province is famous for using a fermentation brine that is often passed down through families for generations.
- In many parts of China, the term 泡菜 (pàocài) might unexpectedly refer to Korean kimchi rather than a local Chinese pickled dish.
- Some regional varieties of 腌菜 (yāncài) are fermented in large earthenware jars buried in the ground to maintain a constant temperature.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢吃酸菜，它们味道酸爽又开胃。I enjoy eating pickled vegetables, they are sour, refreshing, and appetizing.
- 饭店里的酸菜非常美味，深受顾客喜爱。The pickled vegetables in the restaurant are delicious and highly favored by customers.
- 晚餐的时候，我们都会吃一些泡菜。We always have some pickles for dinner.
- 这碗面的酱菜配得很好，味道更加丰富了。The pickled vegetables served with this bowl of noodles complement each other well, enhancing the flavor.
- 在上海的夏天，老黄瓜是人们喜欢的下酒小菜。During summers in Shanghai, pickled cucumbers are a favorite side dish to go with alcoholic beverages.
- 这个腌菜有点咸。Zhège yāncài yǒudiǎn xián.This pickle is a bit salty.
- 我喜欢吃腌菜。Wǒ xǐhuān chī yāncài.I like eating pickles.
- 桌子上有一盘腌菜。Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yī pán yāncài.There is a plate of pickles on the table.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are having lunch together.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，你试一下这个腌菜。Yǔtíng, nǐ shì yīxià zhège yāncài.Yuting, try this pickle.
- 雨婷 Yuting味道真的很不错。Wèidào zhēnde hěn bùcuò.The taste is really good.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这是我妈妈做的。Zhè shì wǒ māma zuò de.My mother made this.
- 雨婷 Yuting太感谢你了，志强。Tài gǎnxiè nǐ le, Zhìqiáng.Thank you so much, Zhiqiang.
