红曲米
hóngqūmǐ
Red yeast rice in Chinese is 红曲米 (hóngqūmǐ).
红曲米 refers to a variety of rice. In many contexts, such as discussing the fermentation process or the medicinal substance, the word rice is omitted, leaving just 红曲.
Meaning: variety of rice (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 红 (red), 曲 (yeast/starter culture) and 米 (rice).
Which one should you use?
红曲米 specifically includes the word for rice, whereas 红曲 is used when the focus is on the red yeast or the fermentation process itself.
How do you pronounce it?
hóngqūmǐ
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, 红曲米 is used as a natural food dye to give traditional dishes and celebratory buns a festive red color, which symbolizes luck and joy.
- While 红曲米 sounds like a variety of rice, it is actually ordinary white rice that has been fermented with the fungus Monascus purpureus to change its color and properties.
- The term 曲 (qū) is a shared character with many traditional Chinese alcoholic beverages, where it denotes the solid starter cultures used to begin fermentation.
Examples in context
- 我正在煮红曲米粥。I am cooking red yeast rice porridge.
- 我买了一包红曲发酵面粉。I bought a package of red yeast rice fermented flour.
- 这种红曲米很新鲜。Zhè zhǒng hóngqūmǐ hěn xīnxiān.This red yeast rice is very fresh.
- 我想要买一些红曲米。Wǒ xiǎng yào mǎi yīxiē hóngqūmǐ.I want to buy some red yeast rice.
- 红曲米可以用来酿酒。Hóngqūmǐ kěyǐ yòng lái niàng jiǔ.Red yeast rice can be used to brew wine.
Example conversation
At a local herbal medicine shop.
- 佳怡 Jiayi请问这里有红曲米吗？Qǐngwèn zhèlǐ yǒu hóngqūmǐ ma?Excuse me, do you have red yeast rice here?
- 志强 Zhiqiang有的，你要多少？Yǒu de, nǐ yào duōshǎo?Yes, how much do you want?
- 佳怡 Jiayi给我一斤红曲米吧。Gěi wǒ yī jīn hóngqūmǐ ba.Give me one jin of red yeast rice.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好的，请稍等。Hǎo de, qǐng shāoděng.Okay, please wait a moment.
