淀粉
diàn fěn
The English word "starch" is translated into Chinese as 淀粉 (diàn fěn).
淀粉 is used in both biological and culinary contexts. It can refer to carbohydrates in a nutritional sense or the physical powder used in cooking to thicken sauces.
Meaning: carbohydrates (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
diàn fěn
Did you know?
- The character 粉 in 淀粉 is also used to describe 'makeup powder' and 'pink' in Chinese, as the color was historically associated with the pale powder used by women.
- The character 淀 in 淀粉 shares a root with the word for 'sediment' or 'deposits' in a river. This reflects the historical method of collecting starch by letting it settle out of a liquid suspension.
- In Chinese culinary terms, 淀粉 is often used interchangeably with 勾芡 'gōu qiàn'. While the first is the ingredient, the second is the specific technique of creating a glossy, thickened sauce using a starch slurry.
Examples in context
- 这种食物含有大量的淀粉。Zhè zhǒng shíwù hányǒu dàliàng de diànfěn.This type of food contains a large amount of starch.
- 土豆里有很多淀粉。Tǔdòu lǐ yǒu hěnduō diànfěn.There is a lot of starch in potatoes.
- 我们需要减少摄入淀粉。Wǒmen xūyào jiǎnshǎo shèrù diànfěn.We need to reduce our starch intake.
Example conversation
At a grocery store, discussing healthy eating.
- 雨婷 Yuting这种面包里淀粉多吗？Zhè zhǒng miànbāo lǐ diànfěn duō ma?Does this bread have a lot of starch?
- 志强 Zhiqiang淀粉确实挺多的。Diànfěn quèshí tǐng duō de.There is indeed quite a lot of starch.
- 雨婷 Yuting那我不买了。Nà wǒ bù mǎi le.Then I won't buy it.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，换一种低淀粉的吧。Yǔtíng, huàn yī zhǒng dī diànfěn de ba.Yuting, let's choose a low-starch one instead.
