Chinese word

发酵

Pronunciation

Pinyinfā jiào

Meaning

  • verbferment

Example

面团已经开始发酵了。miàn tuán yǐ jīng kāi shǐ fā jiào le

The dough has already started to ferment.

Illustration for 发酵 (ferment)

More examples

葡萄汁在温暖环境下会很快发酵。pú táo zhī zài wēn nuǎn huán jìng xià huì hěn kuài fā jiào

Grape juice will ferment quickly in warm surroundings.

Core concept

An active process makes a mixture rise, bubble, sour, or develop a new taste and texture.

Common phrases

  • 让面团发酵ràng miàn tuán fā jiào

    let dough ferment

  • 开始发酵kāi shǐ fā jiào

    begin fermenting

  • 把牛奶发酵成酸奶bǎ niú nǎi fā jiào chéng suān nǎi

    ferment milk into yogurt

Similar words

发霉fā méi: Having mold grow on a surface and form white or black spots or cottony clumps.
腐败fǔ bài: Decomposing through microorganisms and becoming foul-smelling, slimy, and unusable.
变质biàn zhì: Deteriorating in quality until food or material has a bad taste, color, or smell and may be unsafe.
酿造niàng zào: Brewing alcoholic drinks or making seasonings by processing raw materials with fermentation.

Definition in Chinese

指在自然或人为条件下，微生物使有机物分解并产酸、产酒精或产气，导致原料的风味和结构发生可利用的变化。zhǐ zài zì rán huò rén wéi tiáo jiàn xià wēi shēng wù shǐ yǒu jī wù fēn jiě bìng chǎn suān chǎn jiǔ jīng huò chǎn qì dǎo zhì yuán liào de fēng wèi hé jié gòu fā shēng kě lì yòng de biàn huà

Word origin

发 (fā, "to bring forth") + 酵 (jiào, "fermentation") links the idea of bringing forth with the traditional term for the action that changes food and drink.

Usage tips

  • The same Chinese word covers the stage that makes dough rise and the broader process behind foods such as yogurt or fermented vegetables, so it is not limited to baking.

Other meanings

  • fermentationnoun
  • leavenverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 发酵剂fā jiào jìfermenting agentnoun
  • 发酵工艺fā jiào gōng yìfermentation techniquenoun
  • 发酵食品fā jiào shí pǐnfermented foodnoun

Word lists with this word