Chinese Conversation · Level 69
90 words
Chinese word
腌
Pronunciation
Pinyinyān
Meaning
- verbpickle
Example
她在厨房里腌菜。tā zài chú fáng lǐ yān cài
She is pickling vegetables in the kitchen.
More examples
周末她在阳台上自己腌黄瓜。zhōu mò tā zài yáng tái shàng zì jǐ yān huáng guā
On weekends, she pickles cucumbers herself on the balcony.
Core concept
Food takes in salt or seasoned liquid while resting, often becoming easier to keep.
Common phrases
腌菜yān cài
pickle vegetables
腌黄瓜yān huáng guā
pickle cucumbers
Similar words
腌制yān zhì: To preserve or season food by soaking it in salt or a salty seasoning liquid.
腌渍yān zì: To soak food in liquid for enough time for the flavor to sink in.
泡pào: To soak food in an acidic liquid such as vinegar so it takes on a sour taste.
浸jìn: To place food in liquid for a while so it takes in flavor or moisture.
Definition in Chinese
将食材用盐腌渍或用调味液浸泡，使味道进入食材内部并便于长期保存的烹饪或保存方法。jiāng shí cái yòng yán yān zì huò yòng tiáo wèi yè jìn pào shǐ wèi dào jìn rù shí cái nèi bù bìng biàn yú cháng qī bǎo cún de pēng rèn huò bǎo cún fāng fǎ
Word origin
The character 腌 (yān, "to pickle") is phono-semantic: 月 (yuè, "flesh") points to food, while 奄 (yǎn, "cover") mainly supplies the sound.
Usage tips
- English pickle often suggests a cucumber in vinegar, but this Chinese verb also applies to meat and vegetables seasoned with salt or a savory liquid, so a sour taste is not required.
Other meanings
- saltverb
- marinateverb
Related words
- 腌制yān zhìpickleverb
- 腌渍yān zìpreserve in brineverb
- 腌菜yān càipickled vegetablesnoun