Chinese word

蘸

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhàn

Meaning

  • verbdip

Example

吃饺子的时候把饺子蘸醋。chī jiǎo zi de shí hòu bǎ jiǎo zi zhàn cù

When eating dumplings, dip them in vinegar.

Illustration for 蘸 (dip)

More examples

炸春卷通常蘸酱吃。zhà chūn juǎn tōng cháng zhàn jiàng chī

Fried spring rolls are usually dipped in sauce before eating.

Core concept

Bring a piece of food into brief contact with sauce or another liquid, rather than leaving it submerged.

Common phrases

  • 蘸醋zhàn cù

    dip in vinegar

  • 蘸酱zhàn jiàng

    dip in sauce

  • 蘸着吃zhàn zhe chī

    dip and eat

Similar words

沾zhān: Briefly touch or place something in liquid to wet it or pick up a small amount.
涮shuàn: Briefly place meat or vegetables in hot water or soup to cook them.
浸jìn: Leave something in liquid for a while so the liquid soaks into it.

Definition in Chinese

把食物放入调料或其他液体中短时间接触以获得味道的行为，通常不表示长时间浸泡。bǎ shí wù fàng rù tiáo liào huò qí tā yè tǐ zhōng duǎn shí jiān jiē chù yǐ huò dé wèi dào de xíng wéi tōng cháng bù biǎo shì cháng shí jiān jìn pào

Word origin

The written form 蘸 (zhàn, "dip") developed as a specialized form related to 沾 (zhān, "become wet or adhere"), narrowing that general idea to food meeting a liquid seasoning.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often use a separate noun for the sauce, while Chinese commonly treats the food as the direct object and names the condiment after it.

Related words

Word lists with this word