糕 (gāo) - Cake & pastry

糕Tone 1

gāo ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

糕 · gāo

Cake;

pastry;

any baked or steamed flour-based confectionery.

Cakepastryany baked or steamed flour-based confectionery.

Usage highlights

Birthday cakeMooncakeRice cakeSponge cakeCake shopPastry chef

Synonyms

  • 饼— biscuit; pancake; flat baked good
  • 点心— dim sum; light refreshments

Antonyms

  • 饭— cooked rice; meal (savory staple vs sweet treat)
  • 菜— dish; vegetable (savory food vs sweet pastry)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We eat mooncakes during Mid-Autumn Festival (月饼).
  • She baked a sponge cake (海绵蛋糕).
  • I bought some rice cakes for breakfast (年糕).
  • This is a traditional wedding cake (喜糕).

Collocations

  • Birthday cake(生日蛋糕)
  • Mooncake(月饼)
  • Rice cake(年糕)
  • Sponge cake(海绵蛋糕)
  • Cake shop(糕点店)
  • Pastry chef(糕点师)

Idioms

  • To be in a tight spot(糕饼难下)
  • As soft as cake(软如糕)
  • Cake and wine celebration(糕酒之庆)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 糕 (gāo) is deeply associated with celebrations and festivals in Chinese culture.
  • Different types of 糕 are prepared for specific occasions, such as 年糕 for Lunar New Year and 月饼 for Mid-Autumn Festival.
  • The character appears in many traditional pastry names, reflecting China's rich culinary heritage.

FAQ