芡 (qiàn) - Gordon Euryale seed & a type of aquatic plant whose seeds are

芡Tone 4

qiàn ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 艹

器情

芡 · qiàn

Gordon Euryale seed;

a type of aquatic plant whose seeds are used as a thickener in cooking;

also refers to the plant itself.

Gordon Euryale seeda type of aquatic plant whose seeds arealso refers to the plant itself.

Usage highlights

Gordon Euryale seedthickening starchto thicken sauceEuryale feroxthickened soupthickening agent

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Add some Gordon Euryale seed powder (芡粉) to thicken the soup.
  • Gordon Euryale (芡实) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb.
  • The chef is preparing to thicken the sauce with starch (勾芡).

Collocations

  • Gordon Euryale seed(芡实)
  • thickening starch(芡粉)
  • to thicken sauce(勾芡)
  • Euryale ferox(芡属植物)
  • thickened soup(打芡)
  • thickening agent(勾芡料)

Idioms

  • Thickening the sauce with skill(勾芡得当)
  • As smooth as thickened broth(如勾芡般顺滑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Gordon Euryale seed (芡实) has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, valued for its nutritional and therapeutic properties.
  • In Chinese culinary arts, '勾芡' (thickening with starch) is a fundamental technique to achieve desired consistency and gloss in sauces and soups.
  • The plant is aquatic, often found in ponds and lakes, and is sometimes called 'foxnut' in English.

FAQ