麴 (qū) - Fermentation starter & yeast

麴Tone 1

qū ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

麴 · qū

Fermentation starter;

yeast;

malt;

leaven;

also used as a surname.

Fermentation starteryeastmalt

Usage highlights

YeastMaltFermentation starterBrewing yeastKojiSurname Qu

Synonyms

  • 曲— Simplified form of 麴; fermentation agent
  • 酵母— yeast
  • 酒母— fermentation starter

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Yeast is used in brewing (酿酒用麴).
  • Malt for making beer (啤酒麦麴).
  • Fermentation starter for Chinese liquor (酒麴).
  • He is a master of fermentation techniques (制麴大师).

Collocations

  • Yeast(酵母麴)
  • Malt(麦麴)
  • Fermentation starter(酒麴)
  • Brewing yeast(酿酒麴)
  • Koji(麴菌)
  • Surname Qu(姓氏麴)

Idioms

  • To have the same taste and smell(同麴同臭)
  • Different songs from the same score(异麴同工)
  • To follow in someone's footsteps(步人后麴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Crucial in East Asian fermentation traditions for producing alcoholic beverages, soy sauce, and fermented bean pastes.
  • The character appears in ancient Chinese texts on food and beverage production.
  • As a surname, it is relatively rare but has historical roots in Chinese culture.

FAQ