麺 (miàn) - Noodles — refers to food made from dough,

麺Tone 4

miàn ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

麺 · miàn

Noodles — refers to food made from dough, typically wheat-based, that is stretched, extruded, or rolled flat and cut into various shapes.

Noodles — refers to food made from dough,

Usage highlights

Ramen noodlesUdon noodlesSoba noodlesWheat noodlesNoodle soupFresh noodles

Synonyms

  • 面— noodles (simplified Chinese form)
  • 面条— noodles (common term)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I ate a bowl of ramen noodles (拉麺).
  • He prefers udon noodles (乌冬麺).
  • This restaurant serves excellent wheat noodles (小麦麺).
  • We had cold soba noodles for lunch (冷荞麦麺).

Collocations

  • Ramen noodles(拉麺)
  • Udon noodles(乌冬麺)
  • Soba noodles(荞麦麺)
  • Wheat noodles(小麦麺)
  • Noodle soup(麺汁)
  • Fresh noodles(生麺)

Idioms

  • Drawing water with a bamboo basket(竹篮打水一场空 — futility, like trying to hold noodles in a sieve)
  • A long noodle for a long life(长寿麺 — noodles eaten on birthdays for longevity)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Noodles are a staple food in many Asian cultures, symbolizing longevity when eaten on birthdays.
  • The character 麺 is primarily used in Japanese and traditional Chinese contexts; simplified Chinese uses 面.
  • Different noodle types (ramen, udon, soba) represent distinct culinary traditions within East Asia.

FAQ