淀粉

• Pinyin: diàn fěn
• Hanzi breakdown: 淀 = 氵+ 定 (to settle, precipitate); 粉 = 米 + 分 (powder, flour)

Meaning

Starch. A carbohydrate polymer found naturally in many plants, widely used in food and industrial applications.

Used in cooking (淀粉勾芡 — thickening sauces with starch), food science, and industry (modified starch in packaging). Common types include 玉米淀粉 (cornstarch), 土豆淀粉 (potato starch), and 木薯淀粉 (tapioca starch). Also significant in nutrition as the primary form of dietary carbohydrate.

Examples

1. 这道经典粤式炒菜的秘诀在于出锅前加入少许淀粉水勾芡，使酱汁均匀地裹附于每一块食材之上。 The secret to this classic Cantonese stir-fry is adding a little cornstarch slurry right before serving to thicken the sauce so it coats every ingredient evenly.
2. 食品工业中，改性淀粉被广泛应用于增稠、乳化和保水，是现代加工食品不可或缺的功能性成分。 In the food industry, modified starch is widely used for thickening, emulsifying, and moisture retention, making it an indispensable functional ingredient in modern processed foods.
3. 营养学家指出，精加工食品中过量添加淀粉会导致食品的血糖生成指数显著升高，不利于血糖稳定控制。 Nutritionists point out that excessive added starch in highly processed foods can significantly raise a food’s glycemic index, which is not conducive to stable blood-sugar control.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, food science, nutrition, industry

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 制作传统中式红烧肉时，厨师通常会在收汁阶段加入少量土豆淀粉调制的芡汁，使汤汁质地更为浓稠光亮。(When preparing traditional Chinese red-braised pork, chefs usually add a small amount of potato starch slurry during the sauce reduction stage to make the sauce thicker and glossier.)
• 该研究分析了不同来源淀粉在消化速率上的差异，发现抗性淀粉含量较高的食物对餐后血糖的影响显著低于普通淀粉。(The study analysed the differences in digestion rates of starches from different sources, finding that foods with higher resistant starch content had a significantly lower impact on postprandial blood glucose than ordinary starch.)

Don't Say

• 淀粉粉 — never double 粉; 淀粉 already ends in 粉; do not say 淀粉粉末 unless specifically contrasting starch powder with another physical form

Origin & History

淀 (sediment, to settle) + 粉 (powder, flour) — the powdery sediment that settles out; starch precipitate

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal