蒜

• Pinyin: suàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 蒜 = 艹 (grass/plant radical, top) + 祘 (phonetic component below) — a pungent bulbous plant used as a seasoning

Meaning

Garlic; the bulb of Allium sativum, widely used as a pungent flavouring in Chinese cuisine and valued in traditional medicine.

An essential ingredient in Chinese cooking across regions. Appears in numerous compounds: 大蒜 (garlic bulb), 蒜泥 (garlic paste), 蒜瓣 (garlic cloves), 蒜苔 (garlic scapes). In traditional Buddhist vegetarianism, 蒜 is prohibited as one of the five pungent roots. Also used colloquially in idioms such as 不是一头蒜 (not a pushover).

Examples

1. 厨师在热锅里先下蒜末爆香，待香气弥漫厨房后再倒入其他食材，整道菜的风味因此更加醇厚层次分明。 The chef first adds minced garlic to a hot pan to release its aroma; once the kitchen fills with fragrance, the other ingredients go in, giving the dish deeper, more layered flavor.
2. 中医认为蒜具有温胃散寒、解毒消炎的功效，历代本草典籍中均有关于其药用价值的详细记载。 Traditional Chinese medicine holds that garlic can warm the stomach, dispel cold, detoxify, and reduce inflammation; herbal classics throughout the ages record its medicinal value in detail.
3. 这道经典家常菜以新鲜蒜苔和腊肉为主料，经过大火爆炒后色泽鲜亮，咸香中透出蒜的特有辛辣气息。 This classic home-style dish uses fresh garlic scapes and cured pork; after a quick stir-fry over high heat, it comes out bright in color, with savory richness and garlic’s distinctive bite.

Usage Guide

Context: food, cooking, traditional medicine, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这家餐厅的招牌菜是用整头蒜慢火煨制的鸡汤，蒜香经过长时间熬煮变得柔和而深沉，完全没有生蒜的刺激气味。(The signature dish at this restaurant is a chicken broth slow-simmered with whole garlic heads; the garlic fragrance becomes mellow and deep after long cooking, with none of the sharpness of raw garlic.)
• 市场上常见的蒜有紫皮和白皮两种，紫皮蒜辛辣味更浓，适合炒菜；白皮蒜蒜味相对温和，更适合腌制食用。(The garlic commonly found in markets comes in two types — purple-skinned and white-skinned; purple-skinned garlic is more pungent and suits stir-frying, while white-skinned garlic is milder and better suited for pickling.)

Don't Say

• 蒜 是名词，表示大蒜这种植物或其鳞茎，不可用作动词 — 表示加入蒜的烹饪动作应说 加蒜、放蒜 或 用蒜爆香

Origin & History

蒜 — 艹 (grass/plant radical) indicating a plant + 祘 (phonetic component) — a pungent bulbous herb

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal