味精 (wèi jīng) — monosodium glutamate (MSG) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Examples

味精。
Zhè zhǒng wèi jīng shì cóng yù mǐ zhōng tí qǔ de.
This type of MSG is extracted from corn.
，。
Yǒu xiē rén duì wèi jīng guò mǐn, chī le huì tóu tòng.
Some people are allergic to MSG and get headaches after eating it.
味精。
Chāo shì lǐ mài de wèi jīng jià gé hěn pián yi.
The MSG sold in supermarkets is very cheap.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

精jīngessence

味 is flavor and 精 is essence, so 味精 is the essence that strengthens flavor.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

口未味

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

未

未wèi味wèi

Same sound today

味 combines 口 (mouth) with 未, which gives the sound wèi; the mouth part relates to taste.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

米青精

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng精jīng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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