曲霉 (qū méi) — aspergillus (a genus of mold, often used in food fermentation)

Definition

A genus of mold widely used in food fermentation (soy sauce, vinegar, fermented bean curd) and also relevant in medicine. In HSK contexts it appears most often in scientific or industrial reading, not daily conversation.

noun
aspergillus (a genus of mold, often used in food fermentation)

Examples

  • 曲霉。
    qū méi Kě yǐ yòng lái zhì zuò jiàng yóu.
    Aspergillus can be used to make soy sauce.
  • 曲霉。
    Zhè zhǒng yào wù néng yǒu xiào yì zhì qū méi shēng zhǎng.
    This drug can effectively inhibit the growth of aspergillus.
  • 曲霉。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū qū méi de jī yīn.
    Scientists are studying the genes of aspergillus.

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.

曲qǔfermentation starter
霉méimold

曲 (fermentation starter) shapes 霉 (mold), naming a mold associated with starter cultures.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.

Open 曲 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi霉méi
Same sound today

The top 雨 (rain) points to dampness, and the bottom 每 (měi) gives the sound.

Open 霉 →

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