Singaporean Mandarin Database

This database contains a collection of Mandarin terms which have cultural, historical or sentimental value unique to Singapore. These terms may be used by Singaporeans in the past or at present. Some of the terms are read in print while others are used in our everyday conversations.

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菜

cài

燕

yàn

agar-agar

食物、植物

Food / Plants

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agar-agar

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Image: Promote Mandarin Council

食物、植物

Food / Plants

释义

名词

1. 琼脂的俗称。由海藻提炼成的凝固剂，色泽白皙透明，可做成丝状、条状或粉末。也称“燕菜”。

2. 以菜燕做成的一种胶冻类甜品。

DEFINITION

Noun

1. The colloquial Mandarin term for “琼脂” (agar). Extracted from seaweed, it is a white and translucent coagulant, and can be made into strands, strips, or powder. Also known in Chinese as “燕菜”.

2. A jelly dessert made using agar.

由来

源自福建话、潮州话等方言。“菜燕” 一词早在1925年就在《南洋商报》出现了。
菜燕属于一种植物明胶（gelatin），放入热水溶解再冷却后，可以在热带常温中一直保持固体状。
菜燕是许多东南亚饮食文化中常用的食材。“Agar” 这个词来自于马来语。
在日本，菜燕据说是在1658年由一位日本京都的旅馆老板美浓太郎左卫门（Tarozaemon Mino）在无意间发现的。当时天气很冷，他发现一堆被丢弃的海藻制成品有凝固的功能，便用作食材。由于是在寒冷的冬天发现的，所以称作 “寒天”。
在中华饮食中，菜燕在打成小块后很像燕窝，所以也用来代替燕窝，称为 “植物性燕窝”。
在新加坡，菜燕一般用来制作果冻等甜品。

ETYMOLOGY

The Mandarin term “燕菜” originated from Chinese dialects such as Hokkien and Teochew. In Singapore, the term appeared as early as 1925, in Nanyang Siang Pau.
Agar is a type of plant gelatin which, upon cooling after dissolving in hot water, can remain solid at room temperature, even in the tropics.
Agar-agar is a common ingredient used in the cuisines of Southeast Asia. The word “agar” comes from Malay.
In Japan, the culinary use of agar is believed to have been discovered by accident in 1658 by Tarozaemon Mino, a hotel owner, who found a pile of discarded seaweed products that had coagulating properties and used them as food ingredients. As the discovery was made in winter, agar became known in Japan as “寒天” (kanten; literally, “cold weather”).
In Chinese cuisine, agar’s resemblance to bird’s nest after being broken up into smaller pieces makes it a good plant-based substitute for the delicacy.
In Singapore, agar is commonly used to make desserts, such as chilled fruit jelly.

例句

自7月20日起，烘焙用品专卖店奋发和 Redman 分行将以10元售价售卖菜燕材料包，里头包含五种菜燕预拌粉，其中一款正是哈莉玛总统的国庆红白菜燕和食谱，其中4元将捐给总统挑战。（《联合早报》，16/7/2020）

SAMPLE SENTENCE

From 20 July, the baking supplies chain Phoon Huat and Redman will sell agar-agar recipe kits at $10 each. Each kit contains five agar-agar premix powder packs, one of which contains President Halimah Yacob’s National Day National Day recipe for red-and-white agar-agar. For every purchase, S$4 will be donated to the President’s Challenge. (Lianhe Zaobao, 16/7/2020)

其他地区用语

琼脂（大陆）、石花胶（大陆）、冻粉（大陆）、洋粉（大陆）、洋菜（台）、大菜（港）

TERMS USED IN OTHER REGIONS

琼脂 (Mainland China), 石花胶 (Mainland China), 冻粉 (Mainland China), 洋粉 (Mainland China), 洋菜 (Taiwan), 大菜 (Hong Kong)