《春节美食英语思维导图》

Center: Chinese New Year Food (春节美食)

Main Branches:

1. Appetizers (开胃菜)

• Dumplings (饺子)

  • Pronunciation: /dʌmplɪŋz/
  • Meaning: Small pockets of dough filled with meat and/or vegetables, boiled, steamed, or fried.
  • Types:
    • Pork and Cabbage Dumplings (猪肉白菜饺子): Pork (pɔrk), cabbage (ˈkæbɪdʒ)
    • Shrimp and Chives Dumplings (虾仁韭菜饺子): Shrimp (ʃrɪmp), chives (tʃaɪvz)
    • Vegetarian Dumplings (素饺子): Vegetarian (ˌvedʒɪˈteəriən), tofu (ˈtoʊfuː), mushrooms (ˈmʌʃruːmz)
  • Dipping Sauces:
    • Soy Sauce (酱油): sɔɪ sɔːs
    • Vinegar (醋): ˈvɪnɪɡər
    • Chili Oil (辣椒油): ˈtʃɪli ɔɪl
  • Cultural Significance: Symbolize wealth and good fortune because their shape resembles ancient Chinese money. Represent family reunion and togetherness.

• Spring Rolls (春卷)

  • Pronunciation: /sprɪŋ roʊlz/
  • Meaning: Deep-fried rolls filled with vegetables and sometimes meat.
  • Ingredients:
    • Wrapper (春卷皮): wrapper (ˈræpər), thin pancake
    • Filling: Shredded carrots (ˈʃredɪd ˈkærəts), cabbage, bean sprouts (biːn spraʊts), mushrooms, pork (optional)
  • Preparation: Filling is stir-fried and wrapped in thin pancakes, then deep-fried.
  • Taste: Crispy (ˈkrɪspi) and savory (ˈseɪvəri).

• Cold Dishes (凉菜)

  • Cucumber Salad (凉拌黄瓜): Cucumber (ˈkjuːkʌmbər), garlic (ˈɡɑːrlɪk), sesame oil (ˈsesəmi ɔɪl)
  • Wood Ear Mushroom Salad (凉拌木耳): Wood ear mushroom (wʊd ɪr ˈmʌʃruːm), vinegar, chili
  • Spiced Peanuts (五香花生): Peanuts (ˈpiːnʌts), spices (ˈspaɪsɪz) (star anise (stɑːr ˈænɪs), cinnamon (ˈsɪnəmən))

2. Main Courses (主菜)

• Whole Fish (鱼)

  • Pronunciation: /hoʊl fɪʃ/
  • Meaning: A whole fish, often steamed or braised.
  • Types: Carp (kɑːrp), sea bass (siː bæs), mandarin fish (ˈmændərɪn fɪʃ)
  • Preparation: Steamed with ginger (ˈdʒɪndʒər), scallions (ˈskæliənz), and soy sauce; Braised in a rich sauce.
  • Cultural Significance: Represents abundance and surplus (余, yú - the sound of 'abundance' and 'fish' are the same) for the coming year. Eating the whole fish signifies a complete and fulfilling year.

• Braised Pork Belly (红烧肉)

  • Pronunciation: /breɪzd pɔrk ˈbeli/
  • Meaning: Pork belly cooked in a rich, savory sauce.
  • Ingredients: Pork belly, soy sauce, sugar (ˈʃʊɡər), ginger, star anise, cinnamon.
  • Preparation: Pork belly is cut into cubes, seared (sɪrd), and then braised until tender (ˈtendər).
  • Taste: Rich, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth (melt ɪn jʊər maʊθ).

• Noodles (面条)

  • Pronunciation: /ˈnuːdəlz/
  • Meaning: Long strands of dough made from wheat or rice.
  • Longevity Noodles (长寿面): Long noodles, symbolizing long life. Often served with eggs and vegetables.
  • Dan Dan Noodles (担担面): Spicy noodles with pork and Sichuan peppercorns (ˈsɪtʃwɑːn ˈpepərkɔːrnz).
  • Fried Noodles (炒面): Stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meat.
  • Cultural Significance: The length of the noodles symbolizes a long life. Cutting them is considered unlucky.

• Tangyuan (汤圆)

  • Pronunciation: /tɑŋˈjuæn/
  • Meaning: Sweet glutinous rice balls, often filled with sesame paste or sweet bean paste.
  • Filling: Sesame paste (ˈsesəmi peɪst), peanut butter (ˈpiːnʌt ˈbʌtər), red bean paste (red biːn peɪst)
  • Served In: Sweet broth (brɒθ) or soup (suːp).
  • Cultural Significance: Represents family unity and reunion because the round shape symbolizes wholeness and togetherness.

3. Desserts & Sweets (甜点)

• Eight Treasure Rice Pudding (八宝饭)

  • Pronunciation: /eɪt ˈtreʒər raɪs ˈpʊdɪŋ/
  • Meaning: Sticky rice pudding decorated with eight different types of dried fruits and nuts.
  • Ingredients: Sticky rice (ˈstɪki raɪs), lotus seeds (ˈloʊtəs siːdz), red dates (red deɪts), candied fruits (ˈkændid fruːts), nuts, sweet bean paste.
  • Cultural Significance: Represents good luck and prosperity due to the variety of ingredients and their auspicious (ɔːˈspɪʃəs) meanings.

• Nian Gao (年糕)

  • Pronunciation: /njɑːn ɡaʊ/
  • Meaning: Sweet sticky rice cake.
  • Types:
    • Sweet Nian Gao (甜年糕): Made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and sometimes red beans.
    • Savory Nian Gao (咸年糕): Stir-fried with vegetables and meat.
  • Cultural Significance: Symbolizes progress and growth in the coming year because the name "Nian Gao" sounds like "higher year" (年高).

• Tangerines & Oranges (橘子/橙子)

  • Pronunciation: /ˈtændʒəriːnz/ & /ˈɔːrɪndʒɪz/
  • Meaning: Citrus fruits, often given as gifts during Chinese New Year.
  • Cultural Significance: Symbolize wealth and good fortune due to their round shape and golden color. The Chinese word for orange (橙, chéng) sounds similar to the word for success (成, chéng).

4. Drinks (饮品)

• Tea (茶)

  • Pronunciation: /tiː/
  • Types: Green tea (ɡriːn tiː), black tea (blæk tiː), oolong tea (ˈuːlɒŋ tiː), jasmine tea (ˈdʒæzmɪn tiː)
  • Cultural Significance: A traditional beverage served with meals and to guests. Represents respect and hospitality (ˌhɒspɪˈtæləti).

• Baijiu (白酒)

  • Pronunciation: /baɪˈdʒuː/
  • Meaning: A strong distilled liquor made from grains.
  • Characteristics: Clear, potent (ˈpoʊtnt), and flavorful.
  • Cultural Significance: Often consumed during celebratory occasions, including Chinese New Year. Used for toasting (ˈtoʊstɪŋ) and showing respect.

• Juice (果汁)

  • Orange Juice (橙汁): /ˈɔːrɪndʒ dʒuːs/
  • Apple Juice (苹果汁): /ˈæpl dʒuːs/
  • Mango Juice (芒果汁): /ˈmæŋɡoʊ dʒuːs/

5. Ingredients (食材)

• Meat (肉类)

  • Pork (猪肉): pɔrk
  • Beef (牛肉): biːf
  • Chicken (鸡肉): ˈtʃɪkɪn
  • Duck (鸭肉): dʌk
  • Fish (鱼): fɪʃ

• Vegetables (蔬菜)

  • Cabbage (卷心菜): ˈkæbɪdʒ
  • Carrots (胡萝卜): ˈkærəts
  • Mushrooms (蘑菇): ˈmʌʃruːmz
  • Scallions (葱): ˈskæliənz
  • Ginger (姜): ˈdʒɪndʒər

• Staples (主食)

  • Rice (米): raɪs (sticky rice: 糯米 ˈstɪki raɪs)
  • Noodles (面条): ˈnuːdəlz
  • Flour (面粉): ˈflaʊər (glutinous rice flour: 糯米粉 ˈɡluːtɪnəs raɪs ˈflaʊər)

• Seasonings (调味料)

  • Soy Sauce (酱油): sɔɪ sɔːs
  • Vinegar (醋): ˈvɪnɪɡər
  • Sugar (糖): ˈʃʊɡər
  • Salt (盐): sɔːlt
  • Sesame Oil (香油): ˈsesəmi ɔɪl
  • Chili Oil (辣椒油): ˈtʃɪli ɔɪl
  • Star Anise (八角): stɑːr ˈænɪs
  • Cinnamon (桂皮): ˈsɪnəmən