bing1 tong4冰糖
Jyutpingbing1 tong4
Yalebīng tòhng
Definition
Rock sugar; crystal sugar.
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How it's used
Rock sugar is favored in Cantonese cooking for its ability to provide a clean, mellow sweetness without the cloying aftertaste of refined white sugar. It is the essential sweetener for traditional desserts like 糖水 and for braising meats to achieve a glossy, caramelized finish. Unlike granulated sugar, it dissolves slowly, making it perfect for long-simmered dishes.
Measure word
gau6嚿gauhExamples
Remember to add more rock sugar when making sweet soup.
Do you have any rock sugar left at home?
Related words
Common phrases
stewed pear with rock sugar
candied fruit on a stick
Common mistake
Learners often confuse it with 砂糖, but they are not interchangeable in recipes. Because it comes in large, hard chunks, it is difficult to measure by volume and must be weighed or estimated by eye.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
