ling4苓
Jyutpingling4
Yalelìhng
Definition
A type of fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine, or licorice.
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How it's used
Poria is almost exclusively encountered in the context of traditional Chinese medicine or herbal soups. It is rarely referred to as just 苓 in isolation, as the full name 茯苓 is the standard term used by practitioners and in markets. It is considered a neutral, functional ingredient rather than a common food item.
Examples
This soup has some poria fungus added to it.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the character 苓 with other similar looking characters in herbal lists. Always ensure you are using the full term 茯苓 to avoid confusion, as 苓 alone is rarely used in modern speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
