maan4 tau4饅頭馒头
Jyutpingmaan4 tau4
Yalemàahn tàuh
Definition
Mantou; a traditional Chinese steamed bun made of leavened wheat flour and water.
colloquialfooddim sum
How it's used
Refers specifically to plain, un-filled steamed buns, which distinguishes it from the various types of filled buns known as 包. While common in Northern Chinese cuisine, it is less of a staple in traditional Cantonese dim sum culture compared to sweet or savory filled options. It is often served as a simple, neutral carbohydrate accompaniment to dishes.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Eating a piping hot steamed bun for breakfast feels great.
Do you prefer eating steamed buns or filled buns more?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 包, which implies a filling like char siu or custard inside. If you order a 饅頭 expecting a filling, you will be surprised to find it is just plain dough.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
