mei4糜
Jyutpingmei4
Yalemèih
Definition
Congee, or a paste-like substance.
- congee; rice porridge
- paste; paste-like substance
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
While 粥 is the standard word for congee, 糜 is used to describe the texture of food that has been cooked or mashed until it loses its structural integrity. It often carries a slightly negative connotation when referring to rice, implying it was overcooked or turned into mush by mistake. In formal or literary contexts, it can also refer to meat or other ingredients ground into a fine paste.
Examples
You cooked the rice so soft it's like congee.
These potatoes are mashed into a paste, perfect for making mashed potatoes.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 迷, which means to be obsessed or lost. Also, note that while 糜 can mean congee, you should stick to 粥 in daily life to avoid sounding overly literary or archaic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
