mei6 zing1味精

Jyutpingmei6 zing1

Yalemeih jīng

名詞Uncommon

Definition

Monosodium glutamate (MSG); a flavor enhancer used as a seasoning.

colloquialfoodhealth

How it's used

People often use this term to complain about feeling thirsty or having a dry mouth after eating out. It is frequently used as a shorthand for any artificial seasoning that makes food taste overly intense or processed. Even if a dish does not contain actual monosodium glutamate, locals might still claim it has too much if the flavour is too strong or salty.

Examples

le1呢gaan1間caan1餐teng1廳di1啲je5嘢sik6食lok6落hou2好cung4重mei6味zing1精。

The food at this restaurant has a lot of MSG.

nei5你zyu2煮sung3餸go2嗰zan6陣ho2可m4唔ho2可ji5以m4唔hou2好lok6落gam3咁do1多mei6味zing1精aa4呀？

Can you not put so much MSG when you cook?

Common phrases

cung4重mei6味zing1精

heavy on MSG

lok6落mei6味zing1精

to add MSG

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 鮮味, which refers to the natural umami flavour found in ingredients like mushrooms or seafood. Using the word to describe a natural, delicious taste is incorrect, as it specifically implies an artificial additive.