min6 si6麵豉面豉
Jyutpingmin6 si6
Yalemihn sih
Definition
Miso; fermented bean paste.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to the salty, fermented soybean paste common in Cantonese home cooking, which is distinct from the Japanese style miso. While often used in steaming fish or pork ribs, it is a staple condiment that gives dishes a deep, savory umami profile. It is rarely eaten raw and almost always cooked as part of a sauce or marinade.
Measure word
zeon1樽jēunExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid confusing this with the Japanese miso paste found in sushi restaurants, as the flavor profile and texture of traditional Cantonese fermented bean paste are significantly saltier and more pungent.
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.
