siu6 zau2紹酒绍酒

Jyutpingsiu6 zau2

Yalesiuh jáu

名詞

Definition

Shaoxing wine, a famous Chinese yellow wine fermented from glutinous rice.

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How it's used

Shaoxing wine is the essential cooking wine in Cantonese cuisine, prized for its ability to remove the raw smell of meat and seafood. It is rarely consumed as a beverage on its own in a casual setting, unlike other types of rice wine. When a recipe calls for cooking wine, this is almost always the specific ingredient intended.

Measure word

zi1支jī

Examples

zyu2煮le1呢mei2味sung3餸jiu3要lok6落siu2少siu2少siu6紹zau2酒sin1先gau3夠hoeng1香。

You need to add a little Shaoxing wine to make this dish fragrant enough.

nei5你uk1屋kei2企zung6仲jau5有mou5冇siu6紹zau2酒aa4呀？

Do you still have any Shaoxing wine at home?

Common phrases

lok6落siu6紹zau2酒

to add Shaoxing wine

siu6紹zau2酒

marinating meat with Shaoxing wine

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with sweet cooking wines or Western white wines, as the flavor profile is distinctively savory and earthy. Using a substitute like mirin will significantly alter the final taste of a traditional Cantonese dish.