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面粉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
面粉miànfěnflourHSK 6, unknown, 19 strokes, rank #11819, Hard
miànfěn(mian4fen3)mian fen T4
  1. 1flour
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March 24, 2026

面粉(麵粉)miànfěn(mian4fen3)

面粉 (miànfěn) refers to flour, a key ingredient in many culinary practices, especially in baking and cooking. It is commonly used to make bread, pastries, noodles, and various other dishes in Chinese cuisine. The term specifically implies a fine powder made from ground grains, typically wheat.

Strokes19Frequency#11819DifficultyHard
Cultural note

Flour plays a significant role in traditional Chinese food, particularly in the making of dumplings (饺子, jiǎozi) and noodles (面条, miàntiáo), which are staples in Chinese cuisine. Festivals often feature flour-based foods, highlighting its importance in celebrations.

Memory tip

Imagine a fluffy cloud of flour floating in the air, resembling a 面 (miàn) face that is soft and smooth like the powder. The character 粉 (fěn) looks like a pile of powder with its soft, delicate strokes, and you can think of it as a 'fine' substance you use in cooking.

Meanings of 面粉

miànfěn(mian4fen3)
1flour
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About 面粉

面粉Simplified
麵粉Traditional
19Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 面粉

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AI study notes for 面粉

Quick Contrast

小麦粉 (xiǎomàifěn) vs. 面粉 (miànfěn): 小麦粉 specifically refers to wheat flour, while 面粉 can refer to flour in general, which may include other types.

Usage Notes

面粉 is often used in cooking contexts, so it's important to use it in relevant discussions about food. A common mistake is confusing it with other types of flour, like 高筋面粉 (gāojīn miànfěn) for high-gluten flour, which is used for specific recipes. Avoid using it in overly formal contexts as it's commonly used in everyday language.

HSK Study Tips

While 面粉 itself is not an HSK vocabulary word, it can be linked to other HSK Level 2 words related to food and cooking, such as 食物 (shíwù, food) and 饭 (fàn, rice/meal). Focus on its usage in recipes and food discussions to build contextual understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce the tones, saying 'mian2 fen3' instead of 'mian4 fen3'. Another common mistake is using 面粉 in contexts where specific types of flour are needed, like saying '面粉' when they mean '低筋面粉' (low-gluten flour).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 面粉

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Component characters

面miànface
HSK 29 strokes面
View full entry
粉fěnpowder
HSK 610 strokes米
View full entry

How to say flour in Chinese

“flour” in Chinese is面粉miànfěn

面粉 (miànfěn) refers to flour, a key ingredient in many culinary practices, especially in baking and cooking. It is commonly used to make bread, pastries, noodles, and various other dishes in Chinese cuisine. The term specifically implies a fine powder made from ground grains, typically wheat.

When to use 面粉

面粉 is often used in cooking contexts, so it's important to use it in relevant discussions about food. A common mistake is confusing it with other types of flour, like 高筋面粉 (gāojīn miànfěn) for high-gluten flour, which is used for specific recipes. Avoid using it in overly formal contexts as it's commonly used in everyday language.

面粉 or something close to it

小麦粉 (xiǎomàifěn) vs. 面粉 (miànfěn): 小麦粉 specifically refers to wheat flour, while 面粉 can refer to flour in general, which may include other types.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce the tones, saying 'mian2 fen3' instead of 'mian4 fen3'. Another common mistake is using 面粉 in contexts where specific types of flour are needed, like saying '面粉' when they mean '低筋面粉' (low-gluten flour).

Write 面粉

面
粉

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Frequently asked questions about 面粉

面粉 is specifically wheat flour, while other types can include rice flour (米粉, mǐfěn) or corn flour (玉米粉, yùmǐfěn), each used for different culinary purposes.

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