{"id":14545,"date":"2018-10-15T07:00:19","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T11:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=14545"},"modified":"2018-10-13T11:36:49","modified_gmt":"2018-10-13T15:36:49","slug":"talking-about-eggs-in-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/talking-about-eggs-in-chinese\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking About Eggs in Chinese"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

Useful vocabulary for breakfast.<\/p>\n

\u86cb\u7c7b (d\u00e0n l\u00e8i) is a general word for eggs of any kind. It is used when referring to eggs in general, and not from a specific kind. My Chinese friend, for example, who consistently exhorts me to eat healthier food, believes in the benefits of eggs: \u4f60\u5e94\u8be5\u591a\u5403\u4e9b\u6709\u8425\u517b\u7684\u4e1c\u897f\uff0c\u6bd4\u5982\u852c\u83dc\uff0c\u86cb\u7c7b\uff0c\u6c34\u679c\u7b49\u7b49 (n\u01d0 y\u012bngg\u0101i du\u014d ch\u012b xi\u0113 y\u01d2u y\u00edngy\u01ceng de d\u014dngx\u012b, b\u01d0r\u00fa sh\u016bc\u00e0i, d\u00e0n l\u00e8i, shu\u01d0gu\u01d2 d\u011bng d\u011bng, \u201cyou should eat more nutritious things like vegetables, eggs, fruits and so on\u201d). But not everyone eats eggs. While visiting China with my vegan friend she had to explain over and over again: \u6211\u4e0d\u5403\u8089\uff0c\u4e0d\u559d\u725b\u5976\uff0c \u4e5f\u4e0d\u5403\u86cb\u7c7b (w\u01d2 b\u00f9 ch\u012b r\u00f2u, b\u00f9 h\u0113 ni\u00fan\u01cei, y\u011b b\u00f9 ch\u012b d\u00e0n l\u00e8i, \u201cI don\u2019t eat meat, don\u2019t drink milk, and don\u2019t eat eggs\u201d).<\/p>\n

When referring to a specific kind of egg, the bird name precedes the word for egg, \u86cb (d\u00e0n). \u5e38\u89c1\u7684\u86cb\u7c7b\u6709\u9e21\u3001\u9e2d\u3001\u9e45\u548c\u9e4c\u9e51\u86cb (ch\u00e1ngji\u00e0n de d\u00e0n l\u00e8i y\u01d2u j\u012b, y\u0101, \u00e9 h\u00e9 \u0101nch\u00fan d\u00e0n, \u201cthe common eggs are of chickens, ducks, geese and quails\u201d). The most commonly eaten egg is the chicken egg, \u98df\u7528\u6700\u666e\u904d\u7684\u86cb\u7c7b\u662f\u9e21\u86cb (sh\u00edy\u00f2ng zu\u00ec p\u01d4bi\u00e0n de d\u00e0n l\u00e8i sh\u00ec j\u012bd\u00e0n). In China I also ate quail eggs \u9e4c\u9e51\u86cb (\u0101nch\u00fan d\u00e0n) for the first time. A raw \u9e4c\u9e51\u86cb is served with the famous Yunnan dish \u201ccrossing\u00a0the bridge rice noodles\u201d<\/a>. The small raw egg is added to the hot soup with all the fresh ingredients: first the egg and the meat, then the vegetables, and finally the noodles. In the Muslim quarter of Xi\u2019an city, Shaanxi Province, I ate fried \u9e4c\u9e51\u86cb served on a skewer.<\/p>\n

There are many ways to eat eggs, \u86cb\u7c7b\u5403\u6cd5\u5374\u4e94\u82b1\u516b\u95e8 (d\u00e0n l\u00e8i ch\u012b f\u01ce qu\u00e8 w\u01d4hu\u0101b\u0101m\u00e9n). Boiled egg \u6c34\u716e\u86cb (shu\u01d0 zh\u01d4 d\u00e0n), for instance. You put the egg in water, \u628a\u9e21\u86cb\u653e\u5165\u6c34\u4e2d (b\u01ce j\u012bd\u00e0n f\u00e0ng r\u00f9 shu\u01d0zh\u014dng), and boil \u716e (zh\u01d4) it for several minutes. How long? \u716e\u51e0\u5206\u949f\uff1f (zh\u01d4 j\u01d0 f\u0113nzh\u014dng) is the ultimate question for cooking a creamy and mellow yolk\u00a0\u86cb\u9ec4 (d\u00e0n hu\u00e1ng). The yolk is high in cholesterol, but apparently it is the most nutritious part of an egg, \u86cb\u9ec4\u662f\u9e21\u86cb\u4e2d\u6700\u6709\u8425\u517b\u7684\u90e8\u5206 (d\u00e0nhu\u00e1ng sh\u00ec j\u012bd\u00e0n zh\u014dng zu\u00ec y\u01d2u y\u00edngy\u01ceng de b\u00f9fen). The egg white\u86cb\u767d (d\u00e0n b\u00e1i) is less nutritious but rich in protein.<\/p>\n

The egg shell\u86cb\u58f3 (d\u00e0n k\u00e9) is, of course, not for eating. How long does it take to peel an egg \u5265\u9e21\u86cb (b\u0101o j\u012bd\u00e0n)? Apparently no more than 10 seconds, \u5341\u79d2\u5c31\u80fd\u5265\u51fa\u5b8c\u6574\u9e21\u86cb (sh\u00ed mi\u01ceo ji\u00f9 n\u00e9ng b\u014d ch\u016b w\u00e1nzh\u011bng j\u012bd\u00e0n). The next video shows the quickest way to peel off an egg:<\/p>\n