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麯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
麯qūyeast, leavenx, 17 strokes, radical 麥
麯qūsurname Quunknown, 17 strokes, radical 麥
qū(Qu1) T1
  1. 1yeast, leaven
Also a Chinese surname, Qu — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

麯qū(Qu1)

The character 麯 (qū) primarily refers to yeast or leaven, which are essential ingredients in bread-making and fermentation processes. It can also serve as a surname, particularly in Chinese contexts. The word is often used in discussions about food preparation and fermentation in both traditional and modern contexts.

Strokes17Radical麥
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, fermentation is a vital part of food preparation, especially in traditional dishes like dumplings and various types of bread. Yeast's role in these foods reflects the importance of culinary techniques passed down through generations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef (the shape of 麯 can resemble a chef’s hat) skillfully using yeast to make fluffy bread. The sound 'qū' can remind you of the 'cue' to start baking. Visualizing this scene helps connect the character's form with its meaning.

Meanings of 麯

qū(Qu1)
1yeast, leaven
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 麯

麯Simplified
17Strokes
麥Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 麯

JasonAmy

Podcast: 麯

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 麯

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 麯 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mistakes in pronunciation or meaning. It’s more commonly used in culinary contexts, so be mindful of using it appropriately in discussions about food. Always remember to use the correct tone: 'qū' is pronounced in the first tone.

HSK Study Tips

Although 麯 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to food and cooking. Students should focus on related words like 发酵 (fājiào - fermentation) to strengthen their grasp of this area.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 麯 with the character 酵 (jiào), which means fermentation. For example, saying '我用酵' (wǒ yòng jiào) instead of '我用麯' (wǒ yòng qū) when talking about using yeast is incorrect. Correct usage would be '我用麯'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 麯

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Etymology of 麯

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 麥 represents the meaning and 曲 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

wheat

Semantic (meaning)麥
+
Phonetic (sound)曲
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 麯

Phonosemantic compound. 麥 represents the meaning and 曲 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half麥 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half曲 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywheat
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 麯? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 麯?

Decomposition of 麯

IDS Structure⿰麥曲
麯Full Character
=
麥mai4
left
曲Qu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 麯?

How to say yeast, leaven in Chinese

“yeast, leaven” in Chinese is麯qū

The character 麯 (qū) primarily refers to yeast or leaven, which are essential ingredients in bread-making and fermentation processes. It can also serve as a surname, particularly in Chinese contexts. The word is often used in discussions about food preparation and fermentation in both traditional and modern contexts.

When to use 麯

Learners often confuse 麯 with similar-sounding characters, leading to mistakes in pronunciation or meaning. It’s more commonly used in culinary contexts, so be mindful of using it appropriately in discussions about food. Always remember to use the correct tone: 'qū' is pronounced in the first tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 麯 with the character 酵 (jiào), which means fermentation. For example, saying '我用酵' (wǒ yòng jiào) instead of '我用麯' (wǒ yòng qū) when talking about using yeast is incorrect. Correct usage would be '我用麯'.

Write 麯

麯

Practice writing 麯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 麯

Words Containing This Character1
麯qūsurname Qu
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 麯 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 麯

In everyday conversation, 麯 typically refers to yeast, especially in cooking contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 麯?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.