十三香

shísānxiāng

noun

Meanings

1 thirteen-spice powder (Chinese mixed spice blend)
2 Shisanxiang seasoning

Characters

fragrant / spice

Examples

炒小龙虾撒一把十三香,香得不行。

Chǎo xiǎolóngxiā sǎ yì bǎ shísānxiāng, xiāng de bùxíng.

Toss a handful of thirteen-spice into the crayfish stir-fry and the aroma is unreal.

家里常备十三香,炖肉腌菜都用得上。

Jiā lǐ chángbèi shísānxiāng, dùn ròu yān cài dōu yòng de shàng.

We always keep thirteen-spice on hand — useful for stewing meat and pickling veg.

Tips

culture

A Henan-origin spice blend popularized by the Wang Shouyi (王守义十三香) brand since 1984. Typical mix: star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, sand ginger, fennel, white pepper, black pepper, nutmeg, dried ginger, bay leaf, amomum, and tsaoko. Staple in northern Chinese kitchens and a fixture in 小龙虾 recipes.

In Pop Culture

王守义 Wáng Shǒuyì

Wang Shouyi

Henan-based spice brand founded in 1984; its Thirteen-Spice (王守义十三香) is the category leader and a retro kitchen-pantry icon.

Stroke Order

十 shí

三 sān

香 xiāng