甘草 (gāncǎo) · licorice, licorice root (Glycyrrhiza)

Measure Word

一根甘草 gēn

Meanings

1 licorice
2 licorice root (Glycyrrhiza)

About the ingredient

调料 Seasonings

Dried slices of licorice root, yellow and very sweet. A traditional Chinese medicine, it also goes into the spices of master-stock braises, and sweetens preserved fruit and candy.

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

甘草是中药里常用的药材。

Gāncǎo shì zhōngyào lǐ chángyòng de yàocái.

Licorice root is a commonly used ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.

HSK 7-9

这个方子里加了甘草来调和药性。

Zhège fāngzi lǐ jiā le gāncǎo lái tiáohé yàoxìng.

Licorice was added to this prescription to harmonize the properties of the other herbs.

Tips

culture

In traditional Chinese medicine, 甘草 is called "the peacemaker of a hundred herbs" (百药之和) because it is added to many prescriptions to harmonize the effects of other ingredients and reduce toxicity.

memory

甘 (sweet) + 草 (herb/grass) - licorice root has a naturally sweet taste.