中国餐馆症候群

中國餐館症候群

Zhōngguócānguǎnzhènghòuqún

noun

Meanings

1 Chinese restaurant syndrome
2 (historical / disputed) symptoms blamed on MSG after Chinese meals

Characters

Examples

中国餐馆症候群这个说法已经被科学界否定。

Zhōngguó cānguǎn zhènghòuqún zhège shuōfǎ yǐjīng bèi kēxué jiè fǒudìng.

The notion of 'Chinese restaurant syndrome' has been rejected by the scientific community.

他声称自己得了中国餐馆症候群。

Tā shēngchēng zìjǐ dé le Zhōngguó cānguǎn zhènghòuqún.

He claimed he was suffering from Chinese restaurant syndrome.

Tips

history

Coined in 1968 by a New England Journal of Medicine letter blaming MSG (味精, wèijīng) for headaches after Chinese meals. Subsequent double-blind studies found no MSG effect — but the racially-loaded label stuck for decades. Merriam-Webster only flagged it as 'dated and offensive' in 2020.

register

Now considered outdated and culturally insensitive in English. The Chinese phrase is mostly used to discuss the syndrome's history or debunk it, not to describe real symptoms.

Stroke Order

中 zhōng

国 guó

餐 cān

馆 guǎn

症 zhèng

候 hòu

群 qún