From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hokkien culinary term for the ideal texture of chewy foods
Mochi is an example of a food with the chewy
Q texture.
In
Hokkien-speaking areas , Q (
Chinese :
𩚨 ;
Pe̍h-ōe-jī : khiū ) is a culinary term for the ideal texture of many foods, such as
noodles ,
boba ,
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
fish balls and
fishcakes .
[6] Sometimes translated as "chewy", the texture has been described as "The Asian version of
al-dente ... soft but not mushy."
[7] Another translation is "springy and bouncy".
[6] It also appears in a
doubled more intense form, "QQ".
[7]
The term originates from the
Hokkien word khiū (𩚨 ),
[8]
[9] which has a sound similar to the letter "Q" in English, and has since been adopted by other forms of
Chinese , such as
Mandarin .
[10] The use of the letter "Q" to represent khiū (𩚨 ) may have originated in
Taiwan , but it is also widely used in Chinese speaking communities outside of Taiwan.
[11]
"Q" in
Sinitic languages has several other meanings, such as a shorthand for the English word "cute".
[11]
References
^ Qin, Amy (2018-10-14).
"In Italy, 'Al Dente' Is Prized. In Taiwan, It's All About Food That's 'Q.' " . The New York Times . Retrieved 2018-10-14 .
^ Munchies Staff (2015-03-18).
"The Mysterious 'Q Texture' You Didn't Even Know Your Food Was Missing" . Huffington Post . Retrieved 2018-10-18 .
^ Spiegel, Alison (2015-03-18).
"This Taiwanese Food Term Will Change the Way You Look at Gummy Candy" . Vice . Retrieved 2018-10-18 .
^ Russell, Laura (2017-05-01).
"The Curious Case of Q" . Roads & Kingdoms . Retrieved 2018-10-18 .
^ Mair, Victor (2010-04-15).
"Is Q a Chinese Character?" . Language Log . Retrieved 2018-10-18 .
^
a
b Erway, Kathy (2015). The Food of Taiwan . New York: Houghton Miller Harcourt. pp. 203–204.
ISBN
9780544303010 .
^
a
b Lim, Stephanie (2016-05-13).
"What is ... QQ?" . Michelin Guide . Retrieved 2018-10-18 .
^
Kangxi Dictionary: page 1417, character 34
^
"𩚨 - 臺語萌典" . 臺語萌典 . Retrieved 2023-07-12 . 形容食物柔軟而有彈性、韌性。
^ Quartly, Jules (2020-01-21).
"The True Story of Q" . Taiwan Business TOPICS . Retrieved 2021-12-02 .
^
a
b
"Language Log » Is Q a Chinese Character?" . Retrieved 2023-12-31 .