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Even more minor nit: ma2la4 is actually the combination of flavors of both numbness (ma2, 麻) and spiciness (la4, 辣). The latter is commonly used outside the co
by lofatdairy 4y ago
Even more minor nit: ma2la4 is actually the combination of flavors of both numbness (ma2, 麻) and spiciness (la4, 辣). The latter is commonly used outside the combined descriptor to signify normal capsaicin spice in food.
Off topic, but the "ma" in mapo tofu also uses same character from ma2la4, but also serves to give a visual description of the dish. That character is also used to refer to a pockmarked person, and the po2 is from one of the various ways to refer to grandmother. You could probably go as far to say it's something of a pun.
- angrais 4y agoAny reason why your Pinyin is written in ASCII and not unicode (as OP)?
- lofatdairy 4y agoHonestly I could've just copied and pasted it but I'm used to just typing the numbers since I didn't learn the alt keybindings on my keyboard.
- thaumasiotes 4y ago> spiciness (la4, 辣). The latter is commonly used outside the combined descriptor to signify normal capsaicin spice in food. True, but it isn't restricted to that; it also describes the taste of garlic. (Whereas in English, I would never describe garlic or onions as "hot". If I needed a descriptor, I'd call them "sharp".)
- paraph1n 4y agoActually it's quite normal in American English to describe garlic as hot or spicy, especially raw garlic.
- thaumasiotes 4y agoMaybe somewhere, but it's not a usage I've encountered. Chilis are described as hot; garlic is usually just described as "garlic".
- paraph1n 4y agoHave you tried chewing on a fresh raw clove of garlic? You may find yourself using different words :)
- thaumasiotes 4y ago> Have you tried chewing on a fresh raw clove of garlic? Come on. You could at least read my comments before responding to them. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32111461 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32111461 You really think "sharp" is a bad descriptor for raw garlic?
- paraph1n 4y agoSharp seems reasonable, but I've never heard someone use it to describe garlic in isolation. I've only heard people use it when describing garlic flavor as part of a dish eg. "This pasta has a sharp garlic flavor". Fresh raw garlic really burns, and I think it's quite normal to describe it as hot or spicy in American English.
- kaycebasques 4y ago> I would never describe garlic or onions as "hot" Eat a raw garlic clove and then get back to me on that!
- thaumasiotes 4y agoI've done it many times. Is one more going to be different somehow?
- fein 4y agoIt's the same in German. Hot mustard is "scharf" meaning sharp, but in the USA you would buy "spicy" brown mustard. Horseradish is sharp. Habaneros are hot/spicy. I agree that a raw garlic clove or the right raw onion can be "spicy", but they dont have a heat profile like something loaded with capsaicin.
- rrrrrrrrrrrryan 4y agoGarlic has a different chemical in it (allicin), but it hits the same receptors as capsaicin. If you've ever tasted a chimichurri with a ton of raw garlic before it's had a chance to mellow out in the oil, you'll attest that garlic can indeed be spicy. Here are the main chemicals that are usually described as spicy - they all use the same mechanism to create a "heat" sensation, with the exception of the Sichuan peppercorns: - Chile Peppers: Capsaicin - Onions/Garlic: Allicin and Pyruvic Acid - Ginger: Gingerol - Black Pepper: Piperine - Mustard/Horseradish/Wasabi: Allyl Isothiocyanate - Sichuan Peppercorn: Hydroxy-Alpha-Sanshool [1] https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8963709 https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8963709
- Zababa 4y agoThat's interesting, I wouldn't describe mustard as spicy. Mustard is shorter and more intense than capsaicin.
- whoisburbansky 4y agoWhat about wasabi or horseradish?