藏红花 (zànghónghuā) · saffron, Crocus sativus

Measure Word

一克藏红花 kè

Meanings

1 saffron
2 Crocus sativus

About the ingredient

调料 Seasonings

Dried red threads of the saffron crocus, very expensive, that dye food yellow-orange and smell of honey and hay. Chinese cooking rarely uses them, and traditional Chinese medicine counts them as a herb.

Also called 西红花、番红花

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

这道菜里加了一点藏红花，颜色很漂亮。

Zhè dào cài lǐ jiā le yìdiǎn zànghónghuā, yánsè hěn piàoliang.

A little saffron was added to this dish, giving it a beautiful color.

HSK 7-9

藏红花是世界上最昂贵的香料之一。

Zànghónghuā shì shìjiè shàng zuì ángguì de xiāngliào zhīyī.

Saffron is one of the world's most expensive spices.

Tips

memory

藏红花 literally means 'Tibet red flower'. The name reflects the historical trade route through which saffron reached China via the Tibetan plateau, though saffron itself originates from the Middle East.