About
The character "椒" is a phono-semantic compound incorporating the plant radical "木" alongside the phonetic component "叔", originally denoting aromatic trees or shrubs producing pungent berries, such as the native Chinese pepper. Over time, its semantic range widened significantly through botanical and culinary exchanges, absorbing references to introduced spices like black pepper from the West and later chili peppers from the Americas, as seen in formations like "胡椒" and "辣椒". While its graphical structure has persisted without alteration, the meaning of "椒" shifted from specifying a particular plant to serving as a general lexical element for various hot or pungent spices, reflecting adaptive changes in language due to historical trade and agricultural integration.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
辣椒是红色的。
我在菜里放了花椒。
四川菜常用花椒调味。
辣椒酱的味道很独特。
虽然辣椒很辣，但是很多人爱吃。
花椒的麻味让舌头感觉很有趣。
辣椒素是辣椒中的辣味成分。
在烹饪中，花椒和辣椒的搭配能产生丰富的层次感。