I've been hearing the term 'Q 感' a lot when I watch Chinese programmes about food. Literally translated, it means 'Q feel'. I don't know who came up with this 'cos I had no idea that a single alphabet could now be used to describe food.
People interviewed at the food places keep saying, '它吃起来很Q' or they go '它很有Q感' – It tastes very 'Q' / It has a lot of 'Q feel'.
From what I can fathom based on the food these people are using the term to describe, Q 感 is used to describe something that's rather chewy and springy in texture when you bite into it. Think foods like 汤圆 (tang yuan or sweet glutinous rice dumplings) where a good one has skin which contains a hint of springiness. Another example I can think of is muah chee or in Japanese mochi. Can't think of others at the moment...maybe you might want to let me know what others you can think of.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in my definition, but honestly, can we like use proper words and adjectives already???
Posted by DSD at April 20, 2008 12:00 AMThe "ang moh" version of "Q" is "al dente", I reckon.
I personally like the term "Q" - it's cute and it's part of the Chinese vernacular. I think it is probably derived from the Hokkien term "Q Q", which means something that is curly and wiry - like a stubborn strand of hair - or noodle!
Posted by: kartaly at April 20, 2008 11:28 AMI think the equivalent term is "Al Dente".
Technically, it's the denseness of the item that's being "measured" here. I am sure uniformity of chew is also included somewhere.
The term "Q", if I am not wrong, is Hokkien; usually to describe something retracting or pulling (curling) away.
Posted by: ivn at April 22, 2008 12:21 AMYup, I hear about Q but I always think of my Taiwanese Grandmother and mother who use it a lot (when speaking Taiwanese of course) to describe the texture of which you speak. I use it a lot myself but pronounce it more like "kiu" when describing texture to family. (We're ALL food obsessed)
I never even thought it translated to the anglicised Q in Cantonese... although perhaps I've been away from HK for too long!
Posted by: Sui Mai at April 23, 2008 1:56 AM