Chinese cinnamon
- noun
- /ˈtʃaɪniːz ˈsɪnəˌmən/
- The flavor of Chinese cinnamon is bolder and less sweet compared to its Ceylon counterpart.
Examples
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She prefers to use Chinese cinnamon sticks in savory dishes for their stronger aroma.
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I love adding Chinese cinnamon to my oatmeal.
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Most commercial ground cinnamon in the United States is actually Chinese cinnamon rather than Ceylon cinnamon.
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What is Chinese cinnamon used for?
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Most commercial ground cinnamon in the United States is actually Chinese cinnamon rather than Ceylon cinnamon.
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She prefers to use Chinese cinnamon sticks in savory dishes for their stronger aroma.
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The flavor of Chinese cinnamon is bolder and less sweet compared to its Ceylon counterpart.
Synonyms
A sweet-smelling brown spice made from the dried bark of a tree used to flavor food and drinks
Dried tree bark with a warm, sweet smell used as a cooking spice
Bark from a tree used as a spice that smells like cinnamon and tastes stronger
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a type/variety of cinnamon associated with China' is directly and compositionally derived from 'Chinese' (denoting origin/type) + 'cinnamon' (the spice). Although a learner may not know the botanical nuance (cassia vs Ceylon), the basic idea of a cinnamon variety linked to China is predictable and cross-linguistically transparent.
Etymology
Chinese cinnamon gets its name from the bark of the 'cassia' tree that was commonly traded from China. The bark has a stronger, less sweet flavor than 'Ceylon cinnamon', so cooks and shops call it Chinese cinnamon to show the difference.