芝麻

Chinese

	corruption of 脂	hemp
trad. (芝麻/芝蔴)	芝	麻/蔴
simp. (芝麻)	芝	麻
alternative forms	脂麻

Etymology 1

From earlier 脂麻.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): zhīma

(Zhuyin): ㄓ ˙ㄇㄚ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): zi¹ ma²
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zi¹ maa⁴

(Taishan, Wiktionary): zi¹ ma³
Jin (Wiktionary): zi¹ ma¹
Eastern Min (BUC): ciĕ-muài
Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chi-môa / chir-môa
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tsy-mo
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zhr¹ ma²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zhīma
  - Zhuyin: ㄓ ˙ㄇㄚ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jhihmå
  - Wade–Giles: chih¹-ma⁵
  - Yale: jr̄-ma
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jy.ma
  - Palladius: чжима (čžima)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mä²/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: zi¹ ma²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: zma
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sz̩⁵⁵ ma²¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: zi¹ maa⁴
  - Yale: jī màh
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzi¹ maa⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: ji¹ ma⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siː⁵⁵ maː²¹/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: zi¹ ma³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡si³³ ᵐba²²/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: zi¹ ma¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sz̩¹¹ ma¹¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: ciĕ-muài
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sie⁵⁵ muai⁵³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chi-môa
  - Tâi-lô: tsi-muâ
  - Phofsit Daibuun: cimoaa
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡si⁴⁴⁻²² muã¹³/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡si³³ muã²⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /t͡si⁴⁴⁻³³ muã²⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡si⁴⁴⁻³³ muã²³/
  - IPA (Xiamen): /t͡si⁴⁴⁻²² muã²⁴/
- (Hokkien: Longyan)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chir-môa
  - Tâi-lô: tsir-muâ
  - IPA (Longyan): /t͡sz̩³³⁴ muã¹¹/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ¹tsy-mo
  - MiniDict: tsy^平 mo
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tsr-mo
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sz̩⁵⁵ mo²¹/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: zhr¹ ma²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩³³ ma̠¹³/
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /t͡sz̩³³ ma̠¹³/

Noun

芝麻

sesame

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 芝麻 (“sesame”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		芝麻, 胡麻
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	芝麻
	Taiwan	芝麻
	Langfang	芝麻
	Harbin	芝麻
	Singapore	芝麻
Jilu Mandarin	Tangshan	芝麻
	Cangzhou	芝麻
	Baoding	芝麻
	Shijiazhuang	芝麻
	Jinan	芝麻
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	芝麻
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	芝麻
	Daming	芝麻
	Wanrong	芝麻
	Xi'an	芝麻
	Xining	芝麻
	Xuzhou	芝麻
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	芝麻
	Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	芝麻
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	芝麻
	Lanzhou	芝麻
	Ürümqi	芝麻
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	芝麻
	Wuhan	芝麻, 麻子
	Kunming	芝麻
	Guilin	芝麻
	Liuzhou	芝麻, 油麻
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	芝麻
	Mae Sai (Tengchong)	芝麻
	Pematangsiantar	芝麻
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	芝麻
	Yangzhou	芝麻
	Hefei	芝麻
Cantonese	Guangzhou	芝麻
	Hong Kong	芝麻
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	芝麻
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	芝麻
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	芝麻
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	芝麻
	Macau	芝麻
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	芝麻
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	芝麻
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	芝麻
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	芝麻
	Foshan	芝麻
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	芝麻
	Foshan (Shunde)	芝麻
	Foshan (Sanshui)	芝麻
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	芝麻
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	芝麻
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	芝麻
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	芝麻
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	芝麻
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	芝麻
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	芝麻
	Taishan	芝麻
	Kaiping (Chikan)	芝麻
	Enping (Niujiang)	芝麻
	Heshan (Yayao)	芝麻
	Dongguan	油麻
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	油麻
	Qingyuan	芝麻
	Fogang	芝麻
	Yingde (Hanguang)	芝麻
	Yangshan	芝麻
	Lianshan (Butian)	麻子
	Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)	麻子
	Shaoguan	芝麻
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	芝麻
	Renhua	芝麻
	Lechang	芝麻
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	芝麻
	Sihui	芝麻
	Guangning	芝麻
	Deqing	芝麻
	Huaiji	芝麻
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	麻仔
	Yunfu	油麻
	Xinxing	芝麻
	Luoding	芝麻
	Yunan (Pingtai)	芝麻
	Yangjiang	油麻
	Xinyi	芝麻
	Lianjiang	芝麻
	Nanning	芝麻
	Wuzhou	芝麻
	Yulin	芝麻
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	芝麻, 油麻
	Hepu (Shatian)	油麻
	Beihai	油麻
	Beihai (Nankang)	油麻
	Beihai (Yingpan)	油麻
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	芝麻, 油麻
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	芝麻
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	芝麻, 油麻
	Danzhou	油麻
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	芝麻
Singapore (Guangfu)	芝麻
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	芝麻
Móng Cái	芝麻, 油麻
Bangkok (Guangfu)	芝麻
Gan	Nanchang	芝麻
	Lichuan	麻仔, 芝麻
	Pingxiang	芝麻, 麻子
Hakka	Meixian	麻仔, 麻
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	油麻
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	油麻
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	油麻
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	油麻
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	芝麻
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	麻哩
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	麻哩
	Wuhua (Changbu)	油麻哩
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	麻哩
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	油麻
	Jiexi	油麻
	Ninghua	麻仔
	Yudu	芝麻
	Shicheng	麻
	Shangyou (Shexi)	麻子
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	麻仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	麻仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	麻仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	麻
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	麻仔
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	麻子
	Hong Kong	油麻
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	芝麻
	Sabah (Longchuan)	芝麻, 麻
	Senai (Huiyang)	油麻
	Singkawang	油麻
	Bangkok (Jiexi)	油麻
Huizhou	Jixi	油麻
Jin	Taiyuan	芝麻
	Pingyao	芝麻
	Xinzhou	芝麻
	Hohhot	芝麻
	Zhangjiakou	芝麻
	Handan	芝麻
Jiuxing Yumin	Lanxi	芝麻
Northern Min	Jian'ou	麻仔
Northern Min	Jianyang	麻仔
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	芝麻, 油麻
Eastern Min	Fuqing	油麻
Southern Min	Xiamen	麻
	Quanzhou	麻
	Jinjiang	油麻
	Zhangzhou	麻
	Dongshan	麻
	Penang (Hokkien)	麻
	Singapore (Hokkien)	麻, 油麻
	Manila (Hokkien)	麻
	Longyan	油麻
	Datian	油麻
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	油麻
	Chaozhou	油麻
	Shantou	油麻
	Shantou (Chenghai)	油麻
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	油麻
	Nan'ao (Houzhai)	油麻
	Nan'ao (Yun'ao)	油麻
	Jieyang	油麻
	Lufeng	油麻
	Haifeng	油麻
	Bangkok (Teochew)	油麻
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	油麻
	Pontianak (Teochew)	油麻
	Leizhou	麻葈
	Wenchang	油麻
	Haikou	油麻
Puxian Min	Putian	蓖麻, 芝麻
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	油麻
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	油麻
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	油麻
	Xianyou	油麻
	Xianyou (Fengting)	油麻
	Xianyou (Youyang)	油麻
Central Min	Yong'an	麻, 油麻
	Sanming (Sanyuan)	麻
	Sanming (Shaxian)	麻
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	油麻
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	油麻
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	芝麻
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	油麻
Northern Pinghua	Lingchuan (Shuangzhou)	芝麻
Wu	Shanghai	芝麻
	Shanghai (Chongming)	芝麻
	Suzhou	芝麻
	Danyang	芝麻
	Hangzhou	芝麻
	Ningbo	芝麻
	Wenzhou	芝麻
	Jinhua	油麻
Xiang	Changsha	芝麻
	Loudi	油麻籽
	Shuangfeng	油麻, 芝麻
	Quanzhou	油麻

Derived terms

大缸裡翻油，沿路拾芝麻 / 大缸里翻油，沿路拾芝麻
整簍灑油，滿地撿芝麻 / 整篓洒油，满地捡芝麻
滿地撿芝麻，整簍灑油 / 满地捡芝麻，整篓洒油
芝麻官 (zhīmaguān)
芝麻小事 (zhīmaxiǎoshì)
芝麻油 (zhīmayóu)
芝麻灣 / 芝麻湾 (Zhīmawān)
芝麻球 (zhīmaqiú)
芝麻稭 / 芝麻秸
芝麻糊 (zhīmahù)
芝麻綠豆 / 芝麻绿豆 (zhīma lǜdòu)
芝麻菜 (zhīmacài)
芝麻街 (Zhīmajiē)
芝麻醬 / 芝麻酱 (zhīmajiàng)
野芝麻
陳年爛芝麻 / 陈年烂芝麻
陳穀子爛芝麻 / 陈谷子烂芝麻 (chén gǔzi làn zhīma)
陳芝麻爛穀子 / 陈芝麻烂谷子 (chén zhīma làn gǔzi)
黑芝麻 (hēizhīma)

Etymology 2

Near homophone of 支那 (Zhīnà).

Pronunciation

Cantonese (Jyutping): zi¹ maa⁴

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: zi¹ maa⁴
  - Yale: jī màh
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzi¹ maa⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: ji¹ ma⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siː⁵⁵ maː²¹/

Proper noun

芝麻

(Hong Kong Cantonese, Internet slang, euphemistic) alternative form of 支那 (Zhīnà, “China (derogatory)”)
芝麻仁沒有一個是蘑菇（無辜）的！ [Cantonese, trad.]
芝麻仁没有一个是蘑菇（无辜）的！ [Cantonese, simp.]
zi¹ maa⁴ jan⁴ mut⁶ jau⁵ jat¹ go³ si⁶ mo⁴ gu¹ (mou⁴ gu¹) dik¹! [Jyutping]
No single Chinaman is innocent! (A meme modified from a line from My Date with a Vampire)