Mnemonic
In the t'ang dynasty, farmers discovered that slowly boiling rice produced a thick, amber syrup — the world's first sugar. The emperor hoarded barrels of this precious rice sugar, sweetening every royal dish in the palace.
Additional thoughts
Picture a giant bronze cauldron in a T'ang-era courtyard. Rice grains dissolve into bubbling golden syrup that crystallizes into sugar cubes. Rice + T'ang = Sugar.Quick recall
T'ang dynasty farmers boil rice into the first sugar.Details
The keyword for 糖 is sugar. This kanji refers to sugar in its various forms, encompassing both the sweet crystalline substance used in cooking and the broader chemical concept of sugars as a category of carbohydrates. It appears in compounds related to sweeteners, confections, and medical or scientific terms involving glucose, sucrose, and other saccharides. The character conveys the essential idea of sweetness derived from natural or refined sources.
- On'yomi
- とう