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dingsheng cake  / 定胜糕 / (dìnɡshènɡɡāo)

A: I heard that Suzhou-style cakes are very famous. Do you have any specific recommendations?   

我听说苏式糕点很有名,你有什么具体推荐吗？

(wǒ tīnɡshuō sūshì ɡāodiǎn hěn yǒumínɡ, nǐ yǒushénme jùtǐ tuījiàn ma?)

B: You can try dingsheng cake. It is really special.

你可以尝试一下定胜糕。它非常特别。

(nǐ kěyǐ chánɡshì yīxià dìnɡshènɡɡāo.tā fēichánɡ tèbié.)

A: What's dingsheng cake? I've never heard of it.    

什么是定胜糕呢？我从来都没有听说过。

(shénme shì dìnɡshènɡɡāo ne? wǒ cónɡlái dōu méiyǒu tīnɡshuōɡuò.)  

B: It is a red cake made from japonica rice and glutinous rice.  

它是一种红色的糕点,由粳米和糯米制成。

(tāshì yīzhǒnɡ hónɡsè de ɡāodiǎn, yóu jīnɡmǐ hé nuòmǐ zhìchénɡ.)

A: Why is it called dingsheng cake? 

那它为什么叫定胜糕呢？

(nàtā wéi shénme jiào dìnɡshènɡɡāo ne?) 

B: Because the two characters "dingsheng" (assured victory) are on top of the cake. Legends say that during the Southern Song Dynasty, the residents of Suzhou used to make these cakes in order to motivate soldiers heading to battle. The cakes are sweet and soft.

因为糕点上面写着"定胜"两个字。传说是南宋时苏州百姓为鼓舞出征将士而特制的。它的口感十分清甜软糯。

(yīnwéi ɡāodiǎn shànɡmiàn xiězhe "dìnɡshènɡ" liǎnɡɡèzì.chuánshuō shì nánsònɡ shí sūzhōu bǎixìnɡ wéi ɡǔwǔ chūzhēnɡ jiānɡshì ér tèzhì de.tāde kǒuɡǎn shífēn qīnɡtián ruǎnnuò.)

A: I see. I'll definitely try it given the chance.

原来如此,等有机会我一定要尝尝。

(yuánlái rúcǐ, děnɡ yǒu jīhuì wǒ yīdìnɡ yào chánɡchánɡ.)

Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times