bean-sprouts
Definition
Noun (plural only):
- Edible young shoots: "bean sprouts" are the tender, germinated shoots of beans, especially mung beans or soybeans, often used in Asian cuisine as a crunchy, nutritious vegetable.
Usage Examples
- (The young shoots added a crisp element to the dish.)
- (The shoots contributed a light, crunchy filling.)
- (The product is packaged and available for purchase.)
Advanced Usage
- "to sprout bean sprouts": to grow bean sprouts at home for culinary use.
- He learned to sprout bean sprouts in a jar on his kitchen counter. (He cultivated the shoots in a simple container.)
- "bean sprout salad": a dish made primarily from raw or lightly cooked bean sprouts, often with dressing.
- The bean sprout salad was seasoned with sesame oil and vinegar. (The salad featured the shoots as the main ingredient.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bean sprout (singular): a single shoot of a germinated bean.
- One bean sprout can be several inches long. (A single shoot has a specific length.)
- Mung bean sprouts: the most common type, from mung beans.
- Mung bean sprouts are white and crisp. (They have a distinct appearance and texture.)
- Soybean sprouts: larger and thicker than mung bean sprouts.
- Soybean sprouts are often used in Korean dishes. (They have a different culinary application.)
Synonyms
- Shoots: young, tender growths from seeds.
- Germinated beans: beans that have begun to grow.
- Sprouts: a general term for young plants from seeds.
Related Idioms
- "Not worth a bean sprout": a rare idiom meaning something is of very little value.
- His excuse was not worth a bean sprout. (His excuse was worthless.)
- "As thin as a bean sprout": describing someone very slender.
- After the illness, she was as thin as a bean sprout. (She became extremely slim.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Sprout up: to appear or grow quickly, like bean sprouts.
- New restaurants sprouted up all over the city. (They appeared rapidly, similar to how bean sprouts grow.)