Talking about 十 三 香 英文 and why it's so hard to translate

If you've ever tried to explain 十 三 香 英文 to a friend who doesn't speak Chinese, you know it's a bit of a head-scratcher because there isn't one single "official" name for it in the West. It's one of those iconic pantry staples that every Chinese household has, but when you look for it in an American or British grocery store, the labeling can be all over the place. Usually, you'll see it called "Thirteen Spices" or "Thirteen Fragrance Powder," but that doesn't really capture the magic of what's inside that little yellow box. ...

May 19, 2026 · 7 min · Stefano Lorelai