# Yoghurt



## spakh

*Y*oghurt has been introduced to the world by the *T*urks and the words for this are very similar to each one (all from *T*urkish yoğurt). *I* wonder which languages have an original word for yoghurt. *T*hanks in advance.


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## Outsider

French has adapted it somewhat: *yaourt* (silent "t").

In Portuguese, it's very similar, *iogurte*.


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## DrWatson

Even though we consume a lot of dairy products here, not even we have an original name for it. In Finnish it's either *jogurtti* /jogurt:i/ or *jugurtti* /jugurt:i/ but we prefer the latter; it's easier to say.


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## Flaminius

*Mandarin:*
奶酪 năilào - literally coagulated milk.
*
Japanese:*
yōguruto ヨーグルト


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## Frank06

Hi,


spakh said:


> yoghurt has been introduced to the world by the turks and the words for this are very similar to each one (all from turkish yoğurt). i wonder which languages have an original word for yoghurt. thanks in advance.



If I may believe Wikipedia, which I don't always do, then the _word _'yoghurt' is from Turkish origin (no doubt about that). The fabrication of the substance itself, however, seems to be older...
Even if we may believe this rather brief summary, then we still have to conclude that the substance is much much older than the Turkish word, since 10.000 years ago Turkish wasn't spoken in modern days Turkey...

In *Dutch* 
yoghurt

In *Persian*
مـاسـت (mâst)


Groetjes,

Frank


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## MingRaymond

*Cantonese:*
乳酪 (yu5 lok9)

Ming


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## Etcetera

*In Russian*, it's йогурт (jogurt). Really close to the Turkish original.


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## Chazzwozzer

Etcetera said:


> *In Russian*, it's йогурт (jogurt). Really close to the Turkish original.


So, what's the difference between Кисело мляко and йогурт?


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## Etcetera

Кисель (is it what you mean?) is a special drink, usually made from berries, молоко is the Russian word for "milk", and йогурт is yoghurt.


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## robbie_SWE

In Romanian it's "*iaurt*" and in Swedish it's just "*yoghurt*". 

 robbie


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## DrLindenbrock

In Italian it's yogurt (stress on the O, on dictionaries you would find it spelt yògurt).
In Arabic I heard زبادي / zabādī. There probably are other words depending on the area. I heard this word from a Yemeni Arabic teacher, who assured me it was MSA (Modern Standard Arabic).


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## linguist786

In *Gujarati*, it is "day" (દય) - pronounced "duyy" - nothing like the Turkish 

I think it's the same in Urdu, but not sure..


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## elroy

In Arabic, we do not use the Turkish word.  The Arabic word is لبن (_laban_).


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## betulina

In Catalan and Spanish there are no suprises:

Catalan - *iogurt*

Spanish - *yogur*


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## User1001

German - der Joghurt / der Jogurt


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## Heba

In Egyptian colloquial Arabic, we say *زبادي*


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## panjabigator

In Panjabi it is /daii/ and in Hindi/Urdu it is /dahii/.


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## beclija

tspier2 said:


> German - der Joghurt / der Jogurt


It can also be of neuter gender, though, depending on region and personal preferences:
Der Jog(h)urt = Das Jog(h)urt


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## MissPrudish

In greek it is γιαούρτι (yiaùrti)


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## cherine

DrLindenbrock said:


> In Arabic I heard زبادي / zabādī. There probably are other words depending on the area. I heard this word from a Yemeni Arabic teacher, who assured me it was MSA (Modern Standard Arabic).





Heba said:


> In Egyptian colloquial Arabic, we say *زبادي*


Well, I'm not sure about its being colloquial or MSA, but it is what we say in *most parts* of Egypt 


elroy said:


> In Arabic, we do not use the Turkish word. The Arabic word is لبن (_laban_).


This is the other word for zabādī that's used in *other parts* of Egypt  
We usually use laban for milk, but in those parts where laban means yoghurt, they use 7alīb for milk.

So, to sum this up : there are -at least- two words for yoghurt in Arabic, neither has to do with the word "yogurt" : *zabādī* and *laban*, depending on the regions.


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## elroy

Sorry, DrLindenbrock - missed your post.

I can't comment on "zabādī" as this is the first time I've come across it; however, I can assure you that "laban" exists in MSA (in which I believe it can mean both "milk" and "yoghurt"). 

In colloquial Palestinian Arabic, "laban" is used exclusively for yoghurt, and "Halīb" for milk.


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## Marga H

In Polish the same word : jogurt


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## DrLindenbrock

elroy said:


> Sorry, DrLindenbrock - missed your post.
> 
> I can't comment on "zabādī" as this is the first time I've come across it; however, I can assure you that "laban" exists in MSA (in which I believe it can mean both "milk" and "yoghurt").
> 
> In colloquial Palestinian Arabic, "laban" is used exclusively for yoghurt, and "Halīb" for milk.


 
Hi, 
yes, I know "Halīb" and "laban". I know they both CAN mean milk....as a result many cookbooks use one and put the other one in brackets.
My experience is in Yemen.
If I recall correctly, 
milk = Halīb
yogurt = zabādī
As for laban, it seemed to me that people differentiated between laban and zabādī. I always thought, during my stay, that zabādī was yogurt, just as it can be found all over the world, while laban was similar, still based on fermented milk, but a little bit different, and peculiar to Arab cuisine.
Well, I hope we can get other comments from Arabic speakers to broaden our spectrum


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## Josh_

DrLindenbrock said:


> Hi,
> yes, I know "Halīb" and "laban". I know they both CAN mean milk....as a result many cookbooks use one and put the other one in brackets.
> My experience is in Yemen.
> If I recall correctly,
> milk = Halīb
> yogurt = zabādī
> As for laban, it seemed to me that people differentiated between laban and zabādī. I always thought, during my stay, that zabādī was yogurt, just as it can be found all over the world, while laban was similar, still based on fermented milk, but a little bit different, and peculiar to Arab cuisine.
> Well, I hope we can get other comments from Arabic speakers to broaden our spectrum


Hi DrLindenbrock,

I think both you and Elroy might have missed Heba's and Cherine's posts on the first page -- post #16 and #25 respectively.  Having been in Cairo 'zabaadi' is the word I am most used to for yogurt and 'laban' for milk, although I am familiar with the alternatives.


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## Lugubert

A real yoghurt (as mentioned, the name in Swedish as well) should contain the bacteria Lactobacillus delbruckei subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. I haven't been able to confirm that this applies to the Indian dahi, Arabic laban or others mentioned.

In Sweden, yoghurt is a subtype of "kulturmjölk", milk intentionally exposed to bacteria cultures. Thus, "kulturmjölk" also covers a product prepared by adding the lactic acid bacteria  Lactococcus och Leuconostoc, which is called "filmjölk". Homemade, using a starter culture containing naturally occurring lactobacteria, it's "filbunke". (The etymology of "fil-" is obscure.)


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## sound shift

linguist786 said:


> In *Gujarati*, it is "day" (દય) - pronounced "duyy" - nothing like the Turkish
> 
> I think it's the same in Urdu, but not sure..



That's very similar to the Farsi "dug" or "abdug", which is not yogurt but a drink made of yogurt, water, salt and ice (and possibly coriander too). Turkey and India have similar drinks, called "ayran" and "lassi", respectively.


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## karuna

*In Latvian *fermented milk is _rūgušpiens. _It is different bacteria culture than yoghurt which was not widely know in Latvia until recently. This product is simply called _jogurts._


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## irene.acler

In Italian we say *yogurt*.


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## elroy

Josh Adkins said:


> ...I think both you and Elroy might have missed Heba's and Cherine's posts on the first page -- post #16 and #25 respectively. Having been in Cairo 'zabaadi' is the word I am most used to for yogurt and 'laban' for milk, although I am familiar with the alternatives.


 I did not miss either post.  I was responding to DrLindenbrock's post #11, where he says the following: 





> In Arabic I heard زبادي / zabādī. There probably are other words depending on the area. I heard this word from a Yemeni Arabic teacher, who assured me it was MSA (Modern Standard Arabic).


 I wanted to make the point that "laban" is definitely correct in MSA, which neither Heba nor Cherine had addressed.

As for colloquial Arabic, I repeat that in Palestinian Arabic we use only "laban" for any type of yoghurt and only "Halīb" for the liquid stuff.


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## cutu

In hebrew we say -

יוגורט - ( yogort )


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## Aserolf

En Mexico (Español) utilizamos mas: 
*Yogurt*
pero creo que _*Yogur*_ tambien es valido.
No se en otros paises hispanos.


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## Maja

Chazzwozzer said:


> So, what's the difference between Кисело мляко and йогурт?


In Serbian we call it *jogurt* (јогурт) and it is in a liquid state.  
*Kiselo mleko* (кисело млеко) is thicker then jogurt (it is eaten with  a spoon), and I think that it is made in a different way. 
And then there is  *pavlaka* (павлака -> sour cream) which is very thick (like butter). It  can be  added to meals or spread onto bread.


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## macta123

In Hindi : Dahi

If sweetened : Mishti doy (By Bengalis) 
Shreekhand (By Marathis) 

In Malayalam - Tayiru


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## mkaymrxo

VIETNAMESE:

ya-ua (that's not acutally how you write it, it's just how my mom always says it : p)


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## Whodunit

beclija said:


> It can also be of neuter gender, though, depending on region and personal preferences:
> Der Jog(h)urt = Das Jog(h)urt


 
Not only the neuter and masculine, but also the feminine gender is possible.

It's "der Jogurt" (old spelling: Joghurt) in Germany, "das Jogurt" in Austria and Switzerland, and "die Jogurt" in Austria only. I, personally, don't know anyone who uses something else but "*der Jogurt*."


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## Lemminkäinen

In Norwegian, it's mostly *yoghurt*, but *jogurt* is also allowed (or even encouraged I'd say - however, English is "cooler", so the latter form is rarer).

FWIW, it's masculine, so _*en*_* yoghurt - yoghurten* (one yoghurt - the yoghurt).


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## Bienvenidos

Farsi:

Mawst


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## Rango

Croatian:
*Jogurt*


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## apmoy70

MissPrudish said:


> In greek it is γιαούρτι (yiaùrti)


In Modern Greek it's either *«το γιαούρτι»* [to ʝaˈurti] (neut.), or (dialectal) *«η γιαούρτη»* [i ʝiaˈurti] (fem.) < Turk. yoğurt.

The Byzantines called it *«πυριάτης» pyriátēs* (masc.) or *«πυρίεφθον» pyríephthon* (neut.): «Τὸ γάλα πυρωθέν ἐπὶ θερμοσποδιᾶς, ἐπ' ὀλίγου ἄνευ πυτίας, εὐθέως πήγνυται. Οἱ παλαιοὶ τοῦτο ἐκάλουν πυριάτην, τινές δε πυρίεφθον» - "(when) the milk is heated in hot ashes, after a while, and without (the use of) rennet, it curdles immediately. The ancients called this product pyriátēs, while others called it pyríephthon" (Aëtius Amidenus).


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## ilocas2

Czech: *jogurt*

this word is also used as derogatory word for someone from a country of former Yugoslavia (*jog*urt - *Jug*oslávie)


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## Christo Tamarin

In Bulgarian, neither the Turkish word *yoğurt* nor the Greek *γιαούρτι* are known and used. It is "*кисело млѣко*" (sour milk). Sometimes, there is the need to say "*прѣсно млѣко*" (fresh milk) instead of just milk.


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## AndrasBP

Christo Tamarin said:


> In Bulgarian, neither the Turkish word *yoğurt* nor the Greek *γιαούρτι* are known and used.


I find this quite surprising given Bulgaria's location in the Balkans.

In Hungarian, we say "joghurt" as if it was a Hungarian word, i.e. every letter is pronounced. There is no digraph "gh" in Hungarian, so we actually say /jok-hurt/, as the /g/ is devoiced when followed by a voiceless consonant.


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## Dymn

It's a quite common pattern I'd say. Something typical of a region has different names in the various languages of the region but only one gets exported to other countries. I'm thinking for example of the various Australian Aboriginal names for "kangaroo", out of which only Guugu Yimidhirr's _gangurru _was taken abroad.


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## berndf

apmoy70 said:


> The Byzantines called it *«πυριάτης» pyriátēs* (masc.) or *«πυρίεφθον» pyríephthon* (neut.): «Τὸ γάλα πυρωθέν ἐπὶ θερμοσποδιᾶς, ἐπ' ὀλίγου ἄνευ πυτίας, εὐθέως πήγνυται. Οἱ παλαιοὶ τοῦτο ἐκάλουν πυριάτην, τινές δε πυρίεφθον» - "(when) the milk is heated in hot ashes, after a while, and without (the use of) rennet, it curdles immediately. The ancients called this product pyriátēs, while others called it pyríephthon" (Aëtius Amidenus).


That description doesn't sound as if it had much to do with yoghurt, does It? Sounds more like a form of cottage cheese.


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## ilocas2

I think that a variation of yogurt is not used in Bulgarian because Bulgarians don't like Turks and they eliminated many Turkish words from their language.


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## AndrasBP

ilocas2 said:


> I think that a variation of yogurt is not used in Bulgarian because Bulgarians don't like Turks and they eliminated many Turkish words from their language.


That was my first thought, too, but I didn't dare to accuse Bulgarians of deliberately getting rid of the word.
In Greece, I guess there's a similar, perhaps even stronger sentiment towards Turks, but they still use the word, just like many other Ottoman cuisine words: _tulumba, kadaif, lokum, köfte, meze, tzatziki, etc._


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## apmoy70

berndf said:


> That description doesn't sound as if it had much to do with yoghurt, does It? Sounds more like a form of cottage cheese.


Sorry if I wasn't clear, I just wanted to show that the Byzantines used initially a couple of pre-existing words in their vocabulary to name a new product to them. Indeed,  *«πυριάτης»* or *«πυρίεφθον»* is the curled milk, which the Byzantines used initially to describe yoghurt too. «Γιαούρτι» & «γιαούρτη» are very young words (perhaps no more than 200-300 years old).

The ancient Greeks called a similar product *«τῡρός ὀπίᾱς» tūrós ŏpíās* --> _sap cheese_, a kind of fermented milk they consumed; fermentation occurred by adding the sap of the fig tree (they made rennet from fig sap) = *«ὀπός» ŏpós* (masc.) & *«ὀπίᾱ» ŏpíā* (fem.) < *sokʷo- _juice, resin_ cf Lith. sakai, _resin_, Alb. gjak, _blood_, Proto-Slavic *sokъ > Rus. сок, _juice_.


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## djara

In Tunisia, traditionally made yogurt is رايب, raayeb, literally meaning curdled (in many Arab countries, this word means sour milk, called _lban _in Tunisia). Modern yogurt (sold in individual containers) is ياغرت yaaghurt (gh pronounced as Parisian r).


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## apmoy70

AndrasBP said:


> That was my first thought, too, but I didn't dare to accuse Bulgarians of deliberately getting rid of the word.
> In Greece, I guess there's a similar, perhaps even stronger sentiment towards Turks, but they still use the word, just like many other Ottoman cuisine words: _tulumba, kadaif, lokum, köfte, meze, tzatziki, etc._


Maybe Greeks and Turks are still squabbling, but usually not over food, food is one of those things that bring us together. Besides, a large percentage of those names (and recipes) is either Persian or Arabic (kadaif from قَطَائِف‎ (qaṭāif), lokum from Arabic حلقوم (ḥulqūm), meze from Persian مزه (meze)) or even Byzantine (köfte from Byzantine Gr. κοπτόν (kŏptón))


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## AndrasBP

apmoy70 said:


> Maybe Greeks and Turks are still squabbling, but usually not over food, food is one of those things that bring us together. Besides, a large percentage of those names (and recipes) is either Persian or Arabic (kadaif from قَطَائِف‎ (qaṭāif), lokum from Arabic حلقوم (ḥulqūm), meze from Persian مزه (meze)) or even Byzantine (köfte from Byzantine Gr. κοπτόν (kŏptón))


Yes, I didn't mean to imply that all these words were of Turkish origin, that's why I wrote "Ottoman cuisine words". From a cultural point of view, however, I don't think the ultimate origin of the words is relevant. 



apmoy70 said:


> or even Byzantine (köfte from Byzantine Gr. κοπτόν (kŏptón))


According to the Wiki source, köfte/kofta comes from Persian. I can't judge if it's correct. Do you know if the etymology of kofta is considered disputed? 

(Sorry, it's not about yoghurt anymore.)


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## djmc

It is obvious that the word and product have been taken from Turkey. However there are other soured milk products which are traditional elsewhere. The French fromage blanc or fromage frais is very close to yoghurt, certainly close enough to be used as a substitute. Lait ribot (from Britanny) and the Welsh buttermilk (I can't remember the Welsh) are very similar to each other and inasmuchas they are fermented milk products not that dissimilar. The Icelandic skyr is also similar, but this is much thicker. Many cultures use a soured or fermented milk product both for savoury dishes and for desserts. If I do so I prefer the full fat version and if I use it for a dessert I prefer to add fruit and or sugar myself.


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## Sardokan1.0

In Sardinia a product similar to Yogurth is known since the dawn of times; in our language is called Joddu (pronounced "yoddu") and it's made with sheep milk.

http://www.sardegnagastronomica.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/yogurt1.jpg


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## ayiran

spakh said:


> *Y*oghurt has been introduced to the world by the *T*urks and the words for this are very similar to each one (all from *T*urkish yoğurt). *I* wonder which languages have an original word for yoghurt. *T*hanks in advance.


In Persian we say ماست (must)


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## j-p-c

French: we use not only "yaourt" ("t" silent in France but pronounced in Belgium), but also "yog(h)ourt" ("t" pronounced).

"Yaourt" it seems, is not used in Canadian French.


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## atcheque

Outsider said:


> French has adapted it somewhat: *yaourt* (silent "t").





j-p-c said:


> "t" silent in France


I had only heard that T pronounced.


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## j-p-c

atcheque said:


> I had only heard that T pronounced.



I guess it depends who, and where in France.
I noticed that some French sometimes tend to not pronounce the ending of words/names of foreign origin.
"yaourr" for "yaourt", "Beethof" for "Beethoven", "Antwèrp" for "Antwerpen".

Lest I appear critical, some of us Belgians are no better with words ending with a [consonant + re].
"tiig" for "tigre", "chèèf" for "chèvre", "pout" for "poutre", etc...


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## DearPrudence

To me too, the "t" in the French "*yaourt*" is generally pronounced throughout France (in commercials for instance).
My in-laws, from the South of France, don't though and it shocked us at first (and they say "moinS" ).
"*yog(h)ourt*" me semble plus "vieux" et pas utilisé dans les pubs télé par exemple.

More info here (where it turns out that "*yaourt*" with the "t" pronounced and this spelling is the most common, the other spellings and pronunciations being more dated)


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## j-p-c

For some obscure (to me) reason, Belgian and Swiss ads in French use "yoghourt" when the product is a drink. (yoghourt à boire)


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## berndf

j-p-c said:


> For some obscure (to me) reason, Belgian and Swiss ads in French use "yoghourt" when the product is a drink. (yoghourt à boire)


In FR-CH _yogourt _is the preferred variant in all uses.


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## Messquito

In Taiwanese Chinese, we call it 優格(yo1 ge2, transliteration of Yoghurt) when it's solid, i.e. you eat it; we call it 優酪乳(yo1 luo4 ru3, Yo dairy milk) when it's liquid, i.e. you drink it.


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