面糊 (miàn hú) literally combines 面 (miàn), meaning 'flour' or 'wheat-based food', and 糊 (hú), meaning 'paste', 'slurry', or 'thick liquid mixture'. Together, they refer specifically to a smooth, pourable mixture of flour (often wheat, but sometimes rice or other flours) and liquid—typically water or milk—used as a base for cooking. It’s thicker than plain flour-and-water paste but thinner than dough, and it’s essential in making pancakes, crepes, tempura coatings, or steamed buns.

This term is neutral in register and commonly used in home cooking, street food stalls, and restaurant kitchens across China. Unlike the English word 'batter', 面糊 does not imply leavening by default—it may or may not contain eggs, baking powder, or yeast. Its consistency and ingredients vary by regional recipe, but its core function remains binding and coating.