csipet

Csipet is a Hungarian noun meaning a pinch or a small amount, primarily used in cooking to indicate a tiny quantity of an ingredient. In recipes, csipet functions as an informal unit of measure rather than a precise quantity, signaling that only a small amount is required. It is commonly applied to salt, pepper, sugar, herbs, and spices through phrases such as egy csipet só (a pinch of salt) or csipetnyi bors (a pinch of pepper).

Usage and interpretation: because csipet is informal, its exact volume varies with the ingredient and the cook’s hand. It is not a fixed measure, and recipes may differ in how they interpret it. In Hungarian culinary writing, csipet is often paired with adjectives like csipetnyi to describe a very small amount, reinforcing its non-measured character.

Etymology and distribution: csipet derives from the verb csípni, meaning to pinch or bite. The term is well established in Hungarian dictionaries and everyday kitchen language. Outside Hungary, csipet appears mainly in translations or contexts aiming to evoke authentic Hungarian cooking terminology, rather than as a standardized unit.

See also: pinch (unit of measurement), Hungarian cooking terminology, csípni (to pinch).