- 芝麻酱 zhīmajiàng sesame pasteA thick paste made from roasted and ground sesame seeds, used as a condiment or seasoning; also called [[麻酱|麻醬|ma2 jiang4]]
- 芝麻油 zhīmayóu sesame oilOil extracted from sesame seeds used for cooking and seasoning; also called [[香油|香油|xiang1 you2]] or [[麻油|麻油|ma2 you2]]
- 芝麻官 zhīmaguān petty officiallow-ranking official or petty bureaucrat; often used humorously or to express slight contempt
- 陈谷子烂芝麻 chéngǔzilànzhīma old trivialitiesstale topics of conversation; old, trivial matters that are no longer important or relevant
- 芝麻糖 zhīmatáng sesame candya type of traditional sweet snack made with sesame seeds and sugar or syrup
- 芝麻绿豆 zhīmalǜdòu trivialsmall like sesame seeds and mung beans; refers to things that are tiny, insignificant, or trivial
- 芝麻菜 zhīmacài arugulaarugula; rocket; roquette
- 芝麻饼 zhīmabǐng sesame biscuitsesame biscuit; sesame seed cake
- 野芝麻 yězhīmá white nettlewhite dead-nettle; a square-stemmed perennial herb with heart-shaped leaves and small white or pale purple flowers used in herbal medicine
- 芝麻糊 zhīmahù sesame pastesweet black sesame soup or pudding with a thick, pasty consistency
- 芝麻包 zhīmabāo sesame bunA steamed or baked bun filled with sweetened black sesame paste.
- 芝麻小事 zhīmaxiǎoshì triflea tiny or trivial matter; something as small as a sesame seed that is not worth worrying about
- 芝麻秸 zhīmajiē sesame stalkThe empty pods and dried stalks left over after harvesting sesame, traditionally used as fuel or in rituals during festivals to symbolize rising prosperity
- 捡了芝麻丢了西瓜 jiǎnlezhīmadiūlexīguā penny wise and pound foolishTo focus on small, trivial gains at the expense of something much more important; literally to pick up a sesame seed while losing a watermelon
