橡子
xiàngzǐ
The English word 'acorn' is translated into Chinese as 橡子 (xiàngzǐ). Wiktionary also lists 橡果 (xiàngguǒ).
Meaning: fruit of the oak tree (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 橡子 | xiàngzǐ |
| 橡果 | xiàngguǒ |
Both terms refer to the fruit of the oak tree.
Which one should you use?
橡子 (xiàngzǐ) is the more common, standard term for an acorn in general contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
xiàngzǐ
Did you know?
- In China, acorns are often processed into a starch used to make traditional noodles and cakes, rather than just being viewed as wildlife food.
- The character 子 (zǐ) in 橡子 originally meant 'child' or 'son' in ancient Chinese, but in modern botanical terms, it serves as a common suffix for many types of seeds and small fruits.
- The character 橡 (xiàng) in 橡子 is also the primary character used to refer to the entire genus of rubber trees. An English speaker might be confused to find that the word for an oak fruit shares its root with the source of natural rubber.
Examples in context
- 橡子是松鼠的重要食物来源。Acorns are an important food source for squirrels.
- 地上有很多橡子。Dìshàng yǒu hěnduō xiàngzǐ.There are many acorns on the ground.
- 松鼠正在捡橡子。Sōngshǔ zhèngzài jiǎn xiàngzǐ.The squirrel is picking up acorns.
- 这个橡子真小。Zhège xiàngzǐ zhēn xiǎo.This acorn is really small.
Example conversation
Two people are walking through a forest park.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你看，树下全是橡子。Nǐ kàn, shù xià quán shì xiàngzǐ.Look, there are acorns everywhere under the tree.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，那是松鼠的食物。Xiǎowén, nà shì sōngshǔ de shíwù.Xiaowen, those are food for the squirrels.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我捡一个橡子给你看。Wǒ jiǎn yīgè xiàngzǐ gěi nǐ kàn.I'll pick up an acorn to show you.
- 浩然 Haoran别弄脏了你的手。Bié nòng zāng le nǐ de shǒu.Don't get your hands dirty.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “acorn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
