香蕉
hoeng¹ ziu¹
The English word "banana" is 香蕉 (hoeng¹ ziu¹) in Cantonese. Wiktionary also lists 蕉 (ziu¹).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 香蕉 | hoeng¹ ziu¹ |
| 蕉 | ziu¹ |
The word refers to the edible fruit of the banana plant.
Which one should you use?
香蕉 is the full, standard noun for the fruit, whereas 蕉 is often used as a component or suffix in the names of specific banana varieties or other banana-related plants.
How do you pronounce it?
hoeng¹ ziu¹
Did you know?
- In Cantonese slang, 香蕉人 ('banana person') refers to a person of Chinese ethnicity who has become fully Westernized, suggesting they are 'yellow on the outside and white on the inside'.
- In Cantonese, the word 蕉 is used in the term 蕉慮 to create a pun on 焦慮 ('anxiety'), often used in internet memes to describe the stress of modern life.
- In traditional Cantonese medicine and dietetics, 香蕉 is categorized as a 'cold' food, meaning it is often avoided by people with 'cold' constitutions to maintain bodily balance.
Examples in context
Example conversation
Meiling and Zikian are preparing a fruit platter in the kitchen.
- 美玲 Mei Ling子健，你幫我切啲香蕉好嗎？zi2 gin6, nei5 bong1 ngo5 cit3 di1 hoeng1 ziu1 hou2 ma2?Zikian, can you help me cut some bananas?
- 子健 Tsz Kin好呀，呢疊香蕉好熟喎。hou2 aa3, ni1 dip6 hoeng1 ziu1 hou2 suk6 wo3.Sure, this bunch of bananas is very ripe.
- 美玲 Mei Ling係呀，所以而家食最正。hai6 aa3, so2 ji4 ji4 ga1 sik6 zeoi3 zeng3.Yes, so it's best to eat them now.
- 子健 Tsz Kin我切好咗，放喺碟度喇。ngo5 cit3 hou2 zo2, fong3 hai2 dip3 dou3 laa3.I've cut them, they are on the plate.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
