香蕉
xiāngjiāo/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
The English word "banana" is translated into Chinese as 香蕉 (xiāngjiāo).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 香蕉 | xiāngjiāo | /ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɕiɑŋ²⁴ t͡ɕiɔː²⁴/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 弓蕉 / 芎蕉 | keng-chio, kin-chio, geng-chio | Hokkien | |
| 金蕉 | kim-tsio | /kim⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sio⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Taipei, Lukang, Singapore, Sinological IPA) /kim⁴⁴⁻²² t͡sio⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Taipei, Lukang, Singapore, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
香蕉 refers to the fruit. In a metaphorical sense, the term 香蕉人 (banana person) is used to describe people of Chinese descent who are culturally Westernized (yellow on the outside, banana on the inside).
What does it mean word for word?
The word 香蕉 is composed of 香 (fragrant) and 蕉 (banana plant/banana).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, you may see the forms щёнҗё or баҗё. In Hokkien, the words 弓蕉, 芎蕉 or 金蕉 are used.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is xiāngjiāo.
Did you know?
- Dungan is a unique case where a Sinitic language is written using the Cyrillic alphabet, which is why you see forms like щёнҗё instead of Chinese characters.
- In some regional Chinese slang, the word 蕉 is used as a homophone for other words to create puns or avoid censorship in online forums.
- The word 蕉 is used in the Chinese idiom 蕉風 to describe a gentle, southern breeze, associating the banana plant with tropical warmth.
Examples in context
- 猴子喜欢香蕉。Monkeys are fond of banana.This sentence is useful for describing the dietary preferences of monkeys using the form 香蕉.Tatoeba #5576806 by verdastelo9604, translation #2979206 by Elliv
- 你是個香蕉人。You are a banana.This sentence uses the metaphor of a "banana person" with the form 香蕉.Tatoeba #13537129 by LeviHighway, translation #13542280 by LeviHighway
- 你吃过香蕉派吗？Have you ever eaten a banana pie?This sentence uses the form 香蕉 to ask about eating a banana pie.Tatoeba #1772667 by sadhen, translation #1834 by CK
- 请帮我把这个香蕉放在水果篮里。(Qǐng bāng wǒ bǎ zhè gè xiāng jiāo fàng zài shuǐ guǒ lán lǐ.)Please help me put this banana in the fruit basket.
- 这家超市供应新鲜的芭蕉。(Zhè jiā chāo shì gōng yìng xīn xiān de bā jiāo.)This supermarket supplies fresh bananas.
- 你要不要吃香蕉？(Nǐ yào bù yào chī xiāng jiāo?)Do you want to eat a banana?
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are in the kitchen preparing a snack.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你想吃香蕉吗？Nǐ xiǎng chī xiāngjiāo ma？Do you want to eat a banana?
- 雨婷 Yuting好，我想吃。Hǎo, wǒ xiǎng chī。Yes, I would like to eat one.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这里有一根香蕉。Zhèlǐ yǒu yì gēn xiāngjiāo。There is one banana here.
- 雨婷 Yuting谢谢你，志强。Xièxiè nǐ, Zhìqiáng。Thank you, Zhiqiang.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations and entries 香蕉, 金蕉, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
