香蕉
/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
The English phrase bananas is translated into Chinese as 香蕉.
香蕉 is the standard term used to refer to the fruit known as bananas.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 香蕉 is composed of two parts: 香 (xiāng), which means 'fragrant' and 蕉 (jiāo), which means 'banana plant' or 'plantain'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ tɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese poetry, the 芭蕉 (ornamental banana) is often used as a symbol of loneliness or melancholy, specifically through the sound of rain hitting its large leaves.
- Chinese has a specific term 象牙蕉 which translates to 'ivory banana' because its spathe resembles the color and texture of ivory.
- The word 香蕉 was originally a specific name for a fragrant variety of banana from the Lingnan region in southern China during the Ming dynasty.
Examples in context
- 猫不吃香蕉。Cats don't eat bananas.This sentence shows a negative statement regarding what cats eat using 香蕉.Tatoeba #7768336 by jiangche, translation #1254113 by Tlustulimu
- 湯姆喜歡香蕉。Tom loved bananas.This sentence expresses a preference for 香蕉.Tatoeba #13539445 by LeviHighway, translation #2548978 by CK
- 這些香蕉多少錢？How much do these bananas cost?This sentence is used to ask about the price of 香蕉.Tatoeba #13539441 by LeviHighway, translation #10283472 by CK
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Yuting are at a fruit market.
- 雨婷 Yuting你想吃香蕉嗎？Nǐ xiǎng chī xiāngjiāo ma?Do you want to eat bananas?
- 伟 Wei我想吃，但是太貴了。Wǒ xiǎng chī, dànshì tài guì le.I want to eat them, but they are too expensive.
- 雨婷 Yuting那我們買蘋果吧。Nà wǒmen mǎi píngguǒ ba.Then let's buy apples.
- 伟 Wei好，我也喜歡蘋果。Hǎo, wǒ yě xǐhuān píngguǒ.Okay, I like apples too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 香蕉, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 香蕉, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
