豆
dòu/toʊ̯⁵¹/
The English word "beans" is translated into Chinese as 豆 (dòu).
The term refers to the seeds of various legume plants used as food.
Which one should you use?
While 豆 is the root word, the colloquial form 豆子 is much more common in spoken Chinese when referring to beans as a noun. The formal term 豆类 is used to encompass various kinds of beans collectively.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern China, the term 豆角 is commonly used to specifically refer to green beans or string beans.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 豆 often functions as a bound morpheme, meaning it is frequently used as a component in compound words for specific types of beans rather than standing alone in casual speech.
How do you pronounce it?
dòu (/toʊ̯⁵¹/)
Did you know?
- Linguists suggest that 豆 may be related to the word for 'head' in Proto-Sino-Tibetan languages.
- While 豆 means bean, the term 豆豆 is often used as a cute or childish way to refer to small, round things or even a child's nickname.
Examples in context
- 谁喜欢豆子？Who likes beans?This sentence is useful for asking about preferences for 豆.Tatoeba #5091032 by mirrorvan, translation #2254857 by CK
- 我喜欢豆子。I like beans.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for 豆.Tatoeba #7767736 by jiangche, translation #2245931 by CK
- 你想吃鹰嘴豆吗？Do you want to eat garbanzo beans?This sentence is useful for asking if someone wants to eat garbanzo beans, containing the word 豆.Tatoeba #8744756 by slo_oth, translation #8743422 by Solana
- 请把豆子递给我。Please pass me the beans.
- 你喜欢吃黄豆吗？Do you like soybeans?
- 我喜欢吃豆角的味道。I love the taste of green beans.
- 我们一起做一些美味的豆类菜吧！Let's cook some delicious bean dishes!
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jiayi and Haoran are cooking dinner together.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我们要把豆加进去吗？Wǒmen yào bǎ dòu jiā jìnqù ma?Should we add the beans?
- 浩然 Haoran是的，快把它们洗干净。Shì de, kuài bǎ tāmen xǐ gānjìng.Yes, wash them quickly.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这些豆看起来很新鲜。Zhèxiē dòu kàn qǐlái hěn xīnxiān.These beans look very fresh.
- 浩然 Haoran没错，这是我今天买的。Méi cuò, zhè shì wǒ jīntiān mǎi de.That's right, I bought them today.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 豆, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 豆, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
