番麥
hoan-be̍h
The Hokkien word for corn is 番麥 (hoan-be̍h).
番麥 refers to the tall plant that produces large ears of yellow kernels used for food.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 番 (hoan), meaning foreign or exotic and 麥 (be̍h), meaning wheat or grain.
How do you pronounce it?
hoan-be̍h
Did you know?
- The character 番 was historically used to describe people and things from outside the Chinese empire, often carrying a connotation of being 'barbaric' or 'alien'.
- Because corn was introduced from the Americas, it belongs to a class of 'foreign' foods that helped prevent famines in Southern China during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
- While 番麥 means 'corn', the same character 番 is used in 番茄 for tomato and 番薯 for sweet potato.
Examples in context
- 這碗番麥真甜。tsit uann pn-bai tsin tiân.This bowl of corn is very sweet.
- 我愛食番麥。guá ài tsia̍h pn-bai.I love eating corn.
Example conversation
Zhiming and Jiayi are at a farmers market.
- 志明 Chi-ming佳怡，你看這番麥好無？Ka-î, lí khuànn che ban-māi hó bô?Jiayi, look, is this corn any good?
- 佳怡 Chia-yi看起來真新鮮。khàn-khí-lâi chin sin-siên.It looks very fresh.
- 志明 Chi-ming那我們買兩根番麥吧。goán nà-miá bé nn̄g-kiàn ban-māi pá.Then let's buy two ears of corn.
- 佳怡 Chia-yi好，我也想食。hó, guá iā sióng chia̍h.Okay, I want to eat some too.
