榴連 / 榴连
liúlián
The English word "durian" is translated into Chinese as 榴連 / 榴连 (liúlián), 榴蓮 / 榴莲 or 榴槤 / 榴梿.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 榴連 / 榴连 | liúlián |
| 榴蓮 / 榴莲 | liúlián |
| 榴槤 / 榴梿 | liúlián |
This noun refers to the tropical fruit known as durian.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The simplified character 榴莲 is the standard form used in Mainland China. The character 榴槤 is commonly used in Traditional Chinese regions such as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
How do you pronounce it?
liúlián
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, 榴莲 is often paired with 山竹 'mangosteen' for balance. The durian is seen as 'heating' to the body, while the mangosteen is 'cooling', and eating them together is believed to prevent illness.
- The first character 榴 refers to the pomegranate. Because the durian was an imported fruit, Chinese speakers used the character for pomegranate to describe its similarly lush appearance.
- The name 榴槤 is a phonetic transcription of the Malay word 'durian', adapted through the Hokkien dialect.
Examples in context
- 上次我在东南亚尝到了榴莲，一开始被味道吓到，但尝一口后就彻底爱上了！Last time, when I tried durian in Southeast Asia, I was initially scared by the smell, but after a bite, I completely fell in love with it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “durian” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 榴槤, CC BY-SA 4.0.
