矮瓜
ai² gwaa¹
The English word eggplant is translated into Cantonese as 矮瓜 (ai² gwaa¹). Wiktionary also lists 茄子 and 茄瓜.
Meaning: edible fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 矮瓜 | ai² gwaa¹ |
| 茄子 | |
| 茄瓜 |
The term refers to the edible fruit of the eggplant plant.
Which one should you use?
While 矮瓜 is the common colloquial term used in speech, 茄子 serves as the formal term. The form 茄瓜 is also a variation used for the vegetable.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In everyday spoken Cantonese, it is most common to use the colloquial term 矮瓜. For formal contexts, you should use 茄子.
How do you pronounce it?
ai² gwaa¹
Did you know?
- In traditional Cantonese medicine, 茄子 is viewed as a 'cooling' food and is strategically paired with 'heating' ingredients to balance the body.
- The character 茄 is composed of the 'grass' radical on top, indicating that the language classifies the eggplant as a herbaceous plant.
- In Cantonese, the word 矮 (wai2) in the term 矮瓜 means 'short' or 'stunted', and 瓜 (gwaa1) means 'melon' or 'gourd'. Literally, the name describes a 'short melon', which is a visual metaphor for the vegetable's shape.
Examples in context
- 呢個矮瓜好大。nei1 go3 aai2 gwaa1 hou2 daai6.This eggplant is very big.
- 我想買矮瓜。ngo5 soeng2 maai5 aai2 gwaa1.I want to buy eggplant.
- 矮瓜可以炒菜。aai2 gwaa1 ho2 ji5 caau2 coi3.Eggplant can be stir-fried.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Xiaotong are shopping for groceries together.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung志強，我哋買唔買矮瓜？zi3 keung4, ngo5 dei6 maai5 m4 maai5 ngai2 gwaa1?Zhiqiang, should we buy some eggplant?
- 志強 Chi Keung買啦，我好想食矮瓜。maai5 laa1, ngo5 hou2 soeng2 sik6 ngai2 gwaa1.Yes, I really want to eat eggplant.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好，我攞兩條。hou2, ngo5 lo2 loeng5 tiu4.Okay, I will take two.
- 志強 Chi Keung唔該你，曉彤。m4 goi1 nei5, hiu2 tung4.Thank you, Xiaotong.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eggplant” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
