四季豆
sìjìdòu
The English phrase "green beans" is translated into Chinese as 四季豆 (sìjìdòu).
四季豆 refers to the long, thin green seed pods used as a vegetable in cooking. It is a term commonly used in daily conversations.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 四季豆 literally means "four seasons beans".
Which one should you use?
菜豆 can also be used to refer to green beans or string beans in a more general sense.
How do you pronounce it?
sìjìdòu
Did you know?
- The character 豆 (dòu) originally depicted a ritual vessel used in ancient China, rather than the legume itself.
- While 四季豆 means 'four seasons beans', these are not native to China. They were introduced from the Americas, likely via the Philippines or Europe during the Ming dynasty.
- Chinese medicine traditionally views 四季豆 as having a 'cool' nature, meaning they are often eaten in the summer to help balance the body's internal heat.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢吃清炒四季豆。Wǒ xǐhuān chī qīngchǎo sìjìdòu.I like eating stir-fried green beans.
- 请帮我买一斤四季豆。Qǐng bāng wǒ mǎi yī jīn sìjìdòu.Please help me buy half a kilogram of green beans.
- 这盘四季豆已经凉了。Zhè pán sìjìdòu yǐjīng liáng le.This plate of green beans is already cold.
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，晚餐我们吃什么？Jiāyí, wǎncān wǒmen chī shénme?Jiayi, what are we eating for dinner?
- 佳怡 Jiayi冰箱里有四季豆，我们可以炒菜。Bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu sìjìdòu, wǒmen kěyǐ chǎo cài.There are green beans in the fridge, we can stir-fry them.
- 伟 Wei太好了，我也想吃四季豆。Tài hǎole, wǒ yě xiǎng chī sìjìdòu.Great, I want to eat green beans too.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那我现在去准备。Nà wǒ xiànzài qù zhǔnbèi.Then I will go prepare them now.
