蜜瓜
mìguā
The English phrase 'honeydew melon' is translated into Mandarin as 蜜瓜 (mìguā). Wiktionary also lists 白蘭瓜 / 白兰瓜 (báilánguā) and 蘭州蜜瓜 / 兰州蜜瓜 (Lánzhōu mìguā).
Meaning: melon from the Cucumis melo Inodorous group cultivar group with sweet, light green or white flesh and a smooth greenish-white or yellow rind (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 蜜瓜 | mìguā |
| 白蘭瓜 / 白兰瓜 | báilánguā |
| 蘭州蜜瓜 / 兰州蜜瓜 | Lánzhōu mìguā |
The term refers to a melon with sweet, light green or white flesh and a smooth rind that is either greenish-white or yellow. 哈密瓜 is also used to refer to cantaloupe.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 蜜瓜 literally means 'honey melon'. The character 蜜 means 'honey' or 'nectar'.
Which one should you use?
While 蜜瓜 is often used for honeydew or honey-flavored melons, 甜瓜 is a more general term for any 'sweet melon'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, a common term for honeydew melon is 香瓜.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is mìguā.
Did you know?
- In some regions, 蜜瓜 is sliced into thin, crescent-shaped pieces and served with a sprinkle of salt or chili powder to enhance the perceived sweetness.
- Because of the high sugar content of 蜜瓜, it is sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine contexts as a food to clear heat and nourish the lungs.
- The character 瓜 for 'melon' is a pictograph that originally looked like a rounded fruit with a stem, which remains visible in its traditional form.
Examples in context
- 这个蜜瓜很甜。Zhège mìguā hěn tián.This honeydew melon is very sweet.
- 我想买一个蜜瓜。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yí gè mìguā.I want to buy a honeydew melon.
- 超市里的蜜瓜很新鲜。Chāoshì lǐ de mìguā hěn xīnxiān.The honeydew melons in the supermarket are very fresh.
Example conversation
Junjie and Xiaowen are shopping for fruit at a market.
- 俊杰 Junjie晓雯，你看那个蜜瓜怎么样？Xiǎowén, nǐ kàn nàge mìguā zěnmeyàng?Xiaowen, what do you think of that honeydew melon?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那个蜜瓜看起来很不错。Nàge mìguā kàn qǐlái hěn búcuò.That honeydew melon looks quite good.
- 俊杰 Junjie那我们买一个吧。Nà wǒmen mǎi yí gè ba.Then let's buy one.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好，我也想吃甜的水果。Hǎo, wǒ yě xiǎng chī tián de shuǐguǒ.Okay, I also want to eat sweet fruit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “honeydew melon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
