冰淇淋
bīngqílín
In Chinese, ice cream is expressed as 冰淇淋 (bīngqílín). Wiktionary also lists 雪糕 (xuěgāo) and 冰糕 (bīnggāo).
Meaning: dessert (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 冰淇淋 | bīngqílín | |
| 雪糕 | xuěgāo | |
| 冰糕 | bīnggāo | |
| 冰激凌 | bīngjīlíng | Mainland China |
The term is used to refer to the frozen dessert known as ice cream.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 雪糕 literally translates to 'snow cake'.
Which one should you use?
While 冰淇淋 refers to general ice cream, the colloquial term 雪糕 is often used specifically for frozen treats on a stick, such as popsicles or ice cream bars. Additionally, 冰激凌 serves as a common alternative spelling for ice cream.
Is it said differently in some regions?
雪糕 is more prevalent in Hong Kong and some southern regions of China. In Mainland China, the spelling 冰激凌 is commonly used.
How do you pronounce it?
bīngqílín
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese medicine, which influences dietary habits, eating 冰淇淋 is often cautioned against because 'cold' foods are believed to disrupt the body's internal balance.
- The word 冰淇淋 is a phonetic borrowing from English 'ice cream' and was filtered through a southern Chinese language before entering standard Mandarin.
- The word 淇淋 in 冰淇淋 has no meaning on its own in Chinese and exists solely to mimic the sound of the English word 'cream'.
Examples in context
- 热得想吃冰淇淋。The heat is making me crave for an ice cream.This sentence shows how to express a craving for 冰淇淋 during hot weather.Tatoeba #2442200 by ydcok, translation #2442242 by FeuDRenais2
- 給我留點冰淇淋。Leave me a bit of ice cream.This sentence is useful for asking someone to save some 冰淇淋 for you.Tatoeba #3786751 by egg0073, translation #1663260 by liwan1208
- 我不會吃冰淇淋。I will not eat ice cream.This sentence demonstrates the use of 冰淇淋 in a simple negative statement about eating it.Tatoeba #6169145 by verdastelo9604, translation #1132445 by Scott
- 我想吃冰淇淋。I want to eat ice cream.
- 今天天气太热了，我们一起去吃冰激凌吧！It's too hot today, let’s go and have some ice cream together!
- 我最喜欢的是香草味的雪糕。My favorite is the vanilla-flavored ice cream.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A hot afternoon at a local park.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen天气太热了，我们去买冰淇淋吧。Tiānqì tài rè le, wǒmen qù mǎi bīngqílín ba.It's too hot, let's go buy some ice cream.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好主意，我也想吃点凉的。Hǎo zhǔyì, wǒ yě xiǎng chī diǎn liáng de.Good idea, I want to eat something cold too.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen志强，你想买什么口味的？Zhìqiáng, nǐ xiǎng mǎi shénme kǒuwèi de?Zhiqiang, what flavor do you want to buy?
- 志强 Zhiqiang给我一个巧克力味的吧。Gěi wǒ yīgè qiǎokèlì wèi de ba.Give me a chocolate flavored one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ice cream” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 冰淇淋, 冰激凌, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
