菠蘿蜜 / 菠萝蜜
bōluómì
The English word jackfruit is 菠蘿蜜 / 菠萝蜜 (bōluómì) in Mandarin. Wiktionary also lists 木菠蘿 / 木菠萝 (mùbōluó) and 樹菠蘿 / 树菠萝 (shùbōluó).
Meaning: the fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 菠蘿蜜 / 菠萝蜜 | bōluómì |
| 木菠蘿 / 木菠萝 | mùbōluó |
| 樹菠蘿 / 树菠萝 | shùbōluó |
The term refers to the fruit.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bōluómì.
Did you know?
- The name 菠蘿蜜 is a linguistic accident involving Buddhism. It was originally a Sanskrit term for 'perfection' or 'reaching the other shore', but it was mistakenly applied to this fruit.
- In Mandarin, 菠蘿 usually refers to a pineapple, which is why jackfruit is often called a 'honey pineapple' or 'tree pineapple' in its various names.
- The term 樹菠蘿 uses the word for 'tree' 樹, highlighting that unlike the pineapple which grows from the ground, the jackfruit grows from a trunk.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jackfruit” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 菠蘿蜜, CC BY-SA 4.0.
