茉莉花
mòlìhuā
In Chinese, jasmine is 茉莉花 (mòlìhuā). Wiktionary also lists 茉莉 (mòlì).
Meaning: plant of genus Jasminum (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 茉莉花 | mòlìhuā |
| 茉莉 | mòlì |
The term refers to plants of the genus Jasminum. When referring specifically to jasmine tea, the standard term is 茉莉花茶.
What does it mean word for word?
茉莉花 is composed of 茉莉 (jasmine) and 花 (flower).
Which one should you use?
茉莉 is a shortened form of 茉莉花. 茉莉 can be used as a standalone noun to refer to the jasmine plant or its scent, and it is also frequently used in more concise contexts or as part of compound words.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
mòlìhuā
Did you know?
- The song 'Mo Li Hua' is one of the most famous folk songs in China and is often used as a symbol of Chinese cultural identity worldwide.
- The name 茉莉 is actually a phonetic loan from an ancient Sanskrit word. It was adapted into Chinese sounds to represent the original name of the flower in South Asia.
- Jasmine tea 茉莉花茶 is produced by layering fresh flowers with tea leaves so the leaves absorb the scent, rather than by mixing dried petals.
Examples in context
- 这是不是茉莉花茶？Is this jasmine tea?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific tea is 茉莉花.Tatoeba #2225651 by Tximist, translation #458955 by CM
- 我喜欢茉莉花的香味。I love the fragrance of jasmine flowers.
- 茉莉是中国的国花之一。Jasmine is one of China's national flowers.
- 我今天买了一朵茉莉花。I bought a jasmine flower today.
- 茉莉花的香味真好闻。The fragrance of jasmine flowers smells really good.
- 院子里开满了茉莉花。Yuànzi lǐ kāi mǎn le mòlìhuā.The courtyard is full of jasmine flowers.
- 我喜欢闻茉莉花的香味。Wǒ xǐhuān wén mòlìhuā de xiāngwèi.I like smelling the fragrance of jasmine flowers.
Example conversation
Wei and Yuting are walking through a botanical garden.
- 伟 Wei看，那边有一丛茉莉花。Kàn, nàbiān yǒu yī cóng mòlìhuā.Look, there is a cluster of jasmine over there.
- 雨婷 Yuting它的味道真好闻。Tā de wèidào zhēn hǎowén.It smells really good.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，你想买一盆吗？Yǔtíng, nǐ xiǎng mǎi yī pén ma?Yuting, do you want to buy a pot?
- 雨婷 Yuting好啊，我们带回去吧。Hǎo a, wǒmen dài huíqù ba.Sure, let's take it back.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jasmine” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 茉莉, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
