金桔
jīnjú
The English word kumquat is translated into Mandarin as 金桔 (jīnjú) or 金橘.
Meaning: small orange fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 金桔 | jīnjú |
| 金橘 | jīnjú |
The term refers to the small, orange-colored fruit known as a kumquat.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 金桔 is composed of 金 (jīn), meaning 'gold' and 桔 (jú), meaning 'citrus' or 'orange'.
Which one should you use?
The forms 金桔 and 金橘 are interchangeable. Both are pronounced jīnjú and both refer to the kumquat.
How do you pronounce it?
jīnjú
Did you know?
- While English speakers usually peel citrus fruits, the 金桔 is eaten whole, skin and all, because the sweetness is concentrated in the peel while the flesh is sour.
- During the Lunar New Year, 金桔 plants are often gifted to bring wealth and good luck because the word for 'gold' is in their name and they resemble gold coins.
- In traditional Chinese medicine, 金橘 is not just a snack but is used as a remedy to soothe sore throats and reduce coughs.
Examples in context
- 我很喜欢吃金桔。I really like to eat kumquats.
- 来尝尝这个金桔子！Come and taste this kumquat!
- 这种金桔非常甜。Zhè zhǒng jīnjú fēicháng tián.This kind of kumquat is very sweet.
- 超市里有卖金桔吗？Chāoshì lǐ yǒu mài jīnjú ma?Are there kumquats for sale in the supermarket?
- 我买了一些金桔。Wǒ mǎile yīxiē jīnjú.I bought some kumquats.
Example conversation
浩然 and 佳怡 are at a fruit market.
- 浩然 Haoran佳怡，你看这些金桔。Jiāyí, nǐ kàn zhèxiē jīnjú.Jiayi, look at these kumquats.
- 佳怡 Jiayi看起来很新鲜。Kàn qǐlái hěn xīnxiān.They look very fresh.
- 浩然 Haoran我们要买一斤吗？Wǒmen yào mǎi yī jīn ma?Should we buy half a kilogram?
- 佳怡 Jiayi好啊，买一点吧。Hǎo a, mǎi yīdiǎn ba.Okay, let's buy a little bit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kumquat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
