蓮子 / 莲子
liánzǐ
The English phrase "lotus seed" is translated into Mandarin as 蓮子 / 莲子 (liánzǐ). If unsure, use 蓮子 / 莲子. Wiktionary also lists 蓮蓬子 / 莲蓬子 (liánpengzǐ).
Meaning: seed from the plants in the genus Nelumbo (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 蓮子 / 莲子 | liánzǐ |
| 蓮蓬子 / 莲蓬子 | liánpengzǐ |
蓮子 / 莲子 is the standard term used when referring to the seed as an ingredient in cooking, such as in sweet soups or medicinal teas.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 蓮子 / 莲子 is composed of 莲 (lián), meaning lotus and 子 (zǐ), meaning seed or nut.
How do you pronounce it?
liánzǐ
Did you know?
- The character 蓮 (lián) is a homophone for the word 'continuous' or 'successive'. This makes 蓮子 /liánzǐ a popular pun in wedding contexts to wish for a continuous line of descendants.
- During certain festivals, giving or eating 莲子 /liánzǐ is a symbolic gesture for fertility and many people associate the seeds with the concept of 'having many children'.
- In Mandarin, the character 子 in 蓮子 /liánzǐ functions as a noun suffix that does not always mean 'seed'. It is added to many single-character nouns to make them sound more natural in spoken speech.
Examples in context
- Nǐ xiǎng chī lián zi tāng ma? (你想吃莲子汤吗？)Do you want to eat lotus seed soup?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lotus seed” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
