油桃
yóutáo
The English word nectarine is 油桃 (yóutáo) in Chinese.
油桃 is used to refer to the fruit known as a nectarine.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 油 (yóu), meaning oil or oily and 桃 (táo), meaning peach.
Which one should you use?
While 油桃 specifically refers to the smooth-skinned nectarine, 桃子 (táozi) is the general term for a peach, which typically has fuzzy skin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan and some southern regions of China, the term for nectarine is 油桃.
How do you pronounce it?
yóutáo
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the character 桃 (táo) is strongly associated with longevity. Ancient legends describe the 'Peaches of Immortality' that ripen once every few thousand years, making any fruit in the peach family a symbol of long life.
- During the Lunar New Year, peach blossoms are used as decorations to attract love and romance. Although 油桃 is the fruit, the root word 桃 connects the nectarine to these romantic cultural symbols.
- In Chinese botanical descriptions, the lack of fuzz on a nectarine is often described as having 'slick' or 'smooth' skin, which is why the word for 'oil' is used.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢吃油桃。Wǒ xǐhuān chī yóutáo.I like eating nectarines.
- 这种油桃很甜。Zhè zhǒng yóutáo hěn tián.This kind of nectarine is very sweet.
- 超市里有新鲜的油桃。Chāoshì lǐ yǒu xīnxiān de yóutáo.There are fresh nectarines in the supermarket.
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are shopping at a fruit market.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，你看这些油桃新鲜吗？Jiāyí, nǐ kàn zhèxiē yóutáo xīnxiān ma?Jiayi, do you think these nectarines are fresh?
- 佳怡 Jiayi看起来非常新鲜。Kàn qǐlái fēicháng xīnxiān.They look very fresh.
- 伟 Wei那我们买两斤油桃吧。Nà wǒmen mǎi liǎng jīn yóutáo ba.Then let's buy two jin of nectarines.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，没问题。Hǎode, méi wèntí.Okay, no problem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nectarine” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
