秋葵
qiūkuí
Okra in Chinese is 秋葵 (qiūkuí). Wiktionary also lists 黃秋葵 / 黄秋葵 (huángqiūkuí) and 羊角豆 (yángjiǎodòu).
Meaning: edible capsules of A. esculentus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 秋葵 | qiūkuí |
| 黃秋葵 / 黄秋葵 | huángqiūkuí |
| 羊角豆 | yángjiǎodòu |
The term refers to the edible capsules of the plant A. esculentus.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 羊角豆 literally translates to 'ram's horn bean' due to the vegetable's shape.
Which one should you use?
秋葵 is the most common and standard term used in Mainland China, while 羊角豆 is more common in Cantonese-speaking regions and Southeast Asia. The term 黃秋葵 / 黄秋葵 is also a way to refer to the vegetable.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 羊角豆 is commonly used in Southern China and Southeast Asian contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
qiūkuí
Did you know?
- In some Chinese culinary contexts, the slime of 秋葵 is viewed as a beneficial 'mucus' that protects the stomach lining, rather than a texture to be avoided.
- In Chinese medicine and folk health, 秋葵 is often described as having a 'cooling' nature, meaning it is eaten to balance 'heat' in the body.
- The term 秋葵 literally contains the word for 'autumn' 秋, even though the vegetable is grown and eaten throughout various seasons.
Examples in context
- 我想买一些秋葵。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yīxiē qiūkuí.I want to buy some okra.
- 这个秋葵很新鲜。Zhège qiūkuí hěn xīnxiān.This okra is very fresh.
- 你喜欢吃炒秋葵吗？Nǐ xǐhuān chī chǎo qiūkuí ma?Do you like eating stir-fried okra?
Example conversation
At a vegetable market.
- 志强 Zhiqiang晓雯，你看这些秋葵怎么样？Xiǎowén, nǐ kàn zhèxiē qiūkuí zěnmeyàng?Xiaowen, what do you think of this okra?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen看起来很不错，非常新鲜。Kàn qǐlái hěn bùcuò, fēicháng xīnxiān.It looks great, very fresh.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我们买一斤吧。Nà wǒmen mǎi yī jīn ba.Then let's buy half a kilo.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好的，志强。Hǎo de, Zhìqiáng.Okay, Zhiqiang.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “okra” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
