橄欖 / 橄榄
gǎnlǎn
The English word olive is translated into Chinese as 橄欖 / 橄榄 (gǎnlǎn) or 齊墩果 / 齐墩果.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 橄欖 / 橄榄 | gǎnlǎn |
| 齊墩果 / 齐墩果 | qídūnguǒ |
This term refers to the fruit of the olive tree.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form 橄欖 is used in Traditional Chinese (common in Taiwan and Hong Kong), while 橄榄 is used in Simplified Chinese (common in Mainland China).
How do you pronounce it?
gǎnlǎn
Did you know?
- While 橄欖 is the standard word for 'olive' in many contexts, in many parts of China it actually refers to the fruit of the 'Canarium kerrii' tree, not the Mediterranean olive.
- The term 齊墩果 is a transliteration that relies on Persian or Arabic roots, specifically the word 'zeytun', to name the fruit in Chinese.
- The name 齊墩果 highlights the historical role of the Silk Road in bringing both foreign plants and their names to China.
Examples in context
- 请给我加点橄榄Please add some olives for me.
- 我非常喜欢橄榄仁I really like olive kernels.
- 你知道橄榄看起来像橄榄球吗?Do you know that olives look like footballs?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “olive” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 橄欖, 齊墩果, CC BY-SA 4.0.
