桃
The English word peach is translated into Cantonese as 桃. Wiktionary also lists 桃子 (tou⁴ zi²) and 蜜桃 (mat⁶ tou⁴).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 桃 | |
| 桃子 | tou⁴ zi² |
| 蜜桃 | mat⁶ tou⁴ |
The word refers to the fruit of the peach tree.
What does it mean word for word?
The single character 桃 is the root noun for peach.
Which one should you use?
While 桃子 refers to peaches in general, 蜜桃 (mat⁶ tou⁴) specifically refers to varieties that are particularly sweet or juicy, often used in food descriptions.
Did you know?
- The character 桃 is often used in the term 桃花運 (tou⁴ faa¹ wan⁶), which refers to 'peach blossom luck' or the sudden arrival of romantic opportunities.
- In Cantonese culture, the 桃 is a symbol of longevity. Giving peach-shaped buns called 壽桃 (sau⁶ tou⁴) at elderly birthdays is a common tradition to wish the recipient a long life.
- While ‘peach’ is a fruit, the phrase 桃紅 (tou⁴ hung⁴), literally 'peach red', is a common way to describe a specific shade of soft pink in Cantonese.
Examples in context
- 呢個桃好甜。ni1 go3 toad4 hou2 tim4.This peach is very sweet.
- 我想買個桃。ngo5 soeng2 maai5 go3 toad4.I want to buy a peach.
Example conversation
At a fruit stall in a local market.
- 子健 Tsz Kin呢個桃幾錢一個？ni1 go3 toad4 gei2 cin2 jat1 go3?How much is this peach?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung三個十蚊。saam1 go3 sap6 man1.Three for ten dollars.
- 子健 Tsz Kin好呀，我要三個。hou2 aa3, ngo5 jiu3 saam1 go3.Okay, I want three.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung冇問題。mou5 man6 tai4.No problem.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “peach” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
