梨
The word for pear in Cantonese is 梨. Wiktionary also lists 雪梨 and 沙梨.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese |
|---|
| 梨 |
| 雪梨 |
| 沙梨 |
| 啤梨 |
The term 梨 is the general noun for the fruit. Specific varieties are often named based on their characteristics, such as 雪梨 for the juicy Asian variety.
Which one should you use?
While 梨 is the general term for any pear, 雪梨 specifically refers to the juicy, white-fleshed Asian pear. 沙梨 and 啤梨 are also used to distinguish different varieties.
When do people say it?
In Cantonese culture, the word for pear (梨) sounds identical to the word for separation or parting (離). Because of this, it is often considered bad luck to give pears as gifts to friends or loved ones.
Did you know?
- In traditional Cantonese medicine, the 雪梨 is often steamed with rock sugar and honey to soothe a sore throat or treat a dry cough.
- The term 啤梨 is a loanword, where 啤 mimics the 'p' sound in the English word 'pear'.
- In some Cantonese households, the act of sharing a pear between two people can be seen as an omen that they will part ways.
Examples in context
- 呢個梨好甜。ni1 go3 lei4 hou2 tim4.This pear is very sweet.
- 我想食梨。ngo5 soeng2 sik6 lei4.I want to eat a pear.
Example conversation
Zijian and Xiaotong are at a fruit market.
- 子健 Tsz Kin曉彤，你想唔想買梨？hiu2 tung4, nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 maai5 lei4?Xiaotong, do you want to buy some pears?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我想，呢啲梨睇落好新鮮。ngo5 soeng2, ni1 di1 lei4 tai2 lok6 hou2 san1 san2I do, these pears look very fresh.
- 子健 Tsz Kin咁我哋買三個梨啦。gam3 ngo5 dei6 maai5 saam1 go3 lei4 laa1Then let's buy three pears.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好呀，子健。hou2 aa3, zi2 gin6Okay, Zijian.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pear” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
