梨
lí
The English word 'pear' is translated into Mandarin as 梨 (lí). Wiktionary also lists 梨子 (lízi).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 梨 | lí |
| 梨子 | lízi |
Mandarin uses several terms for this fruit depending on the variety. While 梨 is the base noun, the term 雪梨 (literally 'snow pear') is commonly used to refer to the specific variety of Asian pear found in Chinese cuisine. To specifically refer to the Western pear variety, the term 洋梨 is used.
Which one should you use?
梨 is the base noun for the fruit, while 梨子 is a very common colloquial way to refer to the fruit in spoken Mandarin. For more specific varieties, 洋梨 refers to Western pears and 雪梨 refers to Asian snow pears.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions, such as Beijing, the informal term 梨儿 is used to refer to a pear.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting pears, you typically use the measure word 个 (gè), as in 一个梨 (yí gè lí).
How do you pronounce it?
lí
Did you know?
- While 梨 refers to the fruit, the phrase 梨园 literally means 'pear garden' but is actually the traditional name for the world of Chinese opera.
- The word 梨 is a homophone for 离, which means 'separation' or 'leaving'. Because of this, it is traditionally considered bad luck to share or split a 梨 with a partner or spouse.
- The phrase 梨花带雨 literally means 'pear blossoms with rain' and is used as a poetic idiom to describe a woman crying beautifully.
Examples in context
- 我吃一個梨。I'll have a pear.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase 'I'll have a pear' using 梨.Tatoeba #778882 by Martha, translation #13998949 by jan_OkulaJu
- 这只梨闻上去很香。This pear smells nice.This sentence is useful for describing the scent of a 梨.Tatoeba #333031 by fucongcong, translation #60753 by CK
- 這是只梨，不是蘋果。This is a pear, not an apple.This sentence is useful for distinguishing a 梨 from an apple.Tatoeba #10520466 by DaoSeng, translation #6352049 by CK
- 请给我一个梨。Can you give me a pear, please?
- 我喜欢吃梨。I like eating pears.
- 这个梨多少钱？How much does this pear cost?
Example conversation
At a fruit stall in a local market.
- 浩然 Haoran志强，你看这个梨很大。Zhìqiáng, nǐ kàn zhège lí hěn dà.Zhiqiang, look, this pear is very big.
- 雨婷 Yuting确实，我也想买几个梨。Quèshí, wǒ yě xiǎng mǎi jǐ gè lí.Indeed, I also want to buy a few pears.
- 浩然 Haoran那你多买一点吧。Nà nǐ duō mǎi yīdiǎn ba.Then you should buy a few more.
- 雨婷 Yuting好，那我们买一些梨回家。Hǎo, nà wǒmen mǎi yīxiē lí huí jiā.Okay, then let's buy some pears to take home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pear” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
