胡椒
wu⁴ ziu¹
The English word "pepper" (referring to the spice) is translated into Cantonese as 胡椒 (wu⁴ ziu¹). Wiktionary also lists 胡椒粉 (wu⁴ ziu¹ fan²).
Meaning: spice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 胡椒 | wu⁴ ziu¹ |
| 胡椒粉 | wu⁴ ziu¹ fan² |
What does it mean word for word?
The term for ground pepper, 胡椒粉, is a compound of the word for pepper and the word for powder (粉).
Which one should you use?
While 胡椒 refers to the spice itself, 胡椒粉 is the specific term used for the powdered form found in spice grinders or packets.
How do you pronounce it?
wu⁴ ziu¹
Did you know?
- If you ask for 辣椒 (là jiāo), you will receive spicy chili peppers instead of the black pepper implied by 胡椒.
- In traditional Cantonese medicine, 胡椒 is categorized as a 'warm' food used to expel cold from the body.
- In Cantonese, the characters for 胡椒 literally translate to 'foreign pepper', reflecting the spice's historical arrival from distant lands.
Examples in context
- 呢啲胡椒好香。nei1 di1 wu4 giu1 hou2 heo1.This pepper smells very fragrant.
- 你想要加胡椒嗎？nei5 soeng2 jiu3 gaa1 wu4 giu1 maa1?Do you want to add pepper?
- 呢個菜放咗好多胡椒。nei1 go3 coi3 fong3 zo2 hou2 do1 wu4 giu1.This dish has a lot of pepper in it.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are eating at a restaurant.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你覺得呢個湯有冇胡椒味？nei5 gok3 dak1 nei1 go3 tong1 jau5 mou5 wu4 giu1 mei6?Do you think this soup has a taste of pepper?
- 家明 Ka Ming我覺得啲胡椒味好淡。ngo5 gok3 dak1 di1 wu4 giu1 mei6 hou2 daam6.I think the pepper taste is very light.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan家明，你要唔要我幫你加啲胡椒？kaa1 ming4, nei5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 ngo5 bong1 nei5 gaa1 di1 wu4 giu1?Ka Ming, do you want me to add some pepper for you?
- 家明 Ka Ming唔使喇，多謝你。m4 sai2 laa3, do1 ze6 nei5.No need, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pepper” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
