How to Say "Pepper" in Chinese

胡椒

hújiāo

The English word 'pepper' is translated into Chinese as 胡椒 (hújiāo).

胡椒 refers to the spice (specifically black or white pepper).

Meaning: spice (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word 胡椒 is composed of 胡 (hú), an ancient term often used for foreign or 'barbarian' goods and 椒 (jiāo), meaning pepper or spice.

It is important to distinguish between 胡椒 (hújiāo), which refers specifically to the spice and 辣椒 (làjiāo), which is used for hot chili peppers.

hújiāo

In ancient China, 胡椒 was so valuable that it was occasionally used as a form of currency or a high-status gift in diplomatic exchanges.
The ancient name for pepper recorded in Chinese history, 昧履支, is a phonetic transcription of its original Indian name.
The character 椒 is also used in the name of the Sichuan pepper, but that plant is a completely different botanical species than the 'pepper' in 胡椒.

能把胡椒遞給我嗎？
Could you please pass me the pepper?
Tatoeba #8426629 by xjjAstrus, translation #518551 by CK
我在魚上灑鹽和胡椒作調味。
I seasoned the fish with salt and pepper.
Tatoeba #1223810 by tsayng, translation #19360 by CK
將羽衣甘藍切片，放入鍋中，加入橄欖油、大蒜、鹽和胡椒，煮至軟嫩可口。
Slice the kale, and add it to a pan, with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and wait until it is soft and tasty.
Tatoeba #13539371 by LeviHighway, translation #8288206 by Isomorph
5 more sentences on Tatoeba

Yuting and Junjie are cooking dinner together in the kitchen.

雨婷 Yuting

俊杰，這道菜還需要加胡椒嗎？
Jùnjié, zhè dào cài hái xūyào jiā hújiāo ma?
Junjie, does this dish still need some pepper?
俊杰 Junjie

我覺得胡椒放太多了。
Wǒ juéde hújiāo fàng tài duō le.
I think there is too much pepper.
雨婷 Yuting

那我少放一點就好。
Nà wǒ shǎo fàng yīdiǎn jiù hǎo.
Then I will just put in a little less.
俊杰 Junjie

這樣味道就剛好。
Zhèyàng wèidào jiù gānghǎo.
The flavor is just right that way.

Sources

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