菠蘿 / 菠萝
bōluóMainland China
The English phrase pineapple is 菠蘿 / 菠萝 (bōluó) in Chinese. Wiktionary also lists 鳳梨 / 凤梨 (fènglí) and 黃梨 / 黄梨 (huánglí).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 菠蘿 / 菠萝 | bōluó | Mainland China |
| 鳳梨 / 凤梨 | fènglí | Taiwan |
| 黃梨 / 黄梨 | huánglí | Malaysia, Singapore |
The word refers to the fruit (noun).
Which one should you use?
While both 菠萝 and 凤梨 refer to pineapple, using 菠萝 in Taiwan or 凤梨 in Mainland China may sound regional or slightly unnatural depending on the context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 菠萝 is the standard word for pineapple used in Mainland China. In Taiwan, the standard word is 鳳梨 / 凤梨. In Malaysia and Singapore, 黃梨 / 黄梨 is commonly used.
How do you pronounce it?
bōluó
Did you know?
- In Hokkien and Cantonese, the word for pineapple sounds similar to the phrase for 'bringing wealth' or 'luck', making the fruit a common gift during the Lunar New Year.
- The name 凤梨 refers to the 'fenghuang', a mythical Chinese phoenix, because the fruit's leaves resemble the creature's tail.
- The name 黄梨 literally translates to 'yellow pear', which is a counterintuitive way to describe a pineapple.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pineapple” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 菠蘿, 鳳梨, CC BY-SA 4.0.
