李
The English word plum is translated into Cantonese as 李 or 李子. Wiktionary also lists 布冧 (bou³ lam¹).
Meaning: fruit of Prunus domestica (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 李 | |
| 李子 | lei⁵ zi² |
| 布冧 | bou³ lam¹ |
In Cantonese, several terms can be used to refer to the plum fruit of Prunus domestica. While 李 can represent the fruit, it is more frequently used as a surname or as a component in longer words. 李子 is the standard term for the fruit itself, while 布冧 is a phonetic transliteration used commonly in spoken Cantonese.
Which one should you use?
While 李 can refer to the plum, it is more frequently used as a surname.
Did you know?
- The salty preserved plum 酸梅 is often used in Cantonese medicine as a remedy for indigestion or to quench thirst during summer.
- The character 李 is one of the most common surnames in the world, meaning a person named 'Lee' shares their name with the fruit.
- The term 布冧 is a loanword derived from the English word 'plum', reflecting the influence of British English in Hong Kong.
Examples in context
- 我喜歡食青梅。I like eating green plums.
Example conversation
Jun Kit and Hiu Tung are at a fruit market.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit曉彤，你想唔想試吓呢啲李？Hiu Tung, nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 si3 haa5 ni1 di1 lei5?Hiu Tung, do you want to try these plums?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好呀，睇落好甜。hou2 aa3, tai2 lok6 hou2 tim4.Sure, they look very sweet.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit我買一盒李返屋企。ngo5 maai5 jat1 hap6 lei5 faan1 uk1 kei2.I'll buy a box of plums to take home.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好主意，快啲買啦。hou2 zyu2 ji3, faai3 di1 maai5 laa1.Good idea, buy them quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plum” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
