李子
lǐzi
The English word 'plum' is 李子 (lǐzi) in Chinese.
李子 refers to the fruit of the Prunus domestica.
Meaning: fruit of Prunus domestica (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The character 李 means plum.
Which one should you use?
While 李 can mean plum, the form 李子 is much more common in modern spoken Chinese to avoid confusion with the common surname Li.
How does it change in a sentence?
李子 is the standard way to refer to the fruit. The 子 part is a common noun suffix used to turn single-syllable nouns into two-syllable words.
How do you pronounce it?
lǐzi
Did you know?
- There is a traditional Chinese belief that planting 李子 trees near a house can bring bad luck because the word for 'plum' sounds similar to words associated with 'separation' in certain dialects.
- In Chinese calligraphy and classical literature, the 'plum' character often carries a connotation of resilience and endurance. This is because the plum tree is one of the first to bloom in the harsh cold of late winter.
- While 李子 is the general term, China has a special variety called 青李 'green plum' that is often pickled in salt and vinegar, creating a flavor profile entirely different from the sweet European plum.
Examples in context
- 你喜歡李子蛋糕嗎？Do you like plum cake?This sentence shows how to ask if someone likes plum cake using 李子.Tatoeba #8824230 by xjjAstrus, translation #714303 by Manfredo
- 湯姆沒有吃桃子，他在吃李子。Tom isn't eating a peach. He's eating a plum.This sentence is useful for contrasting the eating of a peach with 李子.Tatoeba #13539460 by LeviHighway, translation #9671207 by CK
- 妈妈帮我把李子去了核。My mum helps me remove the core of the plum.This sentence illustrates the process of removing the core from a 李子.Tatoeba #2198270 by acbarbosa, translation #8589124 by easononizuka
- 这个蛋糕用了很多青梅做装饰。This cake is decorated with many green plums.
Example conversation
Two friends are shopping for fruit at a market.
- 浩然 Haoran曉雯，妳看這些李子很漂亮。Xiǎowén, nǐ kàn zhèxiē lǐzi hěn piàoliang.Xiaowen, look, these plums look beautiful.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，我們買一點吧。Hàorán, wǒmen mǎi yīdiǎn ba.Haoran, let's buy some.
- 浩然 Haoran好，我拿一袋李子。Hǎo, wǒ ná yī dài lǐzi.Okay, I'll grab a bag of plums.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen別忘了買點其他的。Bié wàngle mǎi diǎn qítā de.Don't forget to buy some other things.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plum” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
