五花肉
wǔhuāròu
Pork belly in Chinese is 五花肉 (wǔhuāròu). Wiktionary also lists 豬腩 / 猪腩 (zhūnǎn) and 三層肉 / 三层肉 (sāncéngròu).
Meaning: boneless cut of fatty meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 五花肉 | wǔhuāròu |
| 豬腩 / 猪腩 | zhūnǎn |
| 三層肉 / 三层肉 | sāncéngròu |
The term 五花肉 is the standard term used when ordering or shopping for pork belly in a culinary context.
What does it mean word for word?
五花肉 literally translates to 'five-flower meat', which refers to the appearance of the meat's layers.
Which one should you use?
While 五花肉 is the most common culinary term for pork belly, 豬腩 / 猪腩 refers more specifically to the anatomical belly area of the pig. Another option is 三層肉 / 三层肉, a descriptive synonym that emphasizes the distinct layers of meat, fat and skin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 东坡肉 (Dongpo pork) originates from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
How do you pronounce it?
wǔhuāròu
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the high fat content of 五花肉 is prized for its 'fragrance', a quality described by the word 香 (xiāng) which also means 'perfume'.
- The famous 东坡肉 is named after the Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo, who is credited with creating the slow-braised method for this cut.
- While 五花肉 means 'five-flower meat', it does not actually refer to five layers, but rather a general aesthetic of beautiful, alternating stripes.
Examples in context
- 我想尝试一道脆皮烧肉 (wǒ xiǎng chángshì yī dào cuì pí shāo ròu)I want to try a dish of crispy pork belly.
- 请给我来一份红烧肉 (qǐng gěi wǒ lái yī fèn hóng shāo ròu)Please give me an order of red-cooked pork belly.
- 这家餐厅有传统的梅州扣肉 (zhè jiā cān tīng yǒu chuántǒng de méi zhōu kòu ròu)This restaurant serves traditional Meizhou braised pork belly.
- 我想买一些五花肉。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yīxiē wǔhuāròu.I want to buy some pork belly.
- 这种五花肉很肥。Zhè zhǒng wǔhuāròu hěn féi.This kind of pork belly is very fatty.
- 五花肉可以拿来炖。Wǔhuāròu kěyǐ ná lái dùn.Pork belly can be used for stewing.
Example conversation
In a grocery store, a woman is looking for ingredients.
- 伟 Wei晓雯，你要买什么？Xiǎowén, nǐ yào mǎi shénme?Xiaowen, what do you want to buy?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想买两斤五花肉。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi liǎng jīn wǔhuāròu.I want to buy two catties of pork belly.
- 伟 Wei你要做红烧肉吗？Nǐ yào zuò hóngshāoròu ma?Are you making braised pork?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen对，我也买点酱油。Duì, wǒ yě mǎi diǎn jiàngyóu.Yes, and I'll buy some soy sauce too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pork belly” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
