海胆
hǎidǎn
The English phrase "sea urchin" is translated into Chinese as 海胆 (hǎidǎn).
海胆 refers to any marine echinoderm of the class Echinoidea. It is also a common term used in culinary contexts to refer to the edible gonads of the sea urchin.
Meaning: any of many marine echinoderms of the class Echinoidea (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 海 (hǎi), meaning 'sea' and 胆 (dǎn), meaning 'gallbladder' or 'gall'.
How do you pronounce it?
hǎidǎn
Did you know?
- The word 胆 (dǎn) also means 'courage' in Chinese. Consequently, saying someone has a 'large gallbladder' 胆子大 is a common idiom for being brave or daring.
- Because the name uses the word for 'gall' or 'bile', a learner might mistakenly think the word implies a bitter taste, even though the culinary 'sea urchin' is prized for being creamy and sweet.
- The term 胆 is used in other food names to describe ingredients with a bitter taste or a similar shape, reflecting an ancient Chinese practice of naming foods by their resemblance to internal organs.
Examples in context
- 这种海胆具有令人惊叹的生物特性。This sea urchin possesses astonishing biological characteristics.
- 这种海胆非常新鲜。zhè zhǒng hǎidàn fēicháng xīnxiān.This kind of sea urchin is very fresh.
- 我想吃海胆刺身。wǒ xiǎng chī hǎidàn cìshēng.I want to eat sea urchin sashimi.
- 海胆的味道很鲜美。hǎidàn de wèidào hěn xiānměi.The taste of the sea urchin is delicious.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are looking at a seafood menu in a restaurant.
- 梓涵 Zihan你喜欢吃海胆吗？nǐ xǐhuān chī hǎidàn ma?Do you like eating sea urchin?
- 俊杰 Junjie我非常喜欢。wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān.I like it very much.
- 梓涵 Zihan那我们点一份海胆吧。nà wǒmen diǎn yī fèn hǎidàn ba.Then let's order a serving of sea urchin.
- 俊杰 Junjie好主意，我也想吃。hǎo zhǔyì, wǒ yě xiǎng chī.Good idea, I want to eat it too.
