刨冰 刨雪
bàobīngMalaysia, Taiwan
The English phrase "shaved ice" is translated into Chinese as 刨冰 刨雪 (bàobīng).
This term refers to a jellylike dessert.
Meaning: jellylike dessert (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 刨冰 is composed of 刨 (to shave/plane) and 冰 (ice).
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 刨冰 is commonly used in Malaysia and Taiwan to refer to this dessert.
How do you pronounce it?
bàobīng
Did you know?
- The character 刨 is also used in Chinese to describe the act of planing wood, meaning the dessert is conceptually treated like a piece of timber being shaved thin.
- In Chinese food culture, 刨冰 is often viewed as a 'cooling' food used to balance 'heat' in the body, a concept rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
- Depending on the province, the syrup used on 刨冰 can range from traditional rose syrup to savory additions like condensed milk or salted plums.
Examples in context
- 我想吃一碗刨冰。I would like to have a bowl of shaved ice.
- 台灣的雪花冰非常有名。Shaved ice in Taiwan is very famous.
- 我們一起去吃刨冰吧！Let's go and have some shaved ice together!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shaved ice” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
