勺子
sháozi/ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/
In Chinese, the word for spoon is 勺子 (sháozi). Wiktionary also lists 匙子 (chízi) and 調羹 / 调羹 (tiáogēng).
Meaning: scooped utensil for eating (or serving) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 勺子 | sháozi | /ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /fə²⁴ t͡sɹ̩⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 匙子 | chízi | /ʈ͡ʂʰɻ̩³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) | |
| 調羹 / 调羹 | tiáogēng | ||
| 匙 | chí | /ʈ͡ʂʰɻ̩³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡sʰiː²¹/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 湯匙 / 汤匙 | thng-sî | Hokkien | |
| 匙仔 | sî-á | /si²⁴⁻²² a⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) /si²⁴⁻²² a⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Quanzhou) |
Hokkien |
The term refers to a scooped utensil used for eating or serving food.
Which one should you use?
While 勺子 is the most common general term for a spoon, 调羹 specifically refers to a spoon used for soup or liquid-based dishes.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, you may encounter the forms фәзы, фәфәзы or фәфәр. In Hokkien, you can use 湯匙 or 匙仔.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting spoons, use the classifier 把 because they are objects with handles. In the sentence 把勺子给我, the particle 把 is used to introduce the object before the verb to indicate how the object is being handled.
How do you pronounce it?
sháozi (/ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ dz̥ɹ̩³/)
Did you know?
- The Dungan forms like фәзы are written in Cyrillic because Dungan is a Chinese language spoken in Central Asia that adopted the Russian alphabet.
- In some regional slang, calling someone a 勺子 can be a lighthearted way to imply they are a bit slow or 'empty-headed', mirroring the hollow shape of the tool.
- If you use the word 勺 in a different context, such as in names or specific historical texts, it can sometimes refer to a small, shallow vessel or even a constellation in ancient astronomy.
Examples in context
- 把勺子给我。Give me the spoon.This sentence demonstrates how to use 勺子 in a request.Tatoeba #430661 by GlossaMatik, translation #430660 by CM
- 我想要一把湯匙。I'd like to have a spoon.This sentence shows how to use 匙 to express a desire for a spoon.Tatoeba #13539379 by LeviHighway, translation #2730951 by Hybrid
- 這裡有一把湯匙。There is a spoon here.This sentence shows how to use 匙 to state the presence of a spoon.Tatoeba #13539383 by LeviHighway, translation #3603009 by Jesse
- 这个菜需要用湯匙。This dish requires a soup spoon.
- 帮我拿个汤勺吧。Please pass me a spoon.
- 这把勺子太小了。This spoon is too small.
- 请给我一只汤匙。Please give me a spoon.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are in the kitchen preparing dessert.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，妳能拿一個勺子嗎？Jiāyí, nǐ néng ná yīgè sháozi ma?Jiayi, can you grab a spoon?
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，我這裡有一個。Hǎo de, wǒ zhèlǐ yǒu yīgè.Okay, I have one here.
- 伟 Wei謝謝妳。Xièxiè nǐ.Thank you.
- 佳怡 Jiayi不客氣，這個勺子很乾淨。Bù kèqì, zhège sháozi hěn gānjìng.You're welcome, this spoon is very clean.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spoon” translations and entries 勺子, 匙子, 匙, 匙仔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
