勺子
sháozi/ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/
The English word "spoon" is translated into Mandarin as 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
| Mandarin | 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 standard everyday term, 调羹 is a more formal or literary way to refer to a spoon. In Hokkien, you may encounter 湯匙 or 匙仔.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
调羹 is a more formal or literary term for a spoon compared to the colloquial 勺子.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The forms фәзы, фәфәзы and фәфәр are used in Dungan. The Hokkien forms are 湯匙 and 匙仔.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The appropriate classifier (measure word) for a spoon is 把 (bǎ), such as in 一把勺子. The word 勺子 (sháozi) is often used with the construction 把 (bǎ) when expressing a request to move the object.
How do you pronounce it?
sháozi (/ʂɑʊ̯³⁵ dz̥ɹ̩³/)
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, using a spoon to eat rice is common in the south, whereas in the north, chopsticks are the primary tool and the spoon is reserved for soup.
- Certain traditional Chinese medical prescriptions use 勺 as a unit of measurement for liquid medicine, similar to how 'teaspoon' is used in English.
- The more formal term 调羹 (tiáogēng) literally translates to 'stirring soup', which reflects the historical function of the utensil in traditional Chinese cuisine.
Examples in context
- 把勺子给我。Give me the spoon.This sentence shows how to use the construction with 勺子 to request an object.Tatoeba #430661 by GlossaMatik, translation #430660 by CM
- 我想要一把湯匙。I'd like to have a spoon.This sentence demonstrates the use of 匙.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 indicate the presence of a 匙.Tatoeba #13539383 by LeviHighway, translation #3603009 by Jesse
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are preparing to eat soup.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，你看到我的勺子了吗？Yǔtíng, nǐ kàndào wǒ de sháozi le ma?Yuting, have you seen my spoon?
- 雨婷 Yuting在洗碗池里，志强。Zài xǐwǎnchí lǐ, Zhìqiáng.It's in the sink, Zhiqiang.
- 志强 Zhiqiang哦，我这就去拿。Ó, wǒ zhè jiù qù ná.Oh, I'll go get it now.
- 雨婷 Yuting记得用干净的勺子。Jìde yòng gānjìng de sháozi.Remember to use a clean spoon.
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.
