珍珠
zhēnzhū
The English phrase 'tapioca pearls' is translated into Chinese as 珍珠 (zhēnzhū).
The term refers to the small, chewy balls made from starch that are a common addition to bubble tea.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 珍珠 literally means 'pearl'.
Which one should you use?
While 珍珠 is the standard term, the colloquialism 波霸 is used specifically to refer to the larger version of tapioca pearls.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 波霸 is an informal way to refer to tapioca pearls and is particularly popular in Taiwan and parts of Southern China.
How do you pronounce it?
zhēnzhū
Did you know?
- The term 波霸 is often used to describe a 'big bombshell' or a 'glamour girl', which adds a playful or slightly cheeky layer to its use in food service.
- In some regions, the chewy texture of 珍珠 is described using the term Q, a Taiwanese slang term that mimics the sound of a bouncy, elastic object.
- The characters in 珍珠 were once written as 真珠, meaning 'true pearls', to distinguish them from fake ones.
Examples in context
- 给我来杯波霸奶茶。Give me a cup of bubble tea with tapioca pearls.
- 我想加珍珠。Wǒ xiǎng jiā zhēnzhū.I want to add tapioca pearls.
- 这里的珍珠很有嚼劲。Zhèlǐ de zhēnzhū hěn yǒu jiáojìn.The tapioca pearls here are very chewy.
- 奶茶里的珍珠太多了。Nǎichá lǐ de zhēnzhū tài duō le.There are too many tapioca pearls in the milk tea.
Example conversation
Two friends are ordering drinks at a bubble tea shop.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你要喝什么？Nǐ yào hē shénme?What do you want to drink?
- 梓涵 Zihan我要珍珠奶茶。Wǒ yào zhēnzhū nǎichá.I want pearl milk tea.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这里的珍珠好不好吃？Zhèlǐ de zhēnzhū hǎo bù hǎo chī?Are the tapioca pearls here good?
- 梓涵 Zihan这里的珍珠非常甜。Zhèlǐ de zhēnzhū fēicháng tián.The tapioca pearls here are very sweet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 珍珠, CC BY-SA 4.0.
