Chinese word

南瓜

Pronunciation

Pinyinnán guā

Meaning

  • nounpumpkin

Example

南瓜很甜，可以直接吃。nán guā hěn tián ké yǐ zhí jiē chī

Pumpkin is very sweet and can be eaten as is.

Illustration for 南瓜 (pumpkin)

More examples

妈妈今天做了南瓜汤，大家都很喜欢。mā mā jīn tiān zuò le nán guā tāng dà jiā dōu hěn xǐ huān

Mom made pumpkin soup today, and everyone liked it.

Core concept

A hard-skinned edible squash with dense, naturally sweet flesh, often orange or yellow and useful in savory dishes and desserts.

Common phrases

  • 南瓜粥nán guā zhōu

    pumpkin porridge

  • 南瓜汤nán guā tāng

    pumpkin soup

  • 烤南瓜kǎo nán guā

    roasted pumpkin

Similar words

瓜类guā lèi: Plants in the gourd family, including gourds and other fruits that can be eaten.
蔬菜shū cài: Edible parts of plants, such as leaves, stems, roots, and some fruits.
水果shuí guǒ: Sweet fruits that people commonly eat fresh rather than cook.

Definition in Chinese

指一种常见的食用瓜类果实，果肉通常为橙色或黄色，质地绵密，带有天然甜味，常用于烹饪和甜品制作。zhǐ yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de shí yòng guā lèi guǒ shí guǒ ròu tōng cháng wèi chéng sè huò huáng sè zhì dì mián mì dài yǒu tiān rán tián wèi cháng yòng yú pēng rèn hé tián pǐn zhì zuò

Word origin

南瓜 (nánguā, "south melon") combines 南 (nán, "south") with 瓜 (guā, "melon or gourd"), reflecting a name for a squash associated with southern regions.

Usage tips

  • The Halloween image can make pumpkin sound seasonal in English, but 南瓜 (nánguā, "pumpkin") commonly refers to food throughout the year in Chinese-speaking settings.

Related words

  • 南瓜子nán guā zǐpumpkin seedsnoun
  • 南瓜泥nán guā nípumpkin pureenoun

Word lists with this word