苹果

• Pinyin: píng guǒ
• Hanzi breakdown: 苹 = 艹 (grass/plant) + 平 (flat, phonetic); 果 = 田 (field) + 木 (tree), a pictograph of fruit on a tree

Meaning

Apple. A common round fruit, usually red or green, eaten fresh or used in cooking.

One of the most common fruits in China. Also widely used to refer to the Apple brand (苹果手机 = iPhone, 苹果电脑 = Mac). In Chinese culture, apples symbolise peace because 苹 sounds like 平 (peace). Giving apples on Christmas Eve (平安夜) is a popular modern Chinese tradition.

Examples

1. 我每天早上吃一个苹果。 I eat an apple every morning.
2. 秋天的苹果又大又甜。 Autumn apples are big and sweet.
3. 妈妈买了一袋苹果回来。 Mum bought a bag of apples.

Usage Guide

Context: food, daily life, shopping

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个苹果真甜！(This apple is so sweet!)
• 平安夜的时候，大家会互相送苹果。(On Christmas Eve, people exchange apples as gifts.)

Don't Say

• 我想吃一个红色苹果颜色的水果。(Don't use such a roundabout description — just say 我想吃苹果. Chinese speakers simply name the fruit directly.)

Origin & History

苹 was a phonetic borrowing; 果 means fruit. The 艹 (grass) radical on 苹 indicates it is a plant product.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal