椰子

• Pinyin: yē zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 椰 = 木 (tree/wood) + 耶 (phonetic component — tropical tree with this sound); 子 = child/seed pictograph (the round fruit/seed of the plant)

Meaning

Coconut; the large, round fruit of the coconut palm, containing coconut water and white flesh.

Refers to the fruit itself (椰子汁 — coconut juice, 椰子肉 — coconut flesh) and by extension the coconut palm tree. Strongly associated with tropical regions such as Hainan Island and Southeast Asia. Common in food and beverage contexts.

Examples

1. 在海南的沙滩上，小贩们沿路叫卖新鲜椰子，只需二十元就能喝到一整颗冰镇椰汁。 On the beaches in Hainan, vendors walk around selling fresh coconuts; for just 20 yuan, you can drink a whole chilled coconut’s worth of coconut water.
2. 她把椰子肉刮下来，和糯米一起蒸熟，做成一道家乡的传统甜点端上桌。 She scraped out the coconut flesh and steamed it with glutinous rice, making a traditional hometown dessert to serve at the table.
3. 椰子树高大挺拔，树冠随风摇曳，是热带海岸线上最具标志性的自然景观之一。 Coconut palms stand tall and straight, their crowns swaying in the wind, making them one of the most iconic natural sights along tropical coastlines.

Usage Guide

Context: food, tropical, everyday, beverage

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 合作社引进椰子深加工线，把椰汁、椰肉和椰壳分别做成饮料、配料和活性炭，提高了农户收益。(The cooperative introduced a coconut deep-processing line, turning coconut water, flesh, and shells into drinks, ingredients, and activated carbon, which increased farmers' income.)
• 对两千多名受访者的分析发现，长期适量摄入椰子油的人，在心血管指标上与完全不摄入者并无显著差异。(An analysis of more than two thousand respondents found no significant difference in cardiovascular indicators between people who regularly consumed moderate amounts of coconut oil and those who consumed none.)

Don't Say

• 椰子很甜 — raw coconut water is mildly sweet to neutral; saying 椰子很甜 without qualification may mislead; specify 椰汁略带甜味 or 椰肉清甜 for accuracy

Origin & History

椰 (coconut palm — 木 tree + 耶 phonetic; a large tree native to tropical regions) + 子 (seed/fruit — child pictograph; the fruit/seed of the plant)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal