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香蕉
xiāngjiāo
banana
我最喜欢吃香蕉了。
I love eating bananas the most.
formal
A long curved fruit with a yellow skin and soft sweet flesh inside.
超市里有很多新鲜的香蕉。
There are many fresh bananas in the supermarket.
香蕉含有丰富的钾元素。
Bananas are rich in potassium.
香蕉 is one of the most commonly consumed fruits worldwide. It is often eaten raw but can also be used in cooking (e.g., banana bread, smoothies).
Pro Tip
Remembering the word
香蕉 sounds like 'shang jiao' in Mandarin. Associate it with the sweet smell (香) and the curved shape (蕉) of the banana.
Word Origin
The word 香蕉 (xiāngjiāo) is a compound of 香 (xiāng, 'fragrant') and 蕉 (jiāo, 'banana plant'). The term reflects the fruit's sweet aroma. The 蕉 character originally referred to the plantain or banana tree, while 香 highlights its pleasant scent.
Usage Notes
香蕉 is a mass noun in Chinese when referring to the fruit in general (e.g., 我买了香蕉 'I bought bananas'). When counting individual bananas, use 一根香蕉 'one banana' or 一把香蕉 'a bunch of bananas'.
Word Breakdown
香
fragrant
root蕉
banana plant
root汉英词典