noun HSK 2
fruit
Meaning
水果 is the general term for fruit in Mandarin Chinese. It literally combines 水 (water) and 果 (fruit/result), possibly reflecting the juicy nature of most fruits. This is the most common everyday word used to refer to any kind of edible fruit.
Usage
This is a neutral, everyday term used in all contexts from grocery shopping to restaurants. Native speakers use it both as a category term and when referring to fruit in general. It's commonly used in phrases like 吃水果 (eat fruit) or when asking what kinds of fruit someone likes.
Examples
- 01我每天都吃水果。.I eat fruit every day.
- 02这家水果店的水果很新鲜。.The fruit at this fruit shop is very fresh.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个水果
- 种三种水果
Common collocations
- 吃水果to eat fruit
- 水果店fruit shop
- 新鲜水果fresh fruit
- 水果沙拉fruit salad
Origin
The combination of 水 (water) and 果 (fruit) emphasizes the moist, juicy quality of fruits as opposed to dried or preserved foods.