南瓜 (nánguā) · pumpkin; squash

Measure Word

一个南瓜 ge

Meanings

1 pumpkin; squash

About the ingredient

蔬菜 Vegetables · In season: summer and autumn

Most often a squat squash with green or orange-brown skin and dense, sweet orange flesh. It is steamed, boiled, mashed and made into fried pumpkin cakes; the young leaves and flowers are eaten too.

Also called 倭瓜

Used in 4 dishes

南瓜饼 nánguābǐng

南瓜粥 nánguazhōu

蒸南瓜 zhēngnángua

红枣蒸南瓜 hóngzǎo zhēng nángua

Characters

Literally 'southern melon' - pumpkins were introduced to China from the Americas via Southeast Asia, hence the 'southern' designation.

Examples

HSK 6

今天我做了一碗南瓜粥。

Jīntiān wǒ zuò le yì wǎn nánguā zhōu.

Today I made a bowl of pumpkin porridge.

HSK 7-9

万圣节的时候，人们会雕刻南瓜灯。

Wànshèngjié de shíhou, rénmen huì diāokè nánguā dēng.

During Halloween, people carve pumpkin lanterns.

Tips

culture

Chinese melon names are a geography lesson: 南瓜 ('south melon' = pumpkin), 西瓜 ('west melon' = watermelon, from Central Asia), 冬瓜 ('winter melon'), 黄瓜 ('yellow melon' = cucumber). The 瓜 family is big.