冬瓜 (dōngguā) · wax gourd; winter melon (Benincasa hispida)

Measure Word

一个冬瓜 gè

Meanings

1 wax gourd; winter melon (Benincasa hispida)
2 white gourd

About the ingredient

蔬菜 Vegetables · In season: summer and autumn

A huge gourd with a waxy, dusty green skin and white, juicy flesh with a mild taste. Sold by the slice, it is simmered in soups with pork ribs or shrimp, stir-fried, or braised.

Used in 7 dishes

冬瓜汤 dōngguātāng

清炒冬瓜 qīngchǎo dōngguā

虾皮冬瓜 xiāpí dōngguā

冬瓜排骨汤 dōngguā páigǔtāng

凤梨酥 fènglísū

红烧冬瓜 hóngshāo dōngguā

老婆饼 lǎopóbǐng

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

冬瓜排骨汤是夏天解暑的好选择。

Dōngguā páigǔ tāng shì xiàtiān jiěshǔ de hǎo xuǎnzé.

Wax gourd and spare rib soup is a great choice for relieving summer heat.

HSK 7-9

她买了一个大冬瓜，准备炖汤。

Tā mǎi le yí ge dà dōngguā, zhǔnbèi dùn tāng.

She bought a large wax gourd to make a braised soup.

Tips

culture

Despite the name 冬瓜 (winter melon), this vegetable is actually harvested in late summer and autumn. The name refers to the white frost-like wax on its surface, resembling winter frost - not its harvest season. It's widely used in Chinese soups and stir-fries.

memory

冬 = winter, 瓜 = melon/gourd. It looks like it's wearing a winter coat of white wax - that's where the name comes from.