番荔枝 (fānlìzhī) · custard apple (sugar-apple, Annona squamosa)

Measure Word

一个番荔枝 gè

Meanings

1 custard apple (sugar-apple, Annona squamosa)
2 sweetsop

About the ingredient

A round green fruit covered in knobbly segments. Once soft it pulls apart by hand into creamy white flesh around shiny dark seeds; firm ones are left at room temperature to soften.

Also called 释迦果

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

台湾的番荔枝特别甜。

Táiwān de fānlìzhī tèbié tián.

Taiwanese custard apples are especially sweet.

HSK 7-9

番荔枝果肉像奶油一样软。

Fānlìzhī guǒròu xiàng nǎiyóu yíyàng ruǎn.

Custard apple flesh is as soft as cream.

Tips

usage

番 marks fruit/plants introduced from abroad (cf. 番茄 'tomato', 番薯 'sweet potato'). Here 番荔枝 is 'foreign lychee' - the bumpy green skin vaguely resembles lychee's, but the flesh tastes like sweet custard. Also called 释迦 in Taiwan for its resemblance to Buddha's topknot.