A Visual Guide to Chinese Fruits

Here’s a rough guide to fruits you are likely to come across in your travels around China including there seasons. The Chinese name for fruit is Shuǐguǒ ( 水果).

Chinese Pear (Táng lí-唐梨)
Season: Autumn

Passion fruit (Bǎixiāng guǒ-百香果/熱情果)
Season: midsummer

Common Fig (Wúhuāguǒ-無花果)
Season: July and September

Persimmon (Shì-柿)
Season: September to December.

Star Fruit (Yangtao – 楊桃)
Season: September to April

Chinese plum (Li zi – 李子)
Season: April to May

Green Plum (Oume – 青梅)
Season: April to May

Yumberry (Yángméi – 楊梅)
Season: May to June

Pomegranate (Hóng shíliú – 紅石榴)
Season: August to September

Guava (Fān shíliú – 番石榴)
Season: June to September

Mango (máng guǒ-芒果)
Season: June to August

Lychee (Lìzhī – 荔枝)
Season: May to July

Longan (Lóngyǎn – 龍眼)
Season: August to September

Loquat (Pípá – 枇杷)
Season: January to April

Wampee (Huáng pí – 黃皮)
Season: June to July

Indian gooseberry (Yóu gānzi – 油甘子)
Season: August to September

Mangosteen (shān zhú-山竹)
Season: April

Dragon fruit ( huǒ lóng guǒ-火龙果)
Season: Usually available year round in warmer months

Durian (Liúlián – 榴莲)
Season: June to August

Kiwi Fruit (mí hóu táo-奇异果)
Season: January

Goji Berries or wolfberries (Gǒuqǐ – 枸杞)
Season: Year round in dried form

Monk Fruit (Luóhànguǒ – 罗汉果)
Season: Mostly available in dried form from herbal medicine shops

Jujube (zǎo – 枣)
Season: Available all year round in dried form

Kumquats (jīn jú-金橘)
Season: January to March

More useful translations:
orange – Liǔ chéng – 柳橙

mandarin orange – Gān – 柑 / 橘

lemon – Níngméng – 檸檬

pineapple – bō luó – 菠萝

strawberry – cǎo méi  – 草莓

pear – lí – 梨

papaya – mù guā -木瓜

apple – píng guǒ- 苹果

grape –  pú tao – 葡萄

pomegranate – shí liú – 石榴

peach – táo zi – 桃子

watermelon – xī guā – 西瓜

banana – xiāng jiāo – 香蕉

muskmelon – xiāng guā – 香瓜

apricot – xìng – 杏

coconut – yē zi – 椰子

cherry – yīng táo – 樱桃

pomelo / shaddock – yòu zi – 柚子

Video: Fruit vocabulary in Mandarin Chinese

This post was first published Feb 20, 2014  and last updated Sep 2018.