Basic Meaning and Usage
"水果" (shuǐguǒ) means "fruit" in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to edible fruits that are typically sweet or sour and consumed fresh. This word is very common in daily conversation, especially when talking about food, diet, or shopping.
Common Collocations and Contexts
- "新鲜水果" (xīnxiān shuǐguǒ): fresh fruit, often used when buying or describing quality.
- "吃水果" (chī shuǐguǒ): to eat fruit, a common phrase in health or diet contexts.
- "水果店" (shuǐguǒ diàn): fruit shop, a place where fruits are sold.
When using "水果," speakers usually imply natural, raw fruits rather than processed fruit products. It is a neutral and polite term suitable for all registers.
Usage Tips
Avoid confusing "水果" with "果汁" (guǒzhī, fruit juice) or "果酱" (guǒjiàng, fruit jam), which refer to processed fruit products. "水果" always means the fruit itself, usually fresh and whole.