苦瓜

Chinese

		bitter; intensely; miserable bitter; intensely; miserable; painful	melon; claw; gourd melon; claw; gourd; squash
trad. (苦瓜)		苦	瓜
simp. #(苦瓜)		苦	瓜

苦瓜

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): kǔguā

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄨˇ ㄍㄨㄚ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ku³ gua¹

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): fu² gwaa¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): fu² ga^1-4

• Gan (Wiktionary): 'ku³ gua¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): fú-kôa

  (Meixian, Guangdong): fu³ gua¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): ku² gua¹
• Northern Min (KCR): kǔ-guá
• Eastern Min (BUC): kū-guă
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): khó͘-koe / khó͘-koa

  (Teochew, Peng'im): kou² guê¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵khu-ko
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): ku³ gua¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kǔguā
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄨˇ ㄍㄨㄚ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kǔgua
    • Wade–Giles: kʻu³-kua¹
    • Yale: kǔ-gwā
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kuugua
    • Palladius: кугуа (kugua)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯ä⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: ku³ gua¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: kugua
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu⁵³ kua⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: fu² gwaa¹
    • Yale: fú gwā
    • Cantonese Pinyin: fu² gwaa¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: fu² gua¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fuː³⁵ kʷaː⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: fu² ga^1-4
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fu⁵⁵ ka³³⁻²¹/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: 'ku³ gua¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˈkʰu²¹³⁻¹³ kua⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fú-kôa
    • Hakka Romanization System: fu` gua´
    • Hagfa Pinyim: fu³ gua¹
    • Sinological IPA: /fu³¹ ku̯a²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: fu³ gua¹
    • Sinological IPA: /fu³¹ kua⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: ku² gua¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /kʰxu⁵³ kua¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: kǔ-guá
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu²¹ kua⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: kū-guă
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu³³⁻²¹ ^(k-)ua⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khó͘-koe
    • Tâi-lô: khóo-kue
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qofkoef
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /kʰɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kue⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Singapore): /kʰɔ⁴²⁻²⁴ kue⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kʰɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kue⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Penang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khó͘-koa
    • Tâi-lô: khóo-kua
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qofkoaf
    • IPA (Penang): /kʰɔ⁴⁴⁵⁻³³ kua³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: kou² guê¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khóu kue
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰou⁵²⁻³⁵ kue³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵khu-ko
    • MiniDict: khu^去 ko
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²khu-ko
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /kʰu³³ ko⁴⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: ku³ gua¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰu⁴¹ ku̯a̠³³/

Noun

苦瓜

1. bitter melon; bitter gourd

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 苦瓜 (“bitter melon”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		苦瓜
Taxonomic name		苦瓜
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	苦瓜, 癩瓜兒
	Taiwan	苦瓜
	Langfang	苦瓜
	Chengde	苦瓜
	Chifeng	苦瓜
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	苦瓜
	Heihe	苦瓜
	Qiqihar	苦瓜
	Harbin	苦瓜, 癩瓜
	Jiamusi	苦瓜
	Baicheng	苦瓜
	Changchun	苦瓜, 癩瓜
	Tonghua	苦瓜
	Shenyang	苦瓜, 癩瓜
	Jinzhou	癩瓜兒
	Malaysia	苦瓜
	Singapore	苦瓜
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	苦瓜
	Tangshan	苦瓜, 癩不頭
	Cangzhou	苦瓜
	Baoding	苦瓜
	Shijiazhuang	苦瓜
	Lijin	苦瓜
	Jinan	苦瓜
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	癩瓜兒
	Dandong	苦瓜
	Yantai	苦瓜
	Qingdao	苦瓜
	Zhucheng	苦瓜
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	苦瓜
	Lingbao	苦瓜
	Jining	苦瓜
	Daming	苦瓜
	Linfen	苦瓜
	Shangqiu	苦瓜
	Yuanyang	苦瓜
	Zhengzhou	苦瓜
	Xinyang	苦瓜
	Baihe	苦瓜
	Xi'an	苦瓜
	Baoji	苦瓜
	Tianshui	苦瓜
	Xining	苦瓜
	Xuzhou	苦瓜
	Fuyang	苦瓜
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	苦瓜
	Lanzhou	苦瓜
	Dunhuang	苦瓜
	Hami	苦瓜
	Ürümqi	苦瓜
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	苦瓜
	Nanchong	苦瓜
	Dazhou	苦瓜
	Hanyuan	苦瓜
	Xichang	苦瓜
	Zigong	苦瓜兒
	Chongqing	苦瓜
	Wuhan	苦瓜
	Yichang	苦瓜
	Xiangyang	苦瓜
	Tianmen	苦瓜, 苦瓜子
	Guiyang	苦瓜
	Zunyi	苦瓜
	Bijie	苦瓜
	Liping	苦瓜
	Zhaotong	苦瓜
	Dali	苦瓜
	Kunming	苦瓜
	Mengzi	苦瓜
	Guilin	苦瓜
	Liuzhou	苦瓜
	Jishou	苦瓜
	Changde	苦瓜
	Hanzhong	苦瓜
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	癩葡萄, 苦瓜
	Yangzhou	苦瓜, 癩葡萄
	Lianyungang	苦瓜
	Lianshui	苦瓜
	Nantong	苦瓜
	Anqing	苦瓜
	Wuhu	苦瓜
	Hefei	苦瓜
	Hong'an	苦瓜
Cantonese	Guangzhou	苦瓜, 涼瓜, 菩薘 dated
	Hong Kong	苦瓜, 涼瓜, 菩薘 dated
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	菩薘
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	苦瓜
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	菩薘
	Taishan	苦瓜
	Kaiping (Chikan)	涼瓜
	Dongguan	苦瓜, 涼瓜, 菩薘
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	菩薘
	Yangjiang	苦瓜
	Nanning	苦瓜
	Wuzhou	苦瓜
	Yulin	苦瓜
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	苦瓜
Gan	Nanchang	苦瓜
	Pengze	苦瓜
	Lichuan	苦瓜
	Pingxiang	苦瓜
Hakka	Meixian	苦瓜
	Zengcheng (Zhengguo)	苦瓜
	Yudu	苦瓜
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	苦瓜
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	苦瓜
	Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian)	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian)	苦瓜仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	苦瓜
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	苦瓜
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	苦瓜
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	苦瓜
	Hong Kong	苦瓜
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	苦瓜
Huizhou	Shexian	苦瓜
Jin	Taiyuan	苦瓜
	Yangyuan	苦瓜
	Datong	苦瓜
	Xinzhou	苦瓜
	Lüliang (Lishi)	苦瓜
	Changzhi	苦瓜
	Linhe	苦瓜
	Jining	苦瓜
	Hohhot	苦瓜
	Erenhot	苦瓜
	Pingshan	苦瓜
	Zhangjiakou	苦瓜
	Handan	苦瓜
	Linzhou	苦瓜
	Suide	苦瓜
Northern Min	Jian'ou	苦瓜
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	苦瓜
	Fuqing	苦瓜
Southern Min	Xiamen	苦瓜
	Zhao'an	苦瓜
	Taipei	苦瓜
	New Taipei (Tamsui)	苦瓜
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	苦瓜
	New Taipei (Pingxi)	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung (Cijin)	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang)	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	苦瓜
	Kaohsiung (Tianliao)	苦瓜
	Yilan (Luodong)	苦瓜
	Yilan (Toucheng)	苦瓜
	Tainan	苦瓜
	Tainan (Anping)	苦瓜
	Kinmen	苦瓜
	Penghu (Magong)	苦瓜
	Penghu (Xiyu)	苦瓜
	Penang (Hokkien)	苦瓜
	Singapore (Hokkien)	苦瓜
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	苦瓜
	Datian	苦瓜
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	苦瓜
	Haifeng	苦瓜
	Haikou	苦瓜
Puxian Min	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	苦瓜
Central Min	Yong'an	苦瓜
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	菩督
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	苦瓜
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	苦瓜
Wu	Shanghai	苦瓜
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	金蓮子
	Shanghai (Jiading)	錦荔子
	Suzhou	苦瓜
	Danyang	癩葡萄瓜
	Hangzhou	苦瓜
	Ningbo	苦瓜
	Wenzhou	紅瓤
	Jinhua	苦瓜
Xiang	Changsha	苦瓜
	Loudi	苦瓜
	Quanzhou	苦瓜

Derived terms

• 印度苦瓜
• 啞子食苦瓜／哑子食苦瓜
• 苦瓜乾／苦瓜干
• 苦瓜臉／苦瓜脸 (kǔguāliǎn)
• 苦瓜面

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (苦瓜):

• → Korean: 고과(苦瓜) (gogwa)
• → Vietnamese: khổ qua (苦瓜)

Others:

• → English: bitter melon, bittermelon (calque), bitter gourd (calque), foo qua
• → Paiwan: kawkuy
• → Vietnamese: mướp đắng (calque)

Further reading

• “Entry #5483”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2023.

Japanese

Kanji in this term
苦	瓜
にが Grade: 3	うり Jinmeiyō
kun'yomi

Etymology

苦 (niga, “bitter”) +‎ 瓜 (uri, “gourd”)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にがうり [nìgáꜜùrì] (Nakadaka – [2])
• (Tokyo) にがうり [nìgáúrí] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) にがうり [nìgáúꜜrì] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟iɡa̠ɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

Noun

苦(にが)瓜(うり) or 苦瓜(ニガウリ) • (nigauri) 
(alternative reading hiragana にがごい, rōmaji nigagoi) (Kagoshima dialect)
(alternative reading hiragana にがごり, rōmaji nigagori) (Miyazaki dialect)

1. bitter melon; bitter gourd

Synonyms

• 蔓(ツル)茘(レイ)枝(シ) (tsurureishi)

Okinawan

Kanji in this term
苦	瓜
Grade: 3	Jinmeiyō

Noun

苦瓜(ごーやー) (gōyā) 

1. ごーやー: bitter melon; bitter gourd; crippled feet

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
苦	瓜

Noun

苦瓜

1. chữ Hán form of khổ qua (“bitter melon; bitter gourd”).