Vegetables in Penang Hokkien

This chapter is a glossary of names for vegetables in Penang Hokkien. There will be a separate chapter dealing with conversation at the market place.

The video provides a guide to the pronunciation. Please note that as spelling of words are often revised to further refine the pronunciation, after video production, the spelling appearing on the webpage and dictionary is often more current than the one appearing in the video.

abalone mushroom: (noun) pau3hu3 kor1 [pau-hu-kɔ]
asparagus: (noun) lor3soon4 [lɔ-sun]
bamboo shoot: (noun) soon4 [sun]
basil (noun) kau1can1thak3 [kau-tsan-t^haʔ]
beansprout (noun) tau33geh2 [tau-gɛ]
big onion (noun) tua33liap3charng1 [tua-liap-ts^haŋ]
bird-eye chilli/cili padi: (noun) huan3cio3 knia4 [huan-tsio-kiã] , ca3bai3 bu1rong2 [tsa-bai-bu-roŋ]
bitter gourd: (noun) khor1kua1 [k^hɔ-kua]
brinjal: (noun) keo2 [kio]
Brussels sprouts: (noun) chye1tna4 [t^hai-tã]
Buddha hand (chayote) (noun) hood3chiu1kua [hud-t^hiu-kua]
cabbage (noun) ko3lay3 chye3 [ko-le-ts^hai]
calamansi: (noun) keat1la4 [kiɛt-la]
candlenut (noun) buah3 ke3rai1 [bua-kɛ-rai] (from "buah keras", Malay loanword)
carrot: (noun) ang3chye1thau2 [aŋ-ts^hai-t^hau]
cauliflower - ko3lay3chye1 hua1 [ko-le-ts^hai-hua]
celery: (noun) ang3mor3 khin3chye3 [aŋ-mɔ-k^hin-ts^hai]
chilli: (noun) huan3cio1 [huan-tsio]
chinese cabbage: (noun) paek3chye3 [pɛʔ-ts^hai]
chinese wolfberries/goji (Lycium barbarum) (noun) ki3chee4 [ki-tsi]
chive: (noun) ku1chye3 [ku-ts^hai]
coriander/cilantro/Chinese parsley (Coriandrum sativum): (noun) wan3snui1 [uan-suĩ]
corn: (noun) ja1gong3 [dza-goŋ]
cucumber: (noun) ti3mun3 [ti-mun]
curry leaf (Murraya koenigii): (noun) ke1ling3na1 heok1 [ke-leŋ-na-hiok]
daun kaduk (noun) lun3 ka3lok1 [lun-ka-lok] (Corruption of Malay loanword)
dried longan: (noun) geng3geng1 knua3bak3 [geŋ-geŋ-kuã-baʔ]
dried lily bud: (noun) kim3ciam1 [kim-tsiam]
dried radish: (noun) chye1por4 [ts^hai-pɔ]
emperor vegetable (Basella alba): (noun) ong3tay1chye3 [ɔŋ-te-tsai]
enoki mushroom: (noun) kim3ciam3 kor1 [kim-tsiam-kɔ]
French beans: (noun) or3kui1 tau33 [ɔ-kui-tau]
galangal (Malay: lengkuas) (noun) long3kuai1 [lɔŋ-kuai] , also [lɔŋ-kui]
garlic (noun) suan1thau2 [suan-t^hau]
ginger: (noun) kniau1 [kiãu]
ginkgo: (noun) paek3koay4 [pɛʔ-koe]
jícama/yam bean: (noun) hong3kuak3 [hɔŋ-kuak] , bang3kuang1 [baŋ-kuaŋ] , mang3kuang1 [maŋ-kuaŋ]
kaffir lime (noun) thai1ko3 kam1 [t^hai-ko-kam]
kaffir lime leaf (noun) thai1ko3 kam1-eh3 heok1 [t^hai-ko-kam-e-hiok]
kailan/kale: (noun) kai1lan3 chye3 [kai-lan-ts^hai]
lady's fingers/okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) (noun) kark1tau33 [kak-tau] ,
ka3cang3 ngin3liak1 [ka-tsaŋ-gĩn-liak]
leek (noun) suan1na4 [suan-na]
laksa leaf (Malay: daun kesom, scientific name: Persicaria odorata): (noun) cien1horm1 [tsiɛn-hɔm]
lemon: (noun) li3mong4 [li-moŋ]
lemon grass: (noun) charng3mau2 [ts^haŋ]
lettuce: (noun) oh3wa1chye3 [o-ua-ts^hai]
lime: (noun) snui3 kam1 [suĩ-kam]
long beans: (noun) chye1tau33 [ts^hai-tau]
lotus root: (noun) leng3ngau3 [leŋ-ŋau]
luffa/loofah: (noun) kark1kua1 [kak-kua]
mint (Mentha x piperita): (noun) po3ho2 [po-ho]
moringa, drumstick bean: (noun) buah3 ke3lor1 [bua-kəlo]
mung beans: (noun) lek3tau33 [lek-tau]
mushroom: (noun) kor1 [kɔ]
mustard: (noun) kai1luak1 [kai-luak]
mustard green: (noun) chye1sim1 [tsai-sim]
old cucumber: (noun) lau33ti3mun3 [lau-ti-mun]
onion: (noun) charng3 thau2 [ts^haŋ-t^hau]
parsley (Petroselinum crispum): (noun) khin3chye3 [k^hin-ts^hai]
pea shoot: (noun) to1miau2 [to-miau] (vegetable)
peanut: (noun) thor3tau33 [t^hɔ-tau]
pearl bean: (noun) cin3choo3tau33 [tsin-tsu-tau]
pepper: (noun) hor3cio1 [hɔ-tsio]
potato (noun) kan3nang3cu2 [kan-naŋ-tsu]
pumpkin: (noun) kim3kua1 [kim-kua]
red beans (Vigna angularis) (noun) ang3tau33 [aŋ-tau]
red dates: (noun) ang3co4 [aŋ-tso]
Romaine lettuce: (noun) yau3mak4 [jau-mak]
salted vegetable: (noun) kiam3chye3 [kiam-ts^hai]
sand ginger: (noun) ce3kork1 [tsə-kɔk] (from "cekur", Malay loanword)
shallot: (noun) charng3thau3 knia4 [ts^haŋ-t^hau-kiã]
(Chinese) shiitake mushrooms (noun) hniau3 kor1 [hiãu-kɔ]
spinach (Amaranth): (noun) ba3yam3 chye3 [ba-iam-ts^hai] , heng3chye3 [heŋ-ts^hai]
spinach: (noun) poay3leng2 [poe-leŋ]
spinach (Amaranth): (noun) ba3yam3 chye3 [ba-iam-ts^hai] , heng33chye3 [heŋ-ts^hai]
spring onion: (noun) charng1 [ts^haŋ]
star anise (noun) peik1kark3 [peʔ-kak]
squash: (noun) mor3kua1 [mɔ-kua]
sweet potato: (noun) huan3cu2 [huan-tsu]
sweet potato leaf: (noun) huan3cu3 heok1 [huan-tsu-hiok]
tapioca: (noun) chiu33cu2 [ts^hiu-tsu]
taro/yam: (noun) or33 [ɔ]
torch ginger flower (Etlingera elatior) bu3nga3 kan3tan1 [bu-ŋa-kan-tan] (vegetable)
tumeric: (noun) ooi3 kniau1 [uĩ-kiãu]
turnip/yam bean/jicama: (noun) hong3kuak3 [hɔŋ-kuaʔ] , mang3kuang1 [maŋ-kuaŋ]
water convolvulus (Ipomoea aquatica) (noun) eng1chye3 [eŋ-ts^hai]
watercress (Nasturtium officinale): (noun) sai1yong3 chye3 [sai-iɔŋ-ts^hai]
white radish/daikon: (noun) paek3chye1thau2 [pɛʔ-ts^hai-t^hau]
winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus): (noun) ka3cang3 bo3tol1 [ka-tsaŋ-bɔ-tɔl] (Malay loanword), also called see1kark1tau33 [si-kak-tau]
wintermelon (Benincasa hispida): (noun) tang3kua1 [taŋ-kua]
wood fungus (cloud ear fungus, Auricularia polytricha): (noun) bork3nee4 [bok-ni]

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