Definition
木瓜 can refer to two different plants: the tropical papaya (Carica papaya), which is the common meaning in modern food contexts, and the flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa), whose fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine. In informal slang (especially in Taiwan and online), 木瓜 also means 'a stupid person' or 'slow learner,' similar to calling someone a 'blockhead' in English.
n.
papaya (the tropical fruit, Carica papaya)flowering quince (the shrub Chaenomeles speciosa, whose fruit is used in traditional medicine)(slang) stupid personslow learner
Examples
- 木瓜。Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang chī yí gè mù guā.I eat a papaya every morning.
- 木瓜。mù guā shì yì zhǒng chángjiàn de zhōngyàocái.Papaya/flowering quince is a common Chinese medicinal herb.
- ，木瓜。Tā kǎoshì bù jígé, zhēn shì ge mù guā.He failed the exam; he's really a blockhead.
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