香蕉

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 香蕉 (xiāngjiāo) for "banana" is a compound of two characters: 香 (xiāng), meaning "fragrant," and 蕉 (jiāo), meaning "plantain." The word 香蕉 is thought to have originated in the 16th century, when Portuguese traders introduced bananas to China. The Portuguese word for banana is banana, which is derived from the Arabic word banan, which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word varṇaka, meaning "yellow." The Chinese word 香蕉 is a calque of the Portuguese word banana, with the character 香 being added to describe the banana's sweet, fragrant smell.