n.
fruit
水果
fruit
Fruit, literally 'water fruit'. A ubiquitous gift when visiting friends or patients in the hospital.
Common Usage & Traps
- 吃水果 — eat fruit
- 买水果 — buy fruit
- 很多水果 — a lot of fruit
- 一些水果 — some fruit
- 水果店 — fruit shop
-
我买了三个水果我买了三个苹果 / 我买了三种水果水果 is a category word covering apples, bananas, grapes at once. Vague amounts (几个水果, 一些水果) sound fine, but an exact number makes ears wait for a specific fruit name.
-
这个商店有水果很多这个商店有很多水果很多 is a label that sticks onto the front of the noun it counts. Put it after the noun and the sentence loses its footing. 这个商店的水果很多 also works, but 很多 is then a comment, not a count.
Can you say 我买了三个水果 for 'I bought three fruits'?
几个水果 is fine, but an exact count like 三个水果 sounds vague. Name the fruit.
水果 is a category word, a bit like 'produce' in English. It covers apples, bananas, grapes all at once, so it resists exact numbers. Vague amounts sit with it just fine: 买几个水果, 买一些水果, 买点儿水果. The second you give a real count, ears expect a specific fruit name: 三个苹果, 两根香蕉, 一串葡萄. If you honestly mean several kinds, count the kinds instead: 我买了三种水果. Simple habit: vague amount, use 水果; exact number, name the fruit.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Vague amount | 买几个水果 / 买一些水果 | 买三个水果 |
| Exact count | 买了三个苹果 | 买了三个水果 |
| Counting kinds | 买了三种水果 | 买了三个水果 |
| English plural | 我喜欢吃水果 | 我喜欢吃水果们 |
Why does 很多 have to sit in front of 水果 in 这个商店有很多水果?
很多 always hugs the noun it counts from the front. 有水果很多 sounds broken.
有 means 'there is' or 'there are', and the stuff it owns comes right after it. 很多水果 is one solid chunk, with 很多 stuck on the front of 水果 like a price label. Flip it and you get 商店有水果很多, which lands wrong on native ears. Chinese does allow 商店的水果很多, where 很多 describes the fruit instead of counting it. English word order tricks you here, because 'has fruit a lot' does not survive translation. Quick test: 很多 in front of a noun means 'many of them'.
“这个商店有很多水果。” (This store has a lot of fruit.)
“这个商店有很多水果。” (This store has a lot of fruit.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| After 有 | 这个商店有很多水果 | 这个商店有水果很多 |
| Fruit as topic | 这个商店的水果很多 | 这个商店很多水果 |
| One solid chunk | 很多水果 | 水果很多 (as the thing 有 owns) |
The word is written shuǐguǒ, so why do people say shuíguǒ?
Two third tones in a row force the first one to rise: 水果 sounds like shuí guǒ.
Two full dipping tones back to back are awkward to say, so Chinese dodges the collision. When two third tones meet, the first one becomes a rising second tone in normal speech. So 水果 is written shuǐguǒ but your mouth should say shuí guǒ. This is automatic, not optional, and natives never say two heavy dips in a row. The same flip shows up in 你好 (ní hǎo), 很好 (hén hǎo) and 可以 (ké yǐ). Pinyin charts keep the original spelling; only your mouth changes.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| In speech | shuí guǒ | shuǐ guǒ (two heavy dips) |
| On paper | shuǐguǒ | shuíguǒ |
| Same pattern | 你好 → ní hǎo | nǐ hǎo (two dips) |
| Same pattern | 很好 → hén hǎo | hěn hǎo |
Appears in Stories 5 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
-
在吃方便面时也可以再多加一些蔬菜、 水果 什么的，让它营养更多。
Before you read, think about names: a train is called 'fire vehicle' in Chinese, but there's no fire! This simple rhyme will help you laugh while reviewing everyday words.
-
苹果是 水果 。
Shopping for fruit is a common daily task in China. Practice saying prices, counting items, and using simple shopping phrases while buying five apples for three yuan.
-
这个商店有很多 水果 。
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
-
我买了鸡蛋、面包、牛奶，还有一些 水果 ，这些都是你和我的吃的和喝的东西，还有给我们的小猫和小狗吃的东西。
Enjoy this simple story about a patient and a mysterious apple. It shows how a small act of kindness can make someone feel at home, and you'll learn key words for feelings and daily life.
-
家人都不在，要多吃 水果 。”
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
No questions or discussions yet. Have a question about this character/word? Be the first to ask!