What is 橘子 (júzi ju2zi)?

[stephanhodges]

(júzi 橘子) I first learned it was an orange. Wenlin says it's a tangerine. Another of my textbooks says tangerine, and now a fourth source says orange again. I've had native Chinese teachers weigh in on both sides of the question also...

So, anyone know the definitive truth (haha). Also, if you answer, could you say which part of China you think this applies to (just in case I get different answers for Taiwan, South, North, etc)?

Nothing urgent about it, but I've been wondering a while...

[mr.stinky]

'tis a tangerine. i think it's also called a mandarin (orange).

[Qiuyue]

And you shouldn´t eat it when you have a cold

[beirne]

Wenlin includes a comment in the pre-ABC section of the 橘子 definition:

Technically 橘子 júzi means "tangerine", whereas "orange" is 橙子

chénzi, but 橘子 júzi seems to be used for both at least by some people in

some parts of China.

[randall_flagg]

no tangerines when i have a cold? i bascially live of these things, had about 7 just tonight (not kidding, either!). why? why? why?

[imron]

橘子 júzi is definately tangerine/mandarin. Many Chinese textbooks and some dictionaries incorrectly translate it as orange.

Orange is 橙子chéngzi (according to 现代汉语词典, this word used to be pronounced chénzi, but should now be pronounced chéngzi)

Anyway, many people from the north, where júzi are very common and chéngzi are not, may not appreciate the difference.

It's one of those things like wine/alcohol - a widespread, but incorrect translation.

[mr.stinky]

it might be some zany fengshui thing. my gf will not eat bread when her

eyes are red/tired. too much re qi.

[Koneko]

So if mandarin is 橘子 in Mandarin, how about clementine and satsuma then?

[Lu]

No tangerines when I have a cold? I was sick the other week, and my Chinese friend came over with a bag of... tangerines. Now what should I think of that... I guess he didn't know I wasn't supposed to eat it :-)

[Qiuyue]

Lu, I guess there can be different views amongst people. But my chinese relatives won´t let me eat them when I have a cold. Pears, however, is supposed to be good

[wai ming]

I guess 橘子 are considered to be 'cooling' (凉), see here

3.橘子: 涼性水果，食入體內，會長氣。

Apparently you're not supposed to eat 'cooling' things when you've got a cold...

[shibo77]

When I've a cold, I usually eat boiled pears...

I personally distinguish two types of "oranges", one that is small, reddish-orange, and can be peeled with the hand, this is 橘子, informally as 桔子; Another one that is relatively bigger, yellowish-orange, and best cut into slices with a knife, this is 橙子. Northern China isn't suited for the growing of 橙子, and thus had to be brought over from the south, and therefore more expensive, but there are plenty of 橘子, which is suited for growing in the cold. Maybe that is why people in northern China might mix both 橘子 and 橙子 as "orange".

Orange = 橙

Tangerine = 橘

Mandarin orange = 柑橘

Clementine = 小柑橘

Satsuma = 蜜橘

Orangeade is usually 橙汁, 橘子汁, 桔子汁 and I usually use 桔子汁. (Although I think most orangeades are made from squeezed 橙子.)

The colour orange can be 橘黄色, 橙红色, 桔色 and I usually use 桔色. Except when I say the colours of the rainbow, I say 红橙黄绿...

-Shibo

[Koneko]

Ha ha... To make it even more confusing, "Orange" is also known as 柳丁 !!!

K.

[Czech Cara]

I remember explaining the difference between an orange and a tangerine at a party in China for over 20 minutes.... with little or no result, hehe, btw, how do you say orange in Madarin?