香蕉

A transparent compound of 香 (“fragrant; aromatic”) + 蕉 (“banana; Musa”). Originally a southern (Lingnan) varietal name for particularly fragrant, sweet edible bananas, attested from the Ming dynasty; later generalized to mean “banana” in Modern Chinese. Compare earlier general terms 甘蕉 (“sweet banana”) and 芭蕉 (often the generic/ornamental banana), and contrast 牙蕉／象牙蕉 (“ivory banana,” named for the ivory-like spathe).

甘蕉根似芋，煮之有絲，可紡績爲絺綌。……有牙蕉、香蕉二種。 [MSC, trad.]

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甘蕉根似芋，煮之有丝，可纺绩为𫄨绤。……有牙蕉、香蕉二种。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 韓晃《羅浮野乘》, Ming dynasty (16th c.)

Gānjiāo gēn sì yù, zhǔ zhī yǒu sī, kě fǎngjì wèi chīxì....... Yǒu yájiāo, xiāngjiāo èr zhǒng. [Pinyin]

The root of the sweet banana resembles taro; when boiled its fibers can be spun into cloth. … There are two kinds: yajiao (“ivory banana”) and xiangjiao (“fragrant banana”).

蕉味香而甜，佳者出增城，有青芽蕉、黃芽蕉、香蕉，青芽者雖甚熟且腐而色不變，最為香美。 [MSC, trad.]

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蕉味香而甜，佳者出增城，有青芽蕉、黄芽蕉、香蕉，青芽者虽甚熟且腐而色不变，最为香美。 [MSC, simp.]

From: 《廣州府志》，引於《樹藝篇》, Ming dynasty

Jiāo wèi xiāng ér tián, jiā zhě chū zēngchéng, yǒu qīngyájiāo, huángyájiāo, xiāngjiāo, qīng yá zhě suī shèn shú qiě fǔ ér sè bù biàn, zuì wèi xiāng měi. [Pinyin]

Bananas are fragrant and sweet; the finest come from Zengcheng, including Qingya banana, Huangya banana, and xiangjiao (“fragrant banana”). The Qingya variety keeps its color even when very ripe, and is especially aromatic and fine.

香蕉

1. banana (fruit) (Classifier: 隻／只 m c; 根 m; 條／条 m c; 串 m; 梳 c)

   香蕉熟了沒？／香蕉熟了没？  ―  Xiāngjiāo shóu le méi?  ―  Have the bananas ripened?

• 芭蕉 (bājiāo)