📂 Food & Drink

Pea cake

豌豆黄

📌 Quick Overview | 词条速览

Slang Name:Pea cake

Chinese:豌豆黄

Type:Food & Drink / Chinglish Slang

🔎 What does "Pea cake" mean?

English:
A traditional Beijing snack made from peeled peas boiled and mashed into paste, yellow and delicate, sweet and refreshing🍰

中文:
传统老北京小吃,以去皮豌豆熬煮搅泥制成,色泽鹅黄细腻,清甜爽口

📜 Origin & Background | 词源与文化背景

English: Pea cake is a famous traditional snack of old Beijing, belonging to Beijing-style snacks. It uses white peas as raw materials, boiled, mashed and shaped, with a light yellow color and delicate texture. It was originally a court snack in the Qing Dynasty and later spread to the folk, becoming a representative snack of Beijing.
Chinese: 豌豆黄是著名的老北京传统小吃,属于京味小吃;以白豌豆为原料,熬煮搅泥定型而成,色泽浅黄、质地细腻,原为清代宫廷小吃,后流传民间,成为北京代表性小吃

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is it polite to say "Pea cake" in formal situations? (在正式场合说"Pea cake"礼貌吗?) +

"Pea cake" is informal slang. It is perfectly fine to use with friends, on social media, or in casual conversations. However, avoid using it in formal writing, job interviews, or professional emails. In those settings, it may sound unprofessional or confusing to native English speakers who are not familiar with Chinglish expressions. Use it to add humor, not in serious contexts.

"Pea cake"属于非正式俚语,适合在朋友之间、社交媒体或闲聊时使用。但在正式写作、求职面试或商务邮件中请避免使用,因为不熟悉中式英语的母语者可能会觉得不专业或令人困惑。想增加幽默感时可以用,严肃场合请避免。

Can native English speakers understand "Pea cake"? (英语母语者能理解"Pea cake"吗?) +

Most native English speakers cannot understand "Pea cake" without explanation, because it is a Chinglish phrase that follows Chinese grammar or word choices. However, with the rise of Chinese internet culture on TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit, more foreigners are learning these phrases and finding them funny. If you use it, be prepared to explain the meaning — it often makes for a great conversation starter!

大多数英语母语者无法在没有解释的情况下理解"Pea cake",因为它是遵循中文语法或用词习惯的中式英语。不过,随着中国网络文化在 TikTok、YouTube 和 Reddit 上的传播,越来越多外国人正在学习这些短语,并觉得它们很有趣。如果你使用它,请准备好解释含义——这往往能成为一个很棒的话题开场白!

What is the difference between "Pea cake" and standard English expressions? ("Pea cake"和标准英语表达有什么区别?) +

The main difference is that "Pea cake" uses Chinese sentence structure or literal translation, while standard English would use completely different words. For example, standard English might express the same idea with a common idiom or slang term, but "Pea cake" keeps the Chinese logic. This is exactly what makes it Chinglish — it is creative, humorous, and uniquely Chinese, even if it is not "correct" English.

主要区别在于"Pea cake"使用了中文句子结构或字面翻译,而标准英语会使用完全不同的词汇。例如,标准英语可能用常见的习语或俚语表达同样的意思,但"Pea cake"保留了中国人的逻辑。这正是它成为中式英语的原因——它有创意、幽默,且具有独特的中国色彩,即使它并不是"正确"的英语。

When did "Pea cake" become popular online? ("Pea cake"是什么时候在网上流行起来的?) +

The phrase "Pea cake" started gaining traction on Chinese social media platforms like Douyin and Bilibili around 2018–2020, when short videos explaining Chinglish went viral. It was then picked up by international TikTok users who found it hilarious and started using it as a meme. Today, it is one of the most recognized Chinglish phrases among both Chinese learners and curious netizens worldwide.

"Pea cake"大约在2018–2020年间在抖音、B站等中国社交媒体上开始走红,当时解释中式英语的短视频迅速爆火。随后被国际 TikTok 用户发掘并作为梗传播,他们认为这非常有趣。如今,它已成为中外网友中最具辨识度的中式英语短语之一。

📖 Example Sentences | 双语实用例句

📌 Example 1
A: "What old Beijing snack have you ever eaten?" B: "Pea cake, it’s delicate and sweet!"

A:"你吃过什么老北京小吃?" B:"豌豆黄,细腻清甜!"
📌 Example 2
A: "What color is pea cake?" B: "It’s light yellow, delicate and beautiful💛"

A:"豌豆黄是什么颜色?" B:"浅黄色,细腻又好看!"
📌 Example 3
A: "Is pea cake a court snack?" B: "Yes, it was a royal snack in the Qing Dynasty👑"

A:"豌豆黄是宫廷小吃吗?" B:"是的,是清代皇家小吃!"
📌 Example 4
A: "How does pea cake taste?" B: "It’s sweet and refreshing, not greasy at all🍃"

A:"豌豆黄口感怎么样?" B:"清甜爽口,一点不腻!"
📌 Example 5
A: "Can pea cake be eaten in summer?" B: "Sure, it’s a cool and refreshing Beijing summer snack🧊"

A:"豌豆黄夏天能吃吗?" B:"当然,是清爽的北京夏季小吃!"
📌 Example 6
A: "What is pea cake made of?" B: "It’s made of high-quality peeled peas🥣"

A:"豌豆黄是用什么做的?" B:"用优质去皮豌豆做的!"
📌 Example 7
A: "I bought pea cake in a Beijing snack shop." B: "That’s authentic old Beijing flavor!"

A:"我在北京小吃店买了豌豆黄。" B:"那是正宗的老北京味道!"
📌 Example 8
A: "Do you like pea cake?" B: "Yes, it’s a delicate and delicious traditional snack😋"

A:"你喜欢豌豆黄吗?" B:"喜欢,是细腻好吃的传统小吃!"
📌 Example 9
A: "Is pea cake suitable for the elderly?" B: "Sure, it’s soft and easy to digest for the elderly👴👵"

A:"豌豆黄适合老人吃吗?" B:"当然,软糯易消化,适合老人!"
📅 May 9, 2026
#Chinglish #Food&Drink #ChineseEnglish
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