50+ Phrases of Mushroom in Chinese: Names, Meanings, and Everyday Usage
Picture yourself in a bustling Chinese market, surrounded by vibrant displays of fresh produce. Among the colorful vegetables, you spot dozens of mushroom varieties—but can you tell the vendor which one you want? Or imagine browsing a Chinese recipe online, only to find mysterious characters like 香菇 and 金针菇 that leave you completely lost.
Learning about a mushroom in Chinese isn't just about memorizing one word—it's your gateway to navigating Chinese cuisine, understanding traditional medicine, and confidently communicating in everyday situations. Whether you're ordering at a restaurant in Beijing, shopping at an Asian grocery store, or simply expanding your Chinese vocabulary, knowing how to identify and discuss different mushroom types is a practical and valuable skill.
I. How to Say Mushroom in Chinese?
The word mushroom in Chinese is most commonly written and said as 蘑菇 (mógū). This is the general term used for edible mushrooms in daily speech, markets, or cooking.
In other contexts, such as traditional Chinese medicine or scientific discussions, mushrooms may also appear as:
-
真菌 (zhēnjūn): fungi (scientific context)
-
菌类 (jūnlèi): mushroom types or fungi as a category
For starters, if you just want to say "I love mushrooms," you’d say: 我喜欢蘑菇 (wǒ xǐhuan mógu).
II. Vocabulary about Types of Mushroom in Chinese
1. General Vocabulary of Mushroom in Chinese
When you begin exploring mushrooms in Chinese culture—both in cuisine and science—it helps to anchor your vocabulary with essential words. These give you context for more specific mushrooms later.
Key terms include:
|
No. |
Mushroom in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Translation |
|
1 |
食用菌 |
shíyòng jūn |
Edible fungi / Edible mushrooms |
|
2 |
毒蘑菇 |
dú mógū |
Poisonous mushroom / Toadstool |
|
3 |
栽培蘑菇 |
zāipéi mógū |
Cultivated mushrooms |
|
4 |
野生蘑菇 |
yěshēng mógū |
Wild mushrooms |
|
5 |
鲜菇 |
xiān gū |
Fresh mushrooms |
|
6 |
干菇 |
gān gū |
Dried mushrooms |
|
7 |
采蘑菇 |
cǎi mógū |
To pick/forage mushrooms |
|
8 |
种蘑菇 |
zhòng mógū |
To grow/farm mushrooms |
These words allow you to pinpoint the condition, type, and usage of the mushroom you encounter.
2. Specific Types of Mushrooms
China has vast biodiversity, and this reflects in the range of mushrooms used in Chinese cuisine and medicine. Here's how to name some everyday mushrooms in the Chinese mushroom vocabulary domain:
|
No. |
Mushroom in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Translation |
|
1 |
白蘑菇 / 双孢菇 |
bái mógū / shuāngbāogū |
White button mushroom |
|
2 |
黑蘑菇 |
hēi mógū |
Black mushroom |
|
3 |
红蘑菇 / 红菇 |
hóng mógū |
Russula vinosa (Red mushroom) |
|
4 |
黄蘑菇 |
huáng mógū |
Yellow mushroom |
|
5 |
褐色蘑菇 / 褐菇 |
hèsè mógū / hè gū |
Cremini / Portobello mushroom |
|
6 |
木耳 |
mù'ěr |
Wood ear mushroom |
|
7 |
黑木耳 |
hēi mù'ěr |
Black wood ear |
|
8 |
银耳 / 雪耳 |
yín'ěr / xuě’ěr |
Snow fungus / White jelly mushroom |
|
9 |
百灵菇 |
bǎilínggū |
Bailing mushroom (King tuber oyster) |
|
10 |
平菇 |
pínggū |
Oyster mushroom |
|
11 |
羊肚菇 |
yángdǔgū |
Morel mushroom |
|
12 |
猪肚菇 |
zhūdǔgū |
Big-cup mushroom |
|
13 |
球盖菇 |
qiúgàigū |
Wine cap mushroom |
|
14 |
真姬菇 / 蟹味菇 |
zhēnjīgū / xièwèigū |
Shimeji / Beech mushroom |
|
15 |
猴头菇 |
hóutóugū |
Lion's mane mushroom |
|
16 |
杏鲍菇 |
xìngbàogū |
King oyster mushroom |
|
17 |
滑菇 / 珍珠菇 |
huágū / zhēnzhūgū |
Nameko mushroom |
|
18 |
香菇 |
xiānggū |
Shiitake mushroom |
|
19 |
金针菇 |
jīnzhēngū |
Enoki mushroom |
|
20 |
金福菇 |
jīnfúgū |
Tricholoma giganteum |
|
21 |
灵芝菇 |
língzhīgū |
Reishi mushroom / Lingzhi |
|
22 |
笋菇 |
sǔngū |
Termitomyces |
|
23 |
鸡腿菇 |
jītuǐgū |
Shaggy mane mushroom |
|
24 |
草菇 |
cǎogū |
Straw mushroom |
|
25 |
珊瑚菇 |
shānhúgū |
Coral mushroom / Golden oyster |
|
26 |
秀珠菇 |
xiùzhūgū |
Pearl mushroom |
|
27 |
松露系列 |
sōng lù xì liè |
Truffle series |
|
28 |
黑松露 |
hēi sōnglù |
Black truffle |
|
29 |
白松露 |
bái sōnglù |
White truffle |
|
30 |
夏松露 |
xià sōnglù |
Summer truffle |
|
31 |
杏鲍菇 |
xìng bào gū |
King trumpet mushroom |
|
32 |
秀珍菇 |
xiùzhēn gū |
Phoenix mushroom / Baby oyster |
|
33 |
冬虫夏草 |
dōngchóng xiàcǎo |
Cordyceps sinensis |
For example, in a recipe, you might see: 请加入一把香菇和金针菇 (qǐng jiārù yì bǎ xiānggū hé jīnzhēngū) – “Please add a handful of shiitake and enoki mushrooms.”
3. Structure and Growth of Mushrooms
Understanding the anatomy of mushroom in Chinese helps you if you’re exploring mushroom farming or learning biology in Chinese. Here's vocabulary used to describe the parts and life cycle of a typical mushroom:
|
No. |
Mushroom in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Translation |
|
1 |
菌盖 |
jùn gài |
Mushroom cap (Pileus) |
|
2 |
菌柄 |
jūn bǐng |
Stem / Stalk (Stipe) |
|
3 |
菌褶 |
jūn zhě |
Gills (Lamella) |
|
4 |
菌丝 |
jùn sī |
Mycelium / Hyphae |
|
5 |
孢子 |
bāozǐ |
Spore |
|
6 |
菌种 |
jūn zhǒng |
Spawn / Mushroom culture |
|
7 |
培养基 |
péiyǎng jī |
Culture medium / Substrate |
|
8 |
接种 |
jiē zhǒng |
Inoculation |
|
9 |
出菇 |
chū gū |
Fruiting / Pinning |
For example:
蘑菇通过孢子繁殖,菌丝在合适的环境生长 (Mógū tōngguò bāozǐ fánzhí, jūnsī zài héshì de huán jìng shēngzhǎng) – “Mushrooms reproduce by spores, and their mycelium grows in suitable conditions.”
Knowing these words can help you understand how mushrooms are cultivated or talked about in agriculture or medicinal literature.
III. Chinese Conversation Phrases about Mushroom in Chinese
Practicing full sentences involving mushrooms in the Chinese language helps you express your thoughts naturally and confidently. Below are practical examples for restaurants, markets, and daily chats:
|
No. |
Chinese (Simplified) |
Pinyin |
English Translation |
|
1 |
我要买一斤香菇。 |
Wǒ yào mǎi yī jīn xiānggū. |
I want to buy 500g of shiitake mushrooms. |
|
2 |
这种蘑菇能吃吗? |
Zhè zhǒng mógū néng chī ma? |
Is this type of mushroom edible? |
|
3 |
这是什么品种的蘑菇? |
Zhè shì shénme pǐnzhǒng de mógū? |
What species of mushroom is this? |
|
4 |
这个蘑菇怎么做最好吃? |
Zhège mógū zěnme zuò zuì hǎochī? |
What is the best way to cook this mushroom? |
|
5 |
你会做蘑菇汤吗? |
Nǐ huì zuò mógū tāng ma? |
Do you know how to make mushroom soup? |
|
6 |
蘑菇大概多久可以收获? |
Mógū dàgài duōjiǔ kěyǐ shōuhuò? |
Roughly how long until the mushrooms can be harvested? |
|
7 |
这种蘑菇对身体有好处吗? |
Zhè zhǒng mógū duì shēntǐ yǒu hǎochù ma? |
Is this mushroom good for your health? |
|
8 |
吃这种蘑菇有什么功效? |
Chī zhè zhǒng mógū yǒu shénme gōngxiào? |
What are the benefits/effects of eating this mushroom? |
|
9 |
你喜欢吃什么蘑菇? |
Nǐ xǐhuan chī shénme mógū? |
What kind of mushrooms do you like to eat? |
|
10 |
你最喜欢怎么做蘑菇? |
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan zěnme zuò mógū? |
What is your favorite way to prepare mushrooms? |
Having these conversational tools gives you practical fluency—not just vocabulary knowledge. It allows you to navigate real-life scenarios with ease, particularly in Chinese-speaking regions where mushrooms are a staple food item.
IV. Conclusion
Whether you're a student, a chef, a travel enthusiast, or a language learner, understanding the mushroom in Chinese extends far beyond one word: it’s an entryway into Chinese cuisine, medicine, and everyday culture.
You’ve explored more than 50 terms and phrases, from basic vocabulary to mushroom anatomy and real-world usage. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be able to navigate mushroom markets, read Chinese recipes, and even explain the difference between 香菇 and 金针菇 like a pro.
By mastering expressions around mushroom in Chinese language, you’re not just learning words—you’re tasting a linguistic and cultural experience that enriches your fluency.

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.
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