月餅

See also: 月餠 and 月饼

Chinese

FWOTD – 6 October 2025

		moon; month	round flat cake; cookie; cake round flat cake; cookie; cake; pastry
trad. (月餅)		月	餅
simp. (月饼)		月	饼

Wikipedia has articles on:

月餅 / 月饼 (Chinese)
Mooncake (English)

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): yuèbǐng

(Zhuyin): ㄩㄝˋ ㄅㄧㄥˇ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): yue² bin³

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): yuěbing

(Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): yue̊qbǐn
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): jyut⁶ beng²

(Dongguan, Jyutping++): joet⁸ boeng²

(Taishan, Wiktionary): ngut^5-4 biang²

(Yangjiang, Jyutping++): jit⁶ bing²
Gan (Wiktionary): nyyot⁶ biang
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): ngie̍t-piáng / ngia̍t-piáng

(Hailu, HRS): ngied^ˋ biang^ˊ

(Meixian, Guangdong): ngiad⁶ biang³
Jin (Wiktionary): yeh⁴ bing²
Northern Min (KCR): ngṳè-biǎng
Eastern Min (BUC): nguŏk-biāng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): goeh⁷ bia³ / goeh⁷ bie³ / guei⁷ biann³
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): ge̍h-piáⁿ / ge̍rh-piáⁿ / goe̍h-piáⁿ

(Teochew, Peng'im): ghuêh⁸ bian²
Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): njyut⁵ biang²
Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁸yuq-pin₅; ⁸yoq-pin₅; ⁸gniuq-pin₅; ⁸gnioq-pin₅ / ⁸gnioq-pin₃ / ⁸ngeq-pin₃ / ⁸yuq-pin₃
Xiang
(Changsha, Wiktionary): ye⁶ bin³

(Loudi, Wiktionary): ue⁴ bionn^3*

(Hengyang, Wiktionary): ye² bin³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yuèbǐng → yuèbing (toneless final syllable variant)
  - Zhuyin: ㄩㄝˋ ㄅㄧㄥˇ → ㄩㄝˋ ˙ㄅㄧㄥ (toneless final syllable variant)
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yuèbi̊ng
  - Wade–Giles: yüeh⁴-ping⁵
  - Yale: ywè-bing
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yueh.biing
  - Palladius: юэбин (juebin)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɥɛ⁵¹ piŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ → /ɥɛ⁵¹ b̥iŋ¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: yue² bin³
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: yebin
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ye²¹ pin⁵³/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: yuěbing
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /yɛ²¹ piŋ/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin: yue̊qbǐn
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): yueq⁵ bin³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /yeʔ⁵ pĩ¹¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: jyut⁶ beng²
  - Yale: yuht béng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jyt⁹ beng²
  - Guangdong Romanization: yud⁶ béng²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyːt̚² pɛːŋ³⁵/
- (Dongguan, Guancheng)
  - Jyutping++: joet⁸ boeng²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /zøt̚²² pøŋ³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ngut^5-4 biang²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡut̚³²⁻²¹ piaŋ⁵⁵/
- (Yangjiang Yue, Jiangcheng)
  - Jyutping++: jit⁶ bing²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jit̚⁵⁵ pɪŋ²¹/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: nyyot⁶ biang
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲyɵt̚⁵ piaŋ²/
Hakka
- (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngie̍t-piáng
  - Hakka Romanization System: ngied biang^ˋ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ngiad⁶ biang³
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋi̯et̚⁵ pi̯aŋ³¹/
- (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngia̍t-piáng
  - Hakka Romanization System: ngiad biang^ˋ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ngiad⁶ biang³
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋi̯at̚⁵ pi̯aŋ³¹/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: ngied^ˋ biang^ˊ
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋiet² piaŋ²⁴/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ngiad⁶ biang³
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋiat̚⁵ piaŋ³¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: yeh⁴ bing²
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /yəʔ²⁻⁴⁵ piŋ⁵³/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ngṳè-biǎng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋyɛ⁴² piaŋ²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: nguŏk-biāng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋuoʔ⁵⁻³³ piaŋ³³/
Puxian Min
- (Putian, Nanri)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: goeh⁷ bia³ [Phonetic: goeh⁶ bia³]
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: ge̤̍h-biâⁿ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kœʔ⁴⁻²¹ pia⁴⁵³/
- (Jiangkou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: goeh⁷ bie³ [Phonetic: goeh⁶ bie³]
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kœʔ⁴⁻²¹ pie⁴⁵³/
- (Xianyou, Fengting)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: guei⁷ biann³ [Phonetic: guei⁵ mia³]
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kuei²⁴⁻²¹ ^(p-)mia³³²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Philippines, Jinjiang, Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ge̍h-piáⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: ge̍h-piánn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: geqpviar
  - Sinological IPA (Singapore): /ɡe(ʔ)⁴³⁻²¹ piã⁴²/
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /ɡe(ʔ)⁴⁻²¹ piã⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /ɡe(ʔ)⁴⁻¹¹ piã⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Philippines, Jinjiang): /ɡe(ʔ)²⁴⁻² piã⁵⁵⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ge̍rh-piáⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: ge̍rh-piánn
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /ɡə(ʔ)²⁴⁻² piã⁵⁵⁴/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Penang, Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: goe̍h-piáⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: gue̍h-piánn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: goeqpviar
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡue(ʔ)⁴⁻²¹ piã⁴¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɡue(ʔ)¹²¹⁻²¹ piã⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Singapore): /ɡue(ʔ)⁴³⁻²¹ piã⁴²/
  - Sinological IPA (Penang): /ɡue(ʔ)⁴⁻³ piã⁴⁴⁵/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ghuêh⁸ bian²
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: gue̍h piáⁿ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɡueʔ⁴⁻² pĩã⁵²/
Southern Pinghua
- (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
  - Jyutping++: njyut⁵ biang²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɲyt̚²⁴ piɐŋ³³/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁸yuq-pin₅; ⁸yoq-pin₅; ⁸gniuq-pin₅; ⁸gnioq-pin₅
  - MiniDict: yuih^入 pin^去; yoh^入 pin^去; nyuih^入 pin^去; nyoh^入 pin^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵hhyq-pin₂; ⁵hhioq-pin₂; ⁵nyyq-pin₂; ⁵nyioq-pin₂
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦyɪʔ¹¹ pin²³/, /ɦioʔ¹¹ pin²³/, /n̠ʲyɪʔ¹¹ pin²³/, /n̠ʲioʔ¹¹ pin²³/
- (Northern: Chongming)
  - Wugniu: ⁸gnioq-pin₃
  - MiniDict: nyoh^入 pin^上
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦn̠ʲyoʔ²² pin³³/
- (Northern: Suzhou)
  - Wugniu: ⁸ngeq-pin₃
  - MiniDict: ngeh^入 pin^上
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ŋəʔ²² pin⁵¹/
- (Northern: Hangzhou, Ningbo)
  - Wugniu: ⁸yuq-pin₃
  - MiniDict: yuih^入 pin^上
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /ɦyəʔ²² pin⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ɦyəʔ²² piŋ³⁵/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: ye⁶ bin³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y̯e̞²⁴ pin⁴¹/
- (Loudi)
  - Wiktionary: ue⁴ bionn^3*
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /u̯e̞³⁵ pi̯ɔ̃⁴²⁻¹/
- (Hengyang)
  - Wiktionary: ye² bin³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y̯e̞¹¹ pin³³/

Noun

月餅

mooncake (a Chinese pastry traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival) (Classifier: 個／个 m c; 件 m c; 塊／块 m; 嚿 c)
- 賈母又命將罽氈舖於階上，命將月餅西瓜果品等類都叫搬下去，令丫頭媳婦們也都團團圍坐賞月。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
  贾母又命将罽毡铺于阶上，命将月饼西瓜果品等类都叫搬下去，令丫头媳妇们也都团团围坐赏月。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
  From: Cao Xueqin, Dream of the Red Chamber, mid-18^th century CE
  Jiǎ Mǔ yòu mìng jiāng jìzhān pū yú jiē shàng, mìng jiāng yuèbǐng xīguā guǒpǐn děng lèi dōu jiào bān xiàqù, lìng yātou xífù men yě dōu tuántuán wéizuò shǎngyuè. [Pinyin]
  Grandmother Jia also commanded them to spread the carpets on the stairs, and commanded them to bring the mooncakes, watermelon, fruits, and the like down, so that the daughters and daughters-in-law would sit around the table to view the moon.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 月餅 (“mooncake”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		月餅
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	月餅
	Taiwan	月餅
	Chengde	月餅
	Chifeng	月餅
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	月餅
	Heihe	月餅
	Qiqihar	月餅
	Harbin	月餅
	Jiamusi	月餅
	Baicheng	月餅
	Changchun	月餅
	Tonghua	月餅
	Shenyang	月餅
	Jinzhou	月餅
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	月餅
	Tangshan	月餅
	Cangzhou	月餅
	Baoding	月餅
	Shijiazhuang	月餅
	Lijin	月餅
	Jinan	月餅
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	月餅
	Dandong	月餅
	Yantai	月餅
	Yantai (Muping)	月餅
	Qingdao	月餅
	Zhucheng	月餅, 中秋月餅
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	月餅
	Lingbao	月餅
	Jining	月餅
	Wanrong	月餅
	Linfen	月餅
	Shangqiu	月餅
	Yuanyang	月餅
	Zhengzhou	月餅
	Xinyang	月餅
	Baihe	月餅
	Xi'an	月餅
	Baoji	月餅
	Tianshui	月餅
	Xining	月餅
	Xuzhou	月餅
	Fuyang	月餅
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	月餅
	Lanzhou	月餅
	Dunhuang	月餅, 鍋盔
	Hami	月餅
	Ürümqi	月餅
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	月餅
	Nanchong	月餅
	Dazhou	月餅兒
	Hanyuan	月餅
	Xichang	月餅
	Zigong	月餅兒
	Chongqing	月餅兒
	Wuhan	月餅
	Yichang	月餅
	Xiangyang	月餅
	Tianmen	月餅
	Guiyang	月餅
	Zunyi	月餅
	Bijie	月餅
	Liping	月餅
	Zhaotong	月餅
	Dali	月餅
	Kunming	月餅
	Mengzi	月餅
	Guilin	月餅
	Liuzhou	月餅
	Jishou	月餅
	Changde	月餅
	Hanzhong	月餅
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	月餅
	Yangzhou	月餅
	Lianyungang	月餅
	Lianshui	月餅
	Nantong	月餅
	Anqing	月餅
	Wuhu	月餅
	Hefei	月餅
	Hong'an	月餅
Cantonese	Guangzhou	月餅, 月 in compounds
	Hong Kong	月餅, 月 in compounds
	Dongguan	月餅, 月 in compounds
	Yangjiang	月餅
Gan	Nanchang	月餅
	Lichuan	月餅
	Pingxiang	月餅, 中秋餅
Hakka	Meixian	月餅, 月光糕
	Yudu	月餅, 中秋餅
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	月餅
	Miaoli (Gongguan; N. Sixian)	月餅
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	中秋餅
	Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	中秋餅
	Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian)	月餅, 中秋餅
	Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian)	月餅
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	月餅
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	月光餅
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	月餅
	Miaoli (Zhuolan; Raoping)	月光餅, 月餅
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	月餅
Huizhou	Jixi	月餅
Huizhou	Shexian	月餅
Jin	Taiyuan	月餅
	Yangyuan	月餅, 團圓餅
	Datong	月餅
	Xinzhou	月餅
	Lüliang (Lishi)	月餅
	Changzhi	月餅
	Linhe	月餅
	Jining	月餅
	Hohhot	月餅
	Erenhot	月餅
	Pingshan	月餅
	Zhangjiakou	月餅
	Handan	月餅
	Linzhou	月餅
	Suide	月餅
Northern Min	Jian'ou	月餅, 中秋餅
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	月餅, 中秋餅
Southern Min	Xiamen	中秋餅, 月餅, 會餅
	Quanzhou	中秋餅, 月餅
	Zhangzhou	中秋餅, 月餅
	Zhao'an	月餅
	Kaohsiung	中秋餅
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	中秋餅, 月餅
	Changhua (Yongjing)	中秋餅
	Tainan (Anping)	中秋餅, 月餅
	Penghu (Xiyu)	中秋餅
	Manila (Hokkien)	月餅
	Jieyang	膫餅
	Haikou	中秋餅, 中秋月餅
Puxian Min	Putian	月餅
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	月餅
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	月餅, 秋餅
	Xianyou	中秋餅, 月餅
	Xianyou (Fengting)	月餅
	Xianyou (Youyang)	光餅
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	月餅
Wu	Shanghai	月餅
	Shanghai (Chongming)	月餅
	Suzhou	月餅
	Danyang	月餅
	Hangzhou	月餅
	Ningbo	月餅
	Wenzhou	月餅
	Jinhua	月餅, 起酥
Xiang	Changsha	月餅
	Loudi	月餅
	Hengyang	月餅

Derived terms

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (月餅):

→ Japanese: 月餅(げっぺい) (geppei)
→ Korean: 월병(月餠) (wolbyeong)

Others:

→ Indonesian: kue bulan (calque)
→ Malay: kuih bulan (calque)
→ Mongolian: еэвэн (jeeven)

References

“月餅”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.
“月餅”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
李如龙 [Li, Ru-long]; 刘福铸 [Liu, Fu-zhu]; 吴华英 [Wu, Hua-ying]; 黄国城 [Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019), “1355 月饼”, in 莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 424.

Japanese

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

月餅

Wikipedia ^ja

English Wikipedia has an article on:

Mooncake

Wikipedia

Kanji in this term
月	餅
げつ > げっ Grade: 1	へい > ぺい Grade: S
kan'on

Alternative spelling
月餠 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Orthographic borrowing from Chinese 月餅 / 月饼 (yuèbǐng).^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) げっぺー [gèppéé] (Heiban – [0])^[3]
IPA^(key): [ɡe̞p̚pe̞ː]

Noun

月(げっ)餅(ぺい) • (geppei)

a mooncake

References

^ “月餅”, in 改訂新版世界大百科事典 (Kaitei Shinpan Sekai Dai-hyakka Jiten, “Heibonsha World Encyclopedia Revised Edition”)‎^[1] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Heibonsha, 2007, →ISBN
^ “月餅”, in ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典 (Buritanika Kokusai Dai Hyakka Jiten: Shō Kōmoku Jiten, “Encyclopædia Britannica International: Micropædia”)‎^[2] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Britannica Japan Co., Ltd., 2014
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

“月餅”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[3] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025

[1] “月餅”, in 改訂新版世界大百科事典 (Kaitei Shinpan Sekai Dai-hyakka Jiten, “Heibonsha World Encyclopedia Revised Edition”)‎^[1] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Heibonsha, 2007, →ISBN

[2] “月餅”, in ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典 (Buritanika Kokusai Dai Hyakka Jiten: Shō Kōmoku Jiten, “Encyclopædia Britannica International: Micropædia”)‎^[2] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Britannica Japan Co., Ltd., 2014

[DJR-3] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[1]

[2]

[3]