Xigua

Why “xigua”?

The English alphabet has very few foods naturally beginning with X. In word games and alphabet lists, xigua — the Mandarin Chinese name for watermelon (西瓜, xīguā, literally “western melon”) — frequently appears as the X entry. It refers to the same fruit covered in our watermelon entry, but appears under X for alphabetical purposes.

The “western” in the name reflects the fruit’s introduction to China from the west — likely from Persia or Central Asia along the Silk Road, around the 10th century.

Treated as vegetable

Watermelon rind, often discarded in Western kitchens, is widely used as a vegetable in Chinese cuisine. Once the green outer layer is peeled away, the firm white rind beneath is chopped and stir-fried with garlic and ginger, pickled in soy and vinegar, or simmered into clear soups. The texture is crisp like cucumber; the flavor is subtle and mild.

In the southern United States, watermelon rind pickles — sweetened with cinnamon and cloves — are a similar tradition with deep regional roots, especially in African-American and rural Southern cooking.