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Definition of ponkan

ponkan

/ˈpɑːŋ.kæn/
pon · kan
Plural:ponkans
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ponkan Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A highly sweet, easily peelable mandarin orange cultivar of the citrus family, widely grown in Asia and noted for its large size and puffy rind.

Example

"During the Lunar New Year, it is customary to give a box of fresh ponkans to family and friends as a symbol of good fortune."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for ponkan

Word Nuance & Usage

Often grouped casually with tangerines or clementines, but botanically distinguished by its distinctively puffy, loose-fitting rind and exceptionally sweet flesh.

• Nearby Words

ponderosa pine snake
pondweed
pongola
ponkan
ponnaiyar
pontederia
pony

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into English from Japanese 'ponkan' (ポンカン), which derives from the Chinese 'pènggān' (椪柑), combining 'pèng' and 'gān' (mandarin orange).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ponkan. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 19, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ponkan
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