红椒 (hóng jiāo) literally means 'red pepper' — 红 (hóng) means 'red', and 椒 (jiāo) is a general term for peppers or chilies, especially those in the Capsicum genus. Unlike 辣椒 (làjiāo), which refers to hot, spicy chilies, 红椒 specifically denotes the large, sweet, bell-shaped red pepper commonly used raw in salads or cooked in stir-fries. It’s botanically mature green bell peppers that have ripened to red, gaining sweetness and higher vitamin C content.

This word is used almost exclusively for culinary contexts — in recipes, grocery shopping, or restaurant menus. It’s neutral in register and appropriate for both spoken and written Chinese. While some regional dialects may use 西红柿 (xīhóngshì) or other terms colloquially, 红椒 is standard Mandarin and widely understood across China. It’s distinct from 红辣椒 (hóng làjiāo), which *is* spicy — the absence of 辣 (là) signals mildness.