Last week, my daughter challenged me to name a few four-letter fruits. The first ones that came to mind were date and kiwi, but when she pressed me for more, I was caught off guard—I couldn’t come up with more than five!
What about you? How many four-letter fruits can you name?
Don’t worry if you get stuck. After my daughter’s challenge, I decided to put together a list of as many as I could find. To my surprise, I came up with over 30 real fruits, each with a picture and a short description to help you learn about them—especially if it’s your first time hearing the name. Hopefully, this list helps you ace a similar challenge or discover a new four-letter fruit worth sharing with a friend.
1. Abiu
Golden-yellow when ripe, the abiu is a tropical fruit with smooth, leathery skin and soft, custard-like flesh inside. Its flavor is gentle and sweet, often compared to caramel, vanilla, or even coconut water. The pulp is translucent and jelly-like, usually wrapped around a few dark seeds. Though delicious, unripe abiu can release sticky latex, so it’s best eaten fully ripe for its creamy texture and pleasant taste.
2. Açaí
These small purple berries grow on tall palm trees in the Amazon rainforest. Though mostly seed, the thin layer of flesh is packed with nutrients and is often blended into smoothies and bowls. Açaí has an earthy, slightly chocolate-like flavor rather than being very sweet. Popular in Brazil, it has become popular worldwide as a “superfood,” that’s cherished for its high antioxidants and energy-boosting qualities.
3. Amla
Better known as Indian gooseberry, amla is a small green fruit with a sharp, sour taste. It has been used for centuries in Ayurveda and traditional medicine for its health benefits. Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, it’s considered a natural tonic for energy and immunity. While too tart to enjoy raw for some, it is often used in pickles, jams, juices, or dried snacks, giving both flavor and wellness.
4. Bael
Bael is a sacred fruit in India that’s often used in traditional remedies. The hard outer shell protects its soft, fragrant pulp, which can be eaten fresh or dried. Ripe bael has a naturally sweet and cooling flavor, while the unripe fruit is valued for easing digestive troubles. Bael juice is a popular summer drink, refreshing and soothing in hot weather, while the tree itself carries cultural and religious importance.
5. Caju
Bright and juicy, caju is the fleshy part of the cashew fruit, common in northeastern Brazil. With a tangy, slightly astringent flavor, it is often pressed into refreshing juices or smoothies. Surprisingly, caju contains much more vitamin C than an orange, making it a powerful antioxidant fruit. Its combination of sweet and tart notes, plus its nutritional richness, has made it a local favorite for both eating and drinking.
6. Date
Dates are naturally sweet fruits from the date palm tree, enjoyed fresh or dried. With a chewy texture and caramel-like flavor, they make a healthy alternative to refined sugar. Rich in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants, they support digestion and heart health. Popular varieties like Medjool are soft and rich, while others are firmer and drier. Dates are often eaten as snacks, in desserts, or blended into energy-boosting smoothies.
7. Duku
Duku, also called langsat or lanzones, is a small tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. The fruits are round to oval, with thin yellowish skin and translucent, juicy flesh divided into segments. Their taste is sweet with a slight tang, somewhat like a grape. Duku is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. It’s a seasonal favorite in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
8. Figs
Figs are soft, sweet fruits with a chewy texture and tiny edible seeds. They grow on the Ficus carica tree, which thrives in warm, dry climates. Eaten fresh or dried, figs are a rich source of fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. They have long been part of the Mediterranean diet, valued both for their nutrition and natural sweetness. Their unique taste makes them perfect for snacking, baking, or pairing with cheese.
9. Goji
Goji berries, sometimes called wolfberries, are bright red fruits native to China and Mongolia. Known for their antioxidant power, they are often marketed as a superfood. Slightly sweet with a hint of tartness, gojis can be eaten dried like raisins or brewed into teas. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are believed to support eyesight and general vitality. Today, they are enjoyed worldwide in smoothies, cereals, and energy snacks.
10. Hala
Hala fruit grows on the pandanus tree, found along Pacific island coastlines. Its spiky, segmented fruit looks almost like a bright orange-green pineapple from a distance. Each segment, called a key, can be chewed for its fibrous, mildly sweet juice. The seeds inside are able to float and travel long distances across the ocean. Hala fruit has long been used in island communities for food, weaving, and even medicine.
11. Imbe
Imbe, often called the African mangosteen, is a small orange fruit with thick skin and juicy, tangy pulp. Though not as well-known as its purple mangosteen cousin, imbe has a pleasant, refreshing flavor. The trees are native to tropical Africa, where both people and wildlife enjoy the fruit. Its bright color and sharp-sweet taste make it a popular seasonal treat, and the tree itself is also valued as an ornamental plant.
12. Kaki
Kaki, better known as persimmon, is a bright orange fruit widely grown in China and Japan. Sweet and honey-like when ripe, kaki is packed with vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. There are two main kinds: astringent types like Hachiya, which must soften before eating, and non-astringent ones like Fuyu, which can be eaten while still firm. The fruit is enjoyed fresh, dried, or used in traditional desserts.
13. Kiwi
The kiwi is a small fruit with fuzzy brown skin and a striking green or golden interior. Inside, tiny black seeds form a pretty pattern around its soft, juicy flesh. The taste is sweet with a refreshing tang, making it perfect for fruit salads, smoothies, or eating by the spoon. Kiwis are also a powerhouse of vitamin C and fiber, supporting both immunity and digestion while being low in calories.
14. Lime
Limes are small, round citrus fruits with glossy green skin and a tart, zesty flavor. They are often squeezed for their juice to brighten drinks, marinades, and desserts. Beyond their sharp taste, limes are full of vitamin C and antioxidants, making them both refreshing and nutritious. Used in cuisines around the world, from Mexican salsas to Thai curries, lime is a versatile fruit that adds a lively punch to food and drinks.
15. Lulo
Bright orange on the outside and green inside, lulo (also called naranjilla) is one of South America’s most refreshing tropical fruits. Its juicy pulp is tart and citrusy, with a flavor often compared to a mix of pineapple, rhubarb, and lime. Popular in Colombia and Ecuador, the fruit is commonly blended into juices, smoothies, and a traditional drink called lulada. With its unique taste, lulo is both thirst-quenching and full of character.
16. Nakh
Unlike most pears, Nakh ripens fully on the tree before being harvested. Round or slightly oval, these crisp fruits have golden-yellow to greenish skin dotted with pores. Their ivory flesh is crunchy, sweet, and juicy, carrying a mild floral note. Known also as sand pears or apple pears, Nakh are widely grown in northern India, especially in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, where they are enjoyed fresh for their refreshing taste.
17. Neem
The neem tree produces small oval fruits called neem, or nimboli, which turn golden yellow when ripe. Inside, the sweet pulp surrounds a single seed. Both the fruit and seed have long been valued for medicinal and insect-repelling uses. Extracts are used in natural pesticides, while wildlife feed on the pulp. In traditional remedies, neem fruit is linked to cleansing and healing, making it as useful as it is unique.
18. Nere
Across West Africa, the nere tree is highly valued for its pods, which contain locust beans. When fermented, these beans are used to make a strong-smelling but nutritious seasoning paste that’s central to many local dishes. The tall, fire-resistant tree also provides medicine, fodder, and shade. With its red-orange flowers and chunky bark, nere is not only important in food culture but also plays a big role in village economies.
19. Nipa
Along tropical coastlines of Asia, the nipa palm thrives in mangrove swamps. Its fruits grow in large round clusters made up of many brown seed segments. When mature, the seeds break free and float on ocean tides, sometimes sprouting while drifting. Locals often use nipa fruit in desserts or as a refreshing treat, while the palm itself provides thatching material and sap that can be fermented into vinegar or alcohol.
20. Noni
Noni fruit is famous for its strong, unpleasant smell, earning nicknames like “vomit fruit” and “cheese fruit.” Despite this, it has long been used in Polynesia and Southeast Asia as traditional medicine. The fruit is small, bumpy, and pale green to yellow when ripe, with a bitter taste. While not popular as fresh food, noni is often processed into juices and supplements, believed to support immunity and overall health.
21. Nuts
Though often thought of as dry snacks, nuts are technically fruits with hard shells protecting edible seeds inside. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, and hazelnuts are all considered nuts in everyday language, even if some are botanically different. They are prized for being energy-dense, full of healthy fats, protein, and minerals. Nuts are eaten raw, roasted, or ground into butter, making them both a convenient snack and a nutritious ingredient.
22. Okra
Okra, also called lady’s finger, is a green fruit commonly cooked as a vegetable. Long and slender with a ridged skin, okra is packed with tiny edible seeds and a natural mucilage that gives stews and soups their signature thickness. Popular in African, Indian, and Southern U.S. cuisines, it is used in dishes like gumbo and curries. Besides its culinary uses, okra is rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
23. Pear
Pears are juicy, sweet fruits with a soft, grainy texture that makes them refreshing to eat fresh. They come in many shapes and colors, from green and yellow to red or brown. Pears are rich in fiber and vitamin C, supporting both digestion and immunity. While some varieties are crisp, others ripen to a tender, buttery texture. They are delicious raw, baked into desserts, or poached in syrup for a simple treat.
24. Pili
Native to the Philippines, the pili tree produces fruits that contain rich, edible nuts. These nuts are prized for their buttery flavor and high oil content, often eaten roasted or made into candies and brittle. The soft pulp of the fruit can also be cooked, though the nut remains the star. Pili nuts are energy-dense and packed with healthy fats, making them a superfood snack now gaining attention beyond Asia.
25. Plum
Plums are small, round fruits with smooth skin that can be red, purple, yellow, or green. Their juicy flesh ranges from sweet to tart, depending on the variety. Eaten fresh, dried into prunes, or baked into pies and jams, plums are wonderfully versatile. They are also rich in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. With their balance of sweetness and acidity, plums are a summertime favorite enjoyed around the world.
26. Rata
Rata, often called yellow mangosteen, is a peach-sized fruit with bright yellow skin and a pointed end. Its flesh is soft, buttery, and tangy, with a pleasant acidic kick. Native to tropical regions, this fruit is enjoyed fresh for its refreshing taste. Though less well-known internationally than the purple mangosteen, rata stands out for its unique flavor and striking golden color, making it a special find where it grows.
27. Sloe
Sloes are tiny, dark purple fruits that resemble miniature plums. Extremely sour and mouth-puckering when raw, they mellow into a pleasant flavor when very ripe or infused into drinks. Their most famous use is in making sloe gin, where the fruit gives the spirit a rich, fruity depth. After soaking, the berries can even be reused in cider or desserts, often carrying a boozy sweetness that pairs well with chocolate.
28. Tuna
Better known as prickly pear, tuna is the fruit of the cactus plant. Oval and covered in tiny spines, its skin can be green, yellow, orange, or deep red. Inside, the juicy flesh is sweet, with crunchy seeds that are usually eaten along with the pulp. Popular in Mexico and Mediterranean regions, tuna is enjoyed fresh, in jams, or as juice. Its refreshing flavor is perfect for hot, dry climates.
29. Ugli
Ugli fruit, also called uniq fruit or Jamaican tangelo, is a citrus hybrid of tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. Despite its wrinkled, uneven greenish-yellow skin, the inside reveals juicy, sweet-tart flesh with fewer seeds than most citrus. First discovered in Jamaica in the 1920s, its unusual appearance gave rise to its quirky name. Today, it’s enjoyed worldwide as a refreshing fruit that’s perfect for juicing or eating fresh.
30. Ugni
Ugni, also known as Chilean guava or strawberry myrtle, is a small berry native to Chile and Argentina. About the size of a pea, its red or purple fruits have a sweet, aromatic flavor often compared to wild strawberries. Traditionally called “murta,” it grows in the temperate rainforests of South America. The berries are eaten fresh, turned into jams, or even used in liqueurs, making them a treasured local delicacy.
31. Umbu
Umbu, sometimes called the Brazil plum, is a juicy fruit native to the dry regions of northeastern Brazil. Its tart-sweet flesh is refreshing and rich in vitamin C, often enjoyed fresh, in juices, or made into a traditional milk-based drink called “imbuzada.” The fruits vary in size, ranging from cherry-like to lemon-sized, and are known for their almost liquid, thirst-quenching pulp—perfect for hot, arid climates.
32. Xoài
“Xoài” is the Vietnamese word for mango, a beloved tropical fruit enjoyed both ripe and green. When golden and soft, its flesh is sweet, juicy, and fragrant—perfect eaten on its own or blended into smoothies. Green mangoes, on the other hand, are crisp and tangy, often sliced into salads or dipped in chili salt for a zesty snack. In Vietnam, mangoes are versatile staples in both sweet and savory dishes.
33. Yaca
Yaca, more widely known as jackfruit, is the world’s largest tree fruit, native to South and Southeast Asia. Its enormous green pods can weigh up to 40 kg and are filled with sweet, golden bulbs of flesh. When ripe, jackfruit tastes like a mix of pineapple and banana; when unripe, it’s often cooked as a savory meat substitute. Highly nutritious and versatile, yaca is valued across Asia for food, livestock feed, and even medicine.
34. Yuzu
Yuzu is a fragrant citrus fruit from East Asia, resembling a small, knobbly lemon. Its juice is extremely tart, but its aromatic peel is highly prized in Japanese and Korean cooking for sauces, desserts, and drinks. With flavor notes that blend lemon, mandarin, and grapefruit, yuzu adds a unique citrusy depth to dishes. Beyond the kitchen, it’s rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, making it both flavorful and nourishing.