The Mandarin term “ 红毛丹 ” is derived from the transliteration and paraphrase of the Malay word rambutan, and has been constructed in accordance with the rules of Mandarin. The Malay word rambut means “hair”, and the fruit was originally transliterated as “蓝毛丹”. However, as the peel turns red as the fruit ripens, the Mandarin name was paraphrased to mean “red hairy fruit”, using the term “红毛” (red hair). The final character “丹” is transliterated from the “tan” in rambutan.

Rambutans, along with lychees and longans, are plants belonging to the Sapindaceae family. They are native to Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Indochina, Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. There are many varieties of rambutan, with at least 187 varieties in Malaysia.