duri

Durian comes from Malay duri (thorn) + the noun suffix -an. The thorny one. The name focuses not on the infamous smell but on the dangerous spiky shell.

In Southeast Asia, durian is the undisputed king of fruits — prized for its rich, custard-like flesh. Malaysians, Thais, and Indonesians pay enormous sums for premium varieties. Some durians sell for thousands of dollars.

The smell, however, is so powerful that durian is banned from hotels, airports, and public transport across Southeast Asia. The signs showing a crossed-out durian are iconic — a fruit so beloved it needs a prohibition sign.

To Westerners, durian smells like sewage. To Southeast Asians, it smells like heaven. The word 'durian' has become a litmus test for cultural taste — literally.