早餐
zou² caan¹
The English phrase breakfast is translated into Cantonese as 早餐 (zou² caan¹). Wiktionary also lists 早飯 / 早饭 (zou² faan⁶).
Meaning: first meal of the day (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 早餐 | zou² caan¹ |
| 早飯 / 早饭 | zou² faan⁶ |
早餐 is a noun referring to the first meal of the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 早餐 is composed of 早 (early) and 餐 (meal), literally meaning early meal.
Which one should you use?
While both words mean breakfast, 早餐 is slightly more formal or written than the colloquial 早飯 / 早饭.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to eat breakfast', you use the verb 食 (eat) followed directly by 早餐.
How do you pronounce it?
zou² caan¹
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong, a common 早餐 consists of 'pineapple buns' and 'silk stockings milk tea', although the buns contain no actual pineapple.
- When asking someone if they have eaten 'breakfast', Cantonese speakers often use the verb 食 (eat) in a way that functions more like a greeting, similar to how 'have you eaten' is used in many Asian cultures.
- If you are having a very early meal, some people might use the word 早茶 (early tea) to refer to the breakfast-time dim sum culture, even if no actual tea is the main focus of the conversation.
Examples in context
- 我仲未食早餐。I have not eaten breakfast yet.This sentence is useful for expressing that one has not yet eaten 早餐.Tatoeba #612002 by nickyeow, translation #255654 by CC
- 蕾拉食緊早餐。Layla was having breakfast.This sentence is useful for describing someone who is currently having 早餐.Tatoeba #6108650 by nickyeow, translation #6103801 by OsoHombre
- 佢開始食早餐。He began to eat his breakfast.This sentence is useful for stating that someone has started to eat 早餐.Tatoeba #7987826 by nickyeow, translation #301588 by CK
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting up in the morning.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting俊傑，你食咗早餐未？zeon git, nei sik zo ziu caan mei?Chun Kit, have you eaten breakfast yet?
- 俊傑 Chun Kit我未食，我好肚餓。ngo mei sik, ngo hou dou ngo.I haven't eaten, I'm very hungry.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting我哋一齊去食早餐啦。ngo dei jat cai heoi sik ziu caan laa.Let's go eat breakfast together.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit好呀，行啦！hou aa, haang laa!Okay, let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “breakfast” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
