吃饭
chīfàn
In Chinese, the phrase to eat rice is 吃饭 (chīfàn).
Although the phrase literally mentions rice, it is used to mean eating a meal regardless of what food is actually being served. While 饭 (fàn) can mean cooked rice, in the context of 吃饭, it functions as a generic term for a meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 吃 (chī), meaning 'to eat' and 饭 (fàn), meaning 'meal' or 'cooked rice'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the phrase 食饭 (sik faan) is commonly used.
How do you pronounce it?
chīfàn
When do people say it?
Asking 你吃饭了吗？ (Have you eaten?) is a common, polite way to greet someone in Chinese. It functions similarly to 'How are you?' rather than a literal inquiry into a person's hunger.
Did you know?
- The term 饭碗 (rice bowl) is used metaphorically to refer to a person's job or source of income.
- While 吃饭 is a greeting, the response 吃了 (I have eaten) is frequently used even if the person is still hungry, to avoid appearing greedy or demanding.
- During the Mao era, the act of 吃饭 became highly politicized through 'communal dining' in villages to promote collective equality.
Examples in context
- 你吃饭了吗？Nǐ chīfàn le ma?Have you eaten yet?
- 我们去吃饭吧。Wǒmen qù chīfàn ba.Let's go eat.
- 他在办公室吃饭。Tā zài bàngōngshì chīfàn.He is eating at the office.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are deciding what to do during their lunch break.
- 梓涵 Zihan浩然，你吃饭了吗？Hàorán, nǐ chīfàn le ma?Haoran, have you eaten yet?
- 浩然 Haoran还没，你呢？Hái méi, nǐ ne?Not yet, how about you?
- 梓涵 Zihan我也没吃，我们一起去吃饭吧。Wǒ yě méi chī, wǒmen yīqǐ qù chīfàn ba.I haven't eaten either, let's go eat together.
- 浩然 Haoran好啊，走吧。Hǎo a, zǒu ba.Okay, let's go.
