Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 午餐 | wǔcān |
| 午飯 / 午饭 | wǔfàn |
Both terms refer to a meal eaten around midday. While you can use the noun alone, you can also use the phrase 吃午飯 to mean "to eat lunch". In casual settings, speakers might use the colloquial phrase 吃饭 to indicate having a meal, which can include lunch. Additionally, the word 中午 refers to the time around midday and is often used to convey the idea of having a meal during that period.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 午餐 is composed of 午 (midday) and 餐 (meal). The term 午飯 is composed of 午 (midday) and 飯 (rice or meal).
Which one should you use?
The difference between the two forms lies in their register. 午飯 is more colloquial and is commonly used in spoken, everyday conversation, whereas 午餐 is more formal and is often used in written contexts or professional settings.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the action of having lunch, you use the verb 吃 (to eat) followed by the noun, such as in the phrase 吃午飯.
How do you pronounce it?
wǔcān
Did you know?
- The character 午 in 午餐 is also used in the Chinese zodiac to represent the Horse, as the Horse is associated with the time of midday.
- In many Chinese workplaces, the 'lunch' hour is often used for a short nap, known as 午睡, which is a widely accepted cultural practice to recharge for the afternoon.
- In some regions of China, asking 吃午飯了嗎？ (Have you eaten lunch?) is used as a friendly greeting similar to 'Hello' rather than a literal inquiry about food.
Examples in context
- 午餐送到了。Lunch is on.This sentence is useful for confirming that the 午餐 has arrived.Tatoeba #1304156 by tsayng, translation #64177 by Zifre
- 我們在吃午餐。We are having lunch.This sentence is useful for describing the action of 午餐 currently happening.Tatoeba #3984806 by tsayng, translation #880533 by CC
- 謝謝你的午餐！Thank you for lunch!This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for the 午餐.Tatoeba #5649313 by xjjAstrus, translation #7213311 by TracyPoff
- Nǐ jīntiān zhōngwǔ chī le shénme (你今天中午吃了什么)What did you have for lunch today?
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing their plans for the midday break in the office.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你想吃什麼午餐？Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme wǔcān?What do you want for lunch?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我想吃漢堡。Wǒ xiǎng chī hànbǎo.I want to eat a hamburger.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我們走吧。Nà wǒmen zǒu ba.Then let's go.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好的，走吧。Hǎo de, zǒu ba.Okay, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lunch” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
