饭团
fàntuán
The English phrase "rice ball" is translated into Chinese as 饭团 (fàntuán).
饭团 refers to a ball of cooked rice, which is often filled with various ingredients and wrapped in seaweed.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 饭 (fàn), meaning 'cooked rice' and 团 (tuán), meaning 'ball' or 'clump'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwanese Mandarin, the variant 饭糰 is used to refer to a rice ball.
How do you pronounce it?
fàntuán
When do people say it?
In southern China, a popular type of rice ball is Zongzi, which consists of sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, especially eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the round shape of 团 is so symbolic of completeness that the phrase 团团圆圆 (tuántuán yuányuán) is used to wish a family a perfect and harmonious reunion.
- Beyond food, the character 团 is used to describe a 'troupe' or 'company' of performers, treating a group of people as a single cohesive unit.
- While 饭 means 'cooked rice', it is also used as a generic term for 'food' or 'a meal', meaning that 饭团 literally describes a 'meal clump'.
Examples in context
- 我想吃一个饭团。Wǒ xiǎng chī yī gè fàntuán.I want to eat a rice ball.
- 超市里有很多种饭团。Chāoshì lǐ yǒu hěnduō zhǒng fàntuán.There are many kinds of rice balls in the supermarket.
- 这个饭团很好吃。Zhège fàntuán hěn hào chī.This rice ball is very delicious.
Example conversation
At a convenience store during a quick lunch break.
- 梓涵 Zihan俊杰，你买的饭团是什么口味的？Jùnjié, nǐ mǎi de fàntuán shì shénme kǒuwèi de?Junjie, what flavor is the rice ball you bought?
- 俊杰 Junjie是金枪鱼味的。Shì jīnqiāngyú wèi de.It is tuna flavored.
- 梓涵 Zihan看起来很不错。Kàn qǐlái hěn bùcuò.It looks very good.
- 俊杰 Junjie你要不要也买一个？Nǐ yào bùyào yě mǎi yī gè?Do you want to buy one too?
