飯 (fàn) - Cooked rice & meal

飯Tone 4

fàn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

恩丰

飯 · fàn

Cooked rice;

meal;

food;

refers to cooked grains, especially rice, and by extension any meal.

Cooked ricemealfood

Usage highlights

Eat a mealBreakfastLunchDinnerCooked riceFood and dishes

Synonyms

  • 餐— meal (more formal)
  • 食— food, to eat (broader term)
  • 米饭— cooked rice

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I eat rice every day (吃饭).
  • This restaurant serves delicious food (饭菜).
  • Have you had breakfast?(吃早饭了吗?)
  • We're having a family dinner tonight (晚饭).

Collocations

  • Eat a meal(吃饭)
  • Breakfast(早饭)
  • Lunch(午饭)
  • Dinner(晚饭)
  • Cooked rice(米饭)
  • Food and dishes(饭菜)

Idioms

  • A dreg of wine and a meal of dregs(残羹剩饭)
  • Eat plain rice and drink water(饭糗茹草)
  • A cooked rice cannot be uncooked(生米煮成熟饭)
  • Wine and meat friends(酒肉朋友)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Rice is a staple food in many Asian cultures, and 饭 specifically refers to the cooked form.
  • The character appears in common greetings like '你吃饭了吗?' (Have you eaten?), which functions as a casual greeting similar to 'How are you?'
  • In traditional Chinese culture, sharing a meal is an important social activity that strengthens family and community bonds.

FAQ