餠 (bǐng) - Cake — a general term for round, flat

餠Tone 3

bǐng ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

餠 · bǐng

Cake — a general term for round, flat baked or cooked food items, typically made from flour or rice.

Cake — a general term for round, flat

Usage highlights

MooncakeRice cakePancakeSesame cakeBean cakeCake shop

Synonyms

  • 糕— cake (often softer, steamed)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I bought a mooncake for the festival (月饼).
  • She enjoys eating rice cakes (米饼).
  • This shop sells sesame seed cakes (芝麻饼).
  • We had pancakes for breakfast (煎饼).

Collocations

  • Mooncake(月饼)
  • Rice cake(米饼)
  • Pancake(煎饼)
  • Sesame cake(芝麻饼)
  • Bean cake(豆饼)
  • Cake shop(饼店)

Idioms

  • To draw a cake to satisfy hunger(画饼充饥)
  • Pie in the sky(空中楼阁, though not directly using 饼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 饼 has been a staple food in Chinese cuisine for millennia, with archaeological evidence of flatbreads dating to the Neolithic.
  • Mooncakes (月饼) are deeply associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival, symbolizing family reunion.
  • The character reflects the importance of grain-based foods in traditional Chinese diet and ritual.

FAQ