Meanings of 食
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 食
Podcast: 食
Podcast: 食
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 食
吃 (chī) vs 餐 (cān) — use 食 (shí) for general or formal references to food and eating, while 吃 (chī) is more casual and conversational; 餐 (cān) specifically refers to a meal or dining context.
Common mistakes include confusing 食 with 饭 (fàn), which specifically means 'rice' or 'meal.' 食 is more general and can refer to eating in various contexts, while 饭 is more specific. Be mindful of using 食 in both formal and informal settings, as it is versatile but can sound overly formal if used casually.
While 食 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects with HSK vocabulary related to meals and eating. Focus on using 食 in phrases like 吃饭 (chī fàn - to eat rice/meal) to deepen your understanding of its usage in everyday conversation.
Learners often confuse 食 with 吃 (chī), which means 'to eat' as an action. For example, saying '我食饭' (wǒ shí fàn) instead of '我吃饭' (wǒ chī fàn) is incorrect; '吃' is the appropriate verb for the action of eating.
Pronunciation of 食
Drill the tone of 食 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Etymology of 食
Pictograph of food being spooned into the mouth. Not related to 良.
A dish of food 良 with a lid on top 人
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 食
Pictograph of food being spooned into the mouth. Not related to 良.
- 1The giveawayA dish of food 良 with a lid on top 人
- 2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 食? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 食?
Decomposition of 食
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 食?
How to say to eat in Chinese
“to eat” in Chinese is食
The character 食 (shí) primarily means 'to eat' or 'food' in Mandarin. It is used in various contexts, such as discussing meals, food-related activities, or dietary habits. In addition to its basic meanings, it can also refer to animal feed and has associations with the concept of nourishment in general.
When to use 食
Common mistakes include confusing 食 with 饭 (fàn), which specifically means 'rice' or 'meal.' 食 is more general and can refer to eating in various contexts, while 饭 is more specific. Be mindful of using 食 in both formal and informal settings, as it is versatile but can sound overly formal if used casually.
食 or something close to it
吃 (chī) vs 餐 (cān) — use 食 (shí) for general or formal references to food and eating, while 吃 (chī) is more casual and conversational; 餐 (cān) specifically refers to a meal or dining context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 食 with 吃 (chī), which means 'to eat' as an action. For example, saying '我食饭' (wǒ shí fàn) instead of '我吃饭' (wǒ chī fàn) is incorrect; '吃' is the appropriate verb for the action of eating.
Write 食
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 食 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 食
食 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
这种办法可以保存____物，并且能保存很久。
This method can preserve food, and it can preserve it for a long time.
Common Confusions with 食
Same pinyin but different meaning and character structure.
饣 is the food radical and often appears in characters related to eating.
Spot the Difference
Which character means "to eat"?
Usage Notes for 食
Learners often confuse 食 with related verbs like 吃 (chī), which specifically means 'to eat' in a more colloquial sense.
我喜欢吃苹果。
I like to eat apples.
Example Sentences for 食 (10)
Word Family of 食
Compound Meaning
What does 餐 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 食
食 (shí) is more formal and can refer to food in general or the act of eating in a more abstract sense, while 吃 (chī) is the more commonly used verb that simply means 'to eat'. In daily conversation, 吃 is preferred for expressing the action of eating.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 食?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.