Meanings of 食
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Podcast: 食
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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
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Jason Explains 食 to you
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Learning Lab
Knowing 食 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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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
Origin
What kind of character is 食?
Decomposition of 食
Parts
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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
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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.
Fill the gap
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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.
Which one
Which one 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 (16)
Rebuild it
Rebuild it: “I like to eat meals at home.”
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Word Family of 食
Characters with 食
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.
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