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飧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
飧sūndinner, supper; cooked foodg, 12 strokes, radical 食
飧sūn(literary) supperunknown, 12 strokes, radical 食
sūn(sun1)sun T1
  1. 1dinner, supper; cooked food
  2. 2(literary) supper
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March 24, 2026

飧sūn(sun1)

The character 飧 (sūn) refers to dinner or supper, often used in a literary context. It denotes a meal that is typically consumed in the evening, focusing on the idea of cooked food. While not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in formal writing or historical texts.

Strokes12Radical食
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, the evening meal, or 飧, is often a time for family gatherings and is significant in fostering relationships. Meals are typically more elaborate and can include multiple courses, reflecting the importance of dining together.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'sun' (sūn) setting over a table filled with delicious cooked food for dinner. The character 飧 has the radical for food (食) on the left, which reminds us that it relates specifically to meals, while the 'sun' part evokes the evening time when dinner is served.

Meanings of 飧

sūn(sun1)
1dinner, supper; cooked food
2(literary) supper
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 飧

飧Simplified
12Strokes
食Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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AI study notes for 飧

Usage Notes

Learners should be aware that 飧 is quite formal and rarely used in casual conversation, where 晚餐 (wǎncān) is preferred instead for 'dinner.' Be mindful of tone pronunciation, as saying 'sūn' incorrectly could lead to misunderstandings with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 飧 is not included in any HSK levels, studying it can enhance vocabulary related to meals and food culture. Students at HSK level 3 should focus on commonly used meal-related terms, such as breakfast (早餐, zǎocān) and lunch (午餐, wǔcān), to build a broader context around dining vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 飧 with the more common 晚餐 and may use it incorrectly in casual situations. For example, saying '我今晚吃飧' (wǒ jīnwǎn chī sūn) is incorrect; it should be '我今晚吃晚餐' (wǒ jīnwǎn chī wǎncān).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 飧

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Etymology of 飧

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

An evening 夕 meal 食

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 飧?

Decomposition of 飧

IDS Structure⿰夕食
飧Full character
=
夕xi1
left
食shi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 飧?

How to say dinner, supper; cooked food in Chinese

“dinner, supper; cooked food” in Chinese is飧sūn

The character 飧 (sūn) refers to dinner or supper, often used in a literary context. It denotes a meal that is typically consumed in the evening, focusing on the idea of cooked food. While not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in formal writing or historical texts.

When to use 飧

Learners should be aware that 飧 is quite formal and rarely used in casual conversation, where 晚餐 (wǎncān) is preferred instead for 'dinner.' Be mindful of tone pronunciation, as saying 'sūn' incorrectly could lead to misunderstandings with similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 飧 with the more common 晚餐 and may use it incorrectly in casual situations. For example, saying '我今晚吃飧' (wǒ jīnwǎn chī sūn) is incorrect; it should be '我今晚吃晚餐' (wǒ jīnwǎn chī wǎncān).

Write 飧

飧

Practice writing 飧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 飧

Words containing this character1
飧sūn(literary) supper

Frequently asked questions about 飧

No, 飧 is more formal and typically found in literary contexts. In everyday conversation, 晚餐 (wǎncān) is commonly used.

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