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March 24, 2026
飯fàn(fan4)
飯 (fàn) refers to a meal or food, particularly cooked rice, which is a staple in Chinese cuisine. It is commonly used to denote not just rice, but meals in general, often viewed as a central component of dining in Chinese culture.
Strokes12Radical飠Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, rice (飯) is considered the foundation of a meal, symbolizing sustenance and family gathering, often central to celebrations and daily life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a large bowl of steaming rice (飯) that you can almost smell! The character 飯 looks like a person (the top part) serving a large dish of rice (the bottom part), which helps you remember that it means 'meal' or 'rice.'
Meanings of 飯
fàn(fan4)
1meal, food; cooked rice
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 飯
飯Simplified
12Strokes
飠Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 飯
Podcast: 飯
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AI Study Notes for 飯
Quick Contrast
米 (mǐ) refers specifically to uncooked rice grains, while 飯 (fàn) refers to cooked rice or meals.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a large bowl of steaming rice (飯) that you can almost smell! The character 飯 looks like a person (the top part) serving a large dish of rice (the bottom part), which helps you remember that it means 'meal' or 'rice.'
Usage Notes
Be aware that 飯 is often used in informal contexts when referring to meals. It can sometimes be confused with 食 (shí), which is more general for food. Common collocations include 吃飯 (chī fàn - to eat a meal) and 飯店 (fàn diàn - restaurant).
HSK Study Tips
Although 飯 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it is essential at the beginner level because of its relevance in daily conversation. Students should practice using it in phrases related to eating and meals.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, rice (飯) is considered the foundation of a meal, symbolizing sustenance and family gathering, often central to celebrations and daily life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 飯 with 食 (shí) and use it too broadly, saying '我想吃食' (wǒ xiǎng chī shí) instead of '我想吃飯' (wǒ xiǎng chī fàn) to mean 'I want to eat.' Always remember that 飯 specifically refers to meals that include rice.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 飯
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Cultural Notes for 飯
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, rice (飯) is considered the foundation of a meal, symbolizing sustenance and family gathering, often central to celebrations and daily life.
Word Family of 飯
Words Containing This Character20
吃饭chīfànto eat吃飯
饭fànmeal飯
晚饭wǎnfàndinner晚飯
午饭wǔfànlunch午飯
饭店fàndiànhotel飯店
做饭zuòfànto cook做飯
早饭zǎofànbreakfast早飯
米饭mǐfàn(cooked) rice米飯
饭菜food飯菜
饭碗fànwǎnrice bowl飯碗
稀饭porridge稀飯
饭馆fànguǎnrestaurant飯館
年夜饭niányèfànNew Year's Eve family dinner年夜飯
煮饭to cook煮飯
开饭to serve a meal開飯
中饭lunch中飯
饭局banquet飯局
炒饭fried rice炒飯
家常便饭simple home-style meal家常便飯
饭桌dining table飯桌
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 吃饭 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 飯
飯 (fàn) refers to cooked rice or meals, while 米 (mǐ) refers to uncooked rice. Understanding this distinction is important when discussing food.
飯 is primarily used for meals that include rice. For other types of food, you might use 食物 (shí wù) instead.
飯 is generally informal and commonly used in everyday conversation.
