Meanings of 吃
By ear
Play it, then pick what 吃 means.
About 吃
Podcast: 吃
Podcast: 吃
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 吃
吃 (chī) vs 喝 (hē) — use 吃 for solid food consumption, and 喝 for liquid consumption.
Be careful with using 吃 in different contexts, such as '吃饭' (chī fàn) meaning 'to eat rice/meal.' It is informal, so avoid using it in overly formal writing. Remember that the tone is important: keep it at the first tone to avoid confusion with other meanings.
As an HSK Level 1 word, 吃 connects well with other basic verbs like '喝' (hē, to drink) and '走' (zǒu, to walk). Focus on using it in simple sentences and practice common phrases like '我吃苹果' (wǒ chī píngguǒ, I eat an apple) to build fluency.
Learners often confuse 吃 with other similar verbs. For instance, saying '我喝苹果' (wǒ hē píngguǒ) is incorrect for 'I eat an apple.' The correct phrase is '我吃苹果' (wǒ chī píngguǒ).
Pronunciation of 吃
Drill the tone of 吃 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason Explains 吃 to You
Let me explain 吃 for you
Make it yours
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 吃 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 吃?
Learning Lab
Knowing 吃 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.
- MeaningFree
- CharacterFree
- PinyinFree
- TonePro
- ListeningPro
- SpeakingPro
- WritingPro
Etymology of 吃
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 乞 represents the sound.
mouth
Origin
吃 = 口 + 乞. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 吃
Parts
Which of these is part of 吃?
How to say to eat in Chinese
“to eat” in Chinese is吃
The character 吃 (chī) primarily means 'to eat' and is commonly used in everyday conversation about food and meals. It can also imply consumption in a broader sense, such as absorbing information or enduring a situation. It's an essential verb in Mandarin that learners will encounter frequently in various contexts.
When to use 吃
Be careful with using 吃 in different contexts, such as '吃饭' (chī fàn) meaning 'to eat rice/meal.' It is informal, so avoid using it in overly formal writing. Remember that the tone is important: keep it at the first tone to avoid confusion with other meanings.
吃 or something close to it
吃 (chī) vs 喝 (hē) — use 吃 for solid food consumption, and 喝 for liquid consumption.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 吃 with other similar verbs. For instance, saying '我喝苹果' (wǒ hē píngguǒ) is incorrect for 'I eat an apple.' The correct phrase is '我吃苹果' (wǒ chī píngguǒ).
Write 吃
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 吃 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 吃
吃 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 10 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
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
这包子好____吗？
Are these buns tasty?
Example Sentences for 吃 (16)
Ask Jason
Have a question about 吃?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Word Family of 吃
Words with 吃
What does 吃饭 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 吃
You can use 吃 to describe eating something, like '我吃了很多水果' (wǒ chī le hěn duō shuǐguǒ), meaning 'I ate a lot of fruit.'
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 吃?
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.