Usage note
大米是煮饭用的米。
dà mǐ shì zhǔ fàn yòng de mǐ。
大米 means rice used for cooking meals.
Context note
大米常用于饮食和农业。
dà mǐ cháng yòng yú yǐn shí hé nóng yè。
It is often used with food and agriculture.
5 examples
我去买大米。
wǒ qù mǎi dà mǐ。
I am going to buy rice.
大米很好吃。
dà mǐ hěn hǎo chī。
Rice is delicious.
这袋大米很重。
zhè dài dà mǐ hěn zhòng。
This bag of rice is very heavy.
家里还有大米吗？
jiā lǐ hái yǒu dà mǐ ma？
Is there still rice at home?
大米是主食。
dà mǐ shì zhǔ shí。
Rice is a staple food.
5 mini stories
妈妈用大米煮饭。
mā ma yòng dà mǐ zhǔ fàn。
Mom uses rice to cook meal.
他们买了两袋大米。
tā men mǎi le liǎng dài dà mǐ。
They bought two bags of rice.
农民种大米。
nóng mín zhǒng dà mǐ。
Farmers grow rice.
孩子帮忙搬大米。
hái zi bāng máng bān dà mǐ。
The child helped carry the rice.
大米煮好了，大家一起吃。
dà mǐ zhǔ hǎo le， dà jiā yì qǐ chī。
The rice was cooked, and everyone ate together.
Mini dialogue
帮妈妈做饭
A
妈妈，今天我们吃什么？
Māma, jīntiān wǒmen chī shénme?
Mom, what are we eating today?
B
我们吃米饭，你先去洗大米吧。
Wǒmen chī mǐfàn, nǐ xiān qù xǐ dà mǐ ba.
We're having rice. You go wash the rice first.
超市购物
A
家里的大米快吃完了。
Jiā lǐ de dà mǐ kuài chī wán le.
We're almost out of rice at home.
B
那我们买一袋新的大米吧。
Nà wǒmen mǎi yī dài xīn de dà mǐ ba.
Then let's buy a new bag of rice.
Related words and contrasts
related
米饭
mǐ fàn
cooked rice
大米 is the uncooked grain; 米饭 is the cooked food ready to eat.
contrast
小米
xiǎo mǐ
millet
Both are grains, but 大米 is larger and white, while 小米 is tiny and yellow.
related
糯米
nuò mǐ
sticky rice
Another type of rice, stickier when cooked, often used in dumplings and desserts.