Usage note
“饭”可以指煮熟的米饭，也常用来表示一顿餐食。
“fàn” kěyǐ zhǐ zhǔshú de mǐfàn, yě cháng yòng lái biǎoshì yī dùn cānshí.
This word can mean cooked rice, and it is also commonly used to refer to a meal in general.
Context note
“饭”可以指煮熟的米饭，也常用来表示一顿餐食，比如早饭、午饭和晚饭。
“fàn” kěyǐ zhǐ zhǔ shú de mǐfàn, yě cháng yòng lái biǎoshì yī dùn cānshí, bǐrú zǎofàn, wǔfàn hé wǎnfàn.
This word can mean cooked rice, and it is also commonly used to refer to a meal, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
5 examples
吃饭
chī fàn
eat meals
午饭
wǔ fàn
lunch
晚饭
wǎn fàn
dinner
主食是饭
zhǔ shí shì fàn
the main food is rice
今天吃什么饭？
jīntiān chī shénme fàn?
what will we eat for today's meal?
5 mini stories
妈妈在厨房做晚饭。香喷喷的米饭冒着热气。我帮妈妈摆好碗筷。
Māma zài chúfáng zuò wǎnfàn. Xiāngpēnpēn de mǐfàn mào zhe rèqì. Wǒ bāng māma bǎi hǎo wǎnkuài.
Mom is cooking dinner in the kitchen. The fragrant rice is steaming hot. I help Mom set the table.
中午在学校，小明打开饭盒。里面有鸡蛋炒饭和青菜。他吃得很香。
Zhōngwǔ zài xuéxiào, Xiǎomíng dǎkāi fànhé. Lǐmiàn yǒu jīdàn chǎofàn hé qīngcài. Tā chī de hěn xiāng.
At noon at school, Xiaoming opens his lunch box. Inside there is egg fried rice and green vegetables. He eats with great enjoyment.
爸爸带我去超市买大米。我们选了一袋新米。回家就能煮香香的饭了。
Bàba dài wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi dàmǐ. Wǒmen xuǎn le yī dài xīn mǐ. Huíjiā jiù néng zhǔ xiāngxiāng de fàn le.
Dad takes me to the supermarket to buy rice. We pick a bag of new rice. We can cook fragrant rice when we get home.
奶奶过生日，全家一起吃饭。桌上摆满了菜和一大碗长寿面。米饭也添了好几次。
Nǎinai guò shēngrì, quánjiā yīqǐ chīfàn. Zhuō shàng bǎi mǎn le cài hé yī dà wǎn chángshòumiàn. Mǐfàn yě tiān le hǎo jǐ cì.
It's Grandma's birthday, and the whole family eats together. The table is full of dishes and a big bowl of longevity noodles. The rice is refilled several times too.
小猫咪闻到鱼饭的香味，喵喵跑过来。我给它碗里放了一点饭和鱼肉。它低头吃得干干净净。
Xiǎo māomī wén dào yúfàn de xiāngwèi, miāomiāo pǎo guòlái. Wǒ gěi tā wǎn lǐ fàng le yīdiǎn fàn hé yúròu. Tā dītóu chī de gāngānjìngjìng.
The little kitty smells the fish rice and comes running with a meow. I put a little rice and fish meat in its bowl. It lowers its head and eats it all up clean.
Mini dialogue
吃饭了
A
你吃饭了吗？
Nǐ chīfàn le ma?
Have you eaten?
B
我吃饭了。今天的饭很好吃。
Wǒ chīfàn le. Jīntiān de fàn hěn hǎochī.
I have eaten. Today's meal was very delicious.
一碗饭
A
你想吃面条还是饭？
Nǐ xiǎng chī miàntiáo háishì fàn?
Do you want to eat noodles or rice?
B
我想吃一碗饭。
Wǒ xiǎng chī yī wǎn fàn.
I want to eat a bowl of rice.
Related words and contrasts
similar
米饭
mǐfàn
cooked rice
Specifically refers to cooked rice.
related
菜
cài
dish, vegetable
A dish eaten together with rice.
related
早饭
zǎofàn
breakfast
The morning meal.