Usage note
零食表示正餐以外吃的小东西。
líng shí biǎo shì zhèng cān yǐ wài chī de xiǎo dōng xī。
Snack means small food eaten between meals.
Context note
零食常出现在放学、旅行和休息里。
líng shí cháng chū xiàn zài fàng xué 、 lǚ xíng hé xiū xi lǐ。
Snacks often appear after school, on trips, and during breaks.
5 examples
我喜欢吃零食。
wǒ xǐ huan chī líng shí。
I like eating snacks.
零食不要吃太多。
líng shí bú yào chī tài duō。
Do not eat too many snacks.
他买了零食。
tā mǎi le líng shí。
He bought snacks.
零食在盒子里。
líng shí zài hé zi lǐ。
The snacks are in the box.
这包零食很好吃。
zhè bāo líng shí hěn hǎo chī。
This bag of snacks is delicious.
5 mini stories
放学后，我和朋友一起吃零食。
fàng xué hòu， wǒ hé péng yǒu yì qǐ chī líng shí。
After school, my friends and I eat snacks together.
妈妈说零食可以吃一点，但不能太多。
mā ma shuō líng shí kě yǐ chī yì diǎn， dàn bù néng tài duō。
Mom said you can eat a little snack, but not too much.
我把零食放在书包里，路上吃。
wǒ bǎ líng shí fàng zài shū bāo lǐ， lù shang chī。
I put the snacks in my school bag and eat them on the way.
这家店的零食种类很多。
zhè jiā diàn de líng shí zhǒng lèi hěn duō。
This shop has many kinds of snacks.
看书的时候，吃一点零食很开心。
kàn shū de shí hòu， chī yì diǎn líng shí hěn kāi xīn。
Eating a little snack while reading is happy.
Mini dialogue
选零食
A
你想吃什么零食？
Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme língshí?
What snack do you want to eat?
B
我想吃水果，水果是健康的零食。
Wǒ xiǎng chī shuǐguǒ, shuǐguǒ shì jiànkāng de língshí.
I want to eat fruit, fruit is a healthy snack.
分享零食
A
我带了一些零食，我们一起吃吧。
Wǒ dài le yìxiē língshí, wǒmen yìqǐ chī ba.
I brought some snacks, let's eat together.
B
谢谢！但是饭前不要吃太多零食。
Xièxie! Dànshì fàn qián búyào chī tài duō língshí.
Thanks! But don't eat too many snacks before meals.
Related words and contrasts
similar
点心
diǎn xin
light refreshments; pastry
A light snack, often sweet.
opposite
正餐
zhèng cān
main meal
A snack is eaten between main meals.