faan6 wun2飯碗饭碗
Jyutpingfaan6 wun2
Yalefaahn wún
Definition
A rice bowl, or figuratively, one's livelihood and job.
- rice bowl; a bowl typically made of porcelain or plastic used for rice
- figurativelivelihood; job; means of living
colloquialfoodwork
How it's used
Beyond the literal container for food, this term is the standard metaphor for one's job or source of income. When someone says they are worried about their 飯碗, they are expressing anxiety about job security or the risk of being fired. It carries a slightly more informal and visceral tone than the abstract term 生計.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Could you please get me a rice bowl?
His job is very stable, which means he has a secure livelihood.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the literal object with the metaphorical meaning when someone talks about losing their 飯碗, as it almost always refers to their employment status rather than a broken dish.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
