hek3 faan6吃飯吃饭
Jyutpinghek3 faan6
Yalehek faahn
Definition
To eat a meal; to have lunch or dinner.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 食飯 to mean having a meal, regardless of whether rice is actually being served. It functions as a general term for dining, similar to how people use the word dinner in English. You will rarely hear the word 吃 used in spoken Cantonese, as it sounds distinctly Mandarin or overly formal.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using the Mandarin word 吃, as it sounds unnatural and out of place in daily Hong Kong conversation. Always use 食 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
