maan5 faan6晚飯晚饭
Jyutpingmaan5 faan6
Yalemáahn faahn
Definition
Dinner or supper; the main meal eaten in the evening.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
While 晚飯 refers to the meal itself, it is very common to use the verb 食 to indicate the act of having it. Unlike the more formal usage in written Chinese, Cantonese speakers frequently drop the word 飯 when the context is clear, simply saying 食晚 or even just 食飯 to refer to the evening meal.
Measure word
caan1餐chānExamples
Have you gone home for dinner yet tonight?
Let's go out for a nice dinner tonight.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 晚飯 with 夜宵, but the latter specifically refers to a late-night snack or a meal eaten well after the standard dinner time.
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.
