mou5 sung3 faan6冇餸飯冇餸饭
Definition
A humble term for a home-cooked meal, typically used by a host to welcome guests.
How it's used
This expression is a classic example of Chinese modesty, where the host downplays the effort and quality of the meal to make the guest feel comfortable and unburdened. Even if the table is actually full of food, using this phrase signals that the gathering is informal and intimate rather than a formal banquet. It effectively removes any pressure on the guest to bring a gift or feel obligated to reciprocate with something fancy.
Measure word
caan1餐chānExamples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not take this phrase literally as a sign that there is actually no food on the table. If you arrive and see a feast, do not express surprise or point out that there are plenty of dishes, as this would be seen as missing the point of the host's polite gesture.
Grammar color guide
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.
