sik6 aan3食晏
Jyutpingsik6 aan3
Yalesihk aan
Definition
To eat or have lunch.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
Using 晏 to refer to lunch is a hallmark of Cantonese. While 食午餐 is understood, it sounds slightly formal or influenced by written Chinese, whereas 食晏 is the standard way to describe the midday meal in daily life. It specifically refers to the time of day rather than the content of the meal.
Examples
Where should we go for lunch later?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 晏晝, which is a noun meaning afternoon. You can say 我晏晝食飯, but you cannot say 我食晏晝, as that would imply you are eating the afternoon itself.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
