zek3 faan6蓆飯席饭
Jyutpingzek3 faan6
Yalejek faahn
Definition
To eat, typically used in a casual or colloquial context.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
While literally meaning to eat rice, this is the standard way to refer to having a meal in Cantonese. It is used even if the meal consists of noodles, bread, or other staples, functioning as a general term for dining. Asking someone if they have eaten is a common way to initiate a conversation or show care, similar to asking how someone is doing.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where it strictly refers to rice. In Cantonese, it is a broad term for having a meal, so you can say you are going to eat rice even if you are actually going to have a burger.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
