How to Say Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snack in Mandarin Chinese
Learn the Mandarin names for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, and how to say when you eat each meal using time words and the particle 吃 (chī).
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn the Mandarin Chinese words for the three main meals and a snack, and how to say when you eat them. Unlike naming specific foods, this lesson focuses on meal times and the verb 吃 (chī, 'to eat'). You will also learn the question word 什么时候 (shénme shíhou, 'when') and how to answer with time expressions like 早上 (zǎoshang, 'morning') and 晚上 (wǎnshang, 'evening'). By the end, you will be able to talk about your daily meal schedule in simple Chinese.
By the end, you can…
- name breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack in Mandarin Chinese.
- say when I eat each meal using time words and the verb 吃 (chī).
- ask and answer simple questions about meal times.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
早饭
breakfast
zǎo fàn
Literally 'morning meal'. Commonly used in northern China; 早餐 (zǎocān) is more formal and used in the south and in writing.
午饭
lunch
wǔ fàn
Literally 'noon meal'. Also called 午餐 (wǔcān) in formal contexts.
晚饭
dinner
wǎn fàn
Literally 'evening meal'. Also called 晚餐 (wǎncān) in formal contexts.
零食
snack
líng shí
Refers to snacks between meals, such as chips, fruit, or nuts. Not a main meal.
我早上七点吃早饭。
I eat breakfast at 7 a.m.
wǒ zǎoshang qī diǎn chī zǎofàn.
Time expression comes before the verb. 早上 (zǎoshang) means 'morning'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say when you eat a meal, use: [Subject] + [Time] + 吃 (chī) + [Meal]. For example, 我中午十二点吃午饭。 (wǒ zhōngwǔ shí'èr diǎn chī wǔfàn) 'I eat lunch at 12 noon.' The time expression can also come first: 早上我七点吃早饭。 (zǎoshang wǒ qī diǎn chī zǎofàn) 'In the morning I eat breakfast at 7.' The verb 吃 (chī) means 'to eat' and is used for all meals. For snacks, you can say 吃零食 (chī língshí) 'eat snacks'.
When to use it
Use these phrases when talking about your daily routine or asking about someone's schedule. For example, 你什么时候吃晚饭？ (nǐ shénme shíhou chī wǎnfàn?) 'When do you eat dinner?' You can answer with 我晚上七点吃晚饭。 (wǒ wǎnshang qī diǎn chī wǎnfàn) 'I eat dinner at 7 p.m.' Note that 早上 (zǎoshang) covers roughly 6–9 a.m., 中午 (zhōngwǔ) is around noon, and 晚上 (wǎnshang) is after 6 p.m. For snacks, you might say 我下午吃零食。 (wǒ xiàwǔ chī língshí) 'I eat snacks in the afternoon.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你什么时候吃早饭？
When do you eat breakfast?nǐ shénme shíhou chī zǎofàn?我早上七点吃早饭。
I eat breakfast at 7 a.m.wǒ zǎoshang qī diǎn chī zǎofàn.你中午吃什么？
What do you eat at noon?nǐ zhōngwǔ chī shénme?我中午十二点吃午饭。
I eat lunch at 12 noon.wǒ zhōngwǔ shí'èr diǎn chī wǔfàn.A little context goes a long way
In China, meal times can vary by region and family. Breakfast is often early, between 6 and 8 a.m., while lunch is around 12 noon and dinner between 6 and 8 p.m. Snacks are common in the afternoon or late evening. The words 早饭, 午饭, 晚饭 are informal and widely used in daily conversation. In more formal situations, such as in writing or announcements, you may see 早餐, 午餐, 晚餐. Using the informal terms with friends and family is perfectly natural.
One thing to watch for
Placing the time expression after the verb, as in 我吃早饭早上七点。
Try this instead: In Mandarin, time expressions typically come before the verb. Say 我早上七点吃早饭。 (wǒ zǎoshang qī diǎn chī zǎofàn) 'I eat breakfast at 7 a.m.' The time phrase 早上七点 (zǎoshang qī diǎn) precedes the verb 吃 (chī).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'lunch' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
午饭 (wǔ fàn)
午饭 is the everyday word for lunch. In formal contexts, 午餐 (wǔ cān) is also correct.
2Translate: 'I eat dinner at 6 p.m.'
Show a sample answer
我晚上六点吃晚饭。 (wǒ wǎnshang liù diǎn chī wǎnfàn)
This follows the pattern: time word + time + 吃 + meal. You could also say 我晚上六点吃晚餐。 (wǒ wǎnshang liù diǎn chī wǎncān) in a more formal style.
3Ask 'When do you eat snacks?' in Mandarin.
Show a sample answer
你什么时候吃零食？ (nǐ shénme shíhou chī língshí?)
This uses 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) 'when' and 吃零食 (chī língshí) 'eat snacks'. You can also ask 你几点吃零食？ (nǐ jǐ diǎn chī língshí?) 'What time do you eat snacks?'
Remember: use 早饭, 午饭, 晚饭, and 零食 for meals and snacks, and place time words like 早上, 中午, 晚上 before the verb 吃 (chī).
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