Rice, noodles, fruit, tea and the other words a first meal needs.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
饭 is both cooked rice and a meal, and 菜 both a dish and vegetables, because a meal is rice with dishes beside it. Two verbs share the table: 吃 for what is chewed and 喝 for what is drunk — and soup and rice porridge are drunk. “Delicious” has two words for the same reason: 好吃for food好喝for drink
The words
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Verb (1)
吃饭to eat; to have a mealVerb1
你吃饭了吗？Have you eaten?
Also a friendly greeting around mealtimes, not a real question.
Noun (37)
饭cooked rice; mealNoun1
饭好了，快来吃吧！Food's ready — come and eat!
米饭 is only the rice.
米饭cooked riceNoun1
我要一碗米饭。I'd like a bowl of rice.
面条noodlesNoun1
中午我吃了一碗面条。I had a bowl of noodles at lunchtime.
菜dish; vegetablesNoun1
这个菜太辣了。This dish is too spicy.
水waterNoun1
我想喝点儿水。I'd like some water.
开水boiled waterNoun1
这儿的开水可以喝。The boiled water here is fine to drink.
Water that has been boiled, served hot or left to cool.
茶teaNoun1
这杯茶太热了。This tea is too hot.
绿茶green teaNoun1
你喜欢绿茶吗？Do you like green tea?
红茶black teaNoun1
我要一杯红茶。A cup of black tea, please.
Literally “red tea”: what English calls black tea.
咖啡coffeeNoun1
这儿的咖啡很好喝。The coffee here is very good.
牛奶milkNoun1
孩子每天喝牛奶。The children drink milk every day.
果汁fruit juiceNoun1
我不喝酒，我喝果汁。I don't drink alcohol — I'll have juice.
啤酒beerNoun1
来两瓶啤酒！Two bottles of beer, please!
酒alcohol; wine; spiritsNoun1
他开车，不能喝酒。He's driving, so he can't drink.
Any alcoholic drink; grape wine is 葡萄酒.
可乐colaNoun1
孩子们都爱喝可乐。The kids all love cola.
汽水fizzy drinkNoun1
夏天我爱喝冰汽水。In summer I love a cold fizzy drink.
饮料drink; beverageNoun1
你要什么饮料？What would you like to drink?
矿泉水mineral waterNoun1
请给我一瓶矿泉水。A bottle of mineral water, please.
豆浆soya milkNoun1
这儿的豆浆是热的。The soya milk here is served hot.
水果fruitNoun1
我每天吃水果。I eat fruit every day.
苹果appleNoun1
这个苹果很甜。This apple is very sweet.
香蕉bananaNoun1
我早上吃了一根香蕉。I had a banana this morning.
Measure word: 根, for long thin things.
西瓜watermelonNoun1
我买了一个大西瓜。I bought a big watermelon.
葡萄grapeNoun1
这些葡萄很好吃。These grapes are delicious.
橙子orangeNoun1
你要苹果还是橙子？Would you like an apple or an orange?
包子steamed bun (with filling)Noun1
包子还很热，快吃吧。The buns are still hot — tuck in.
A steamed bun without a filling is 馒头.
馒头steamed breadNoun1
我爸爸喜欢吃馒头。My dad likes steamed bread.
粥rice porridgeNoun1
我病了，只想喝粥。I'm ill and only want some rice porridge.
Usually drunk rather than eaten: 喝粥.
汤soupNoun1
这个汤很好喝。This soup is delicious.
Also drunk: 喝汤.
肉meatNoun1
我不吃肉。I don't eat meat.
On its own, often pork.
猪肉porkNoun1
这个包子是猪肉的。This bun has a pork filling.
鸡肉chicken (meat)Noun1
我要一份鸡肉炒饭。I'd like a portion of chicken fried rice.
羊肉lamb; muttonNoun1
冬天我喜欢吃羊肉。In winter I like eating lamb.
炒饭fried riceNoun1
这家饭馆的炒饭很有名。This restaurant is known for its fried rice.
