Chinese word

便饭

Pronunciation

Pinyinbiàn fàn

Meaning

  • nounsimple meal

Example

今天只有几样菜，就当便饭吃吧。jīn tiān zhí yǒu jǐ yàng cài jiù dāng biàn fàn chī ba

There are only a few dishes today, so just have a simple meal.

Illustration for 便饭 (simple meal)

More examples

在艰苦的年代，粗陋的饭菜就是人们的便饭。zài jiān kǔ de nián dài cū lòu de fàn cài jiù shì rén men de biàn fàn

In hard times, plain food was people's everyday meal.

Core concept

Food that serves the moment without the ceremony of a special occasion.

Common phrases

  • 当便饭吃dāng biàn fàn chī

    have as a simple meal

  • 经常吃便饭jīng cháng chī biàn fàn

    regularly eat simple meals

  • 一顿便饭yí dùn biàn fàn

    one simple meal

Similar words

快餐kuài cān: A meal served quickly by a restaurant or specialty food shop.
简餐jiǎn cān: A light, simple meal that is easy to prepare and finish quickly.
小吃xiǎo chī: A light snack or street food sold at a stall or shop.
家常便饭jiā cháng biàn fàn: A familiar, ordinary meal cooked at home as part of daily life.

Definition in Chinese

口语中用于表示随便吃的饭，强调简朴或临时凑合的吃法。kóu yǔ zhōng yòng yú biǎo shì suí biàn chī de fàn qiáng diào jiǎn pǔ huò lín shí còu hé de chī fǎ

Word origin

便 (biàn, "convenient") combines with 饭 (fàn, "meal") to name a meal chosen for ease and simplicity rather than display.

Usage tips

  • A host can use this noun in a polite invitation to make the food sound unpretentious, so it does not automatically signal an informal setting.

Other meanings

  • everyday mealnoun

Opposites

  • 盛宴shèng yàngrand feastnoun
  • 筵席yán xíbanquetnoun

Word lists with this word