Chinese Conversation · Level 45
90 words
Chinese word
小贩
Pronunciation
Pinyinxiǎo fàn
Meaning
- nounstreet vendor
Example
夜市有很多小贩在卖小吃。yè shì yǒu hěn duō xiǎo fàn zài mài xiǎo chī
There are many street vendors selling snacks at the night market.
More examples
公园里有几个小贩在卖饮料。gōng yuán lǐ yǒu jǐ gè xiǎo fàn zài mài yǐn liào
There are several street vendors selling drinks in the park.
Core concept
A person who makes a living through small, direct sales in everyday public spaces rather than through a permanent shop.
Common phrases
街边小贩jiē biān xiǎo fàn
street vendor
夜市小贩yè shì xiǎo fàn
night-market vendor
摊位上的小贩tān wèi shàng de xiǎo fàn
vendor at a stall
Similar words
摊贩tān fàn: A stall vendor who sells food or household goods from a small stand in a street or market.
商贩shāng fàn: A small businessperson who sells goods directly in markets or along the street.
流动小贩liú dòng xiǎo fàn: A vendor who travels from place to place to sell goods using a cart or simple setup.
Definition in Chinese
通常指以摊位、手推车或简单设备在公共场所出售食品、日用品或小件商品的个体商贩，常见于夜市和街边。tōng cháng zhǐ yǐ tān wèi shǒu tuī chē huò jiǎn dān shè bèi zài gōng gòng cháng suǒ chū shòu shí pǐn rì yòng pǐn huò xiǎo jiàn shāng pǐn de gè tǐ shāng fàn cháng jiàn yú yè shì hé jiē biān
Word origin
小贩 (xiǎofàn, "small-scale vendor") is formed from 小 (xiǎo, "small") + 贩 (fàn, "to peddle goods"), presenting the seller through the modest scale of the trade.
Usage tips
- The word leaves the merchandise unspecified, so context can identify food, household items, or other small goods without changing the noun.