zuòfàn: 做饭 - To Cook, To Make a Meal

• Keywords: zuofan, zuo fan, 做饭, how to say cook in Chinese, make food in Chinese, Chinese cooking words, cooking a meal Chinese, everyday Chinese verbs, HSK 1 vocabulary, 家庭 (jiātíng), 日常生活 (rìcháng shēnghuó)
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 做饭 (zuòfàn), which means “to cook” or “to make a meal.” This fundamental HSK 1 term is more than just a daily chore; it's deeply connected to Chinese culture, family life, and expressing care. This guide will break down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage with over 10 example sentences to help you master how to say “cook” in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zuò fàn
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: To prepare food; to cook a meal.
• In a Nutshell: 做饭 (zuòfàn) is the most common, everyday way to talk about the act of cooking. It's a combination of “to do/make” (做) and “meal/cooked rice” (饭). Think of it not as a fancy culinary art, but as the basic, universal task of preparing food for yourself or others, whether it's a simple bowl of noodles or a multi-course dinner.

• 做 (zuò): This character means “to do,” “to make,” or “to produce.” It's composed of the person radical (亻) on the left and 故 (gù), which provides the sound and hints at a cause or reason. You can think of it as a person (亻) doing something.
• 饭 (fàn): This character originally meant “cooked rice,” the staple food in much of China. By extension, it has come to mean “meal” in general. It's composed of the food radical (饣) and a phonetic component (反 fǎn). The food radical (饣) clearly marks it as something related to eating.
• Together, 做饭 (zuòfàn) literally translates to “make a meal,” which is precisely its meaning.

In Chinese culture, 做饭 (zuòfàn) is far more than a simple household chore; it's a primary way of showing love, care, and hospitality. While Western culture might emphasize romantic gestures or verbal affirmations, a home-cooked meal in China often speaks volumes. A classic example is the common greeting, “你吃饭了吗？” (Nǐ chī fàn le ma? - “Have you eaten yet?”). This isn't just about food; it's a way of asking, “Are you okay? Have you been taken care of?” The act of 做饭 is the tangible answer to that question. Parents 做饭 for their children, and grown children 做饭 for their aging parents as a sign of filial piety. Inviting a guest for a home-cooked meal is a much warmer and more personal gesture than taking them to a restaurant. This contrasts with the Western emphasis on convenience. While takeout (外卖 wàimài) is ubiquitous in modern China, the value placed on a meal cooked at home (在家做饭 zài jiā zuòfàn) remains strong. It symbolizes family togetherness, warmth, and the lively, bustling atmosphere known as 热闹 (rènao).

做饭 (zuòfàn) is used constantly in everyday conversation. It's an informal, neutral term suitable for almost any situation when talking about cooking.

• Daily Conversation: You'll hear it used to plan meals (“今晚谁做饭？” - Jīnwǎn shéi zuòfàn? - “Who's cooking tonight?”), express preferences (“我不想做饭，我们点外卖吧。” - Wǒ bùxiǎng zuòfàn, wǒmen diǎn wàimài ba. - “I don't want to cook, let's order takeout.”), and describe abilities (“她做饭很好吃。” - Tā zuòfàn hěn hǎochī. - “She's a great cook.”).
• Social Media: Users on platforms like WeChat or Weibo often post pictures of their culinary creations with captions like, “今天第一次学做饭！” (Jīntiān dì yī cì xué zuòfàn! - “Learning to cook for the first time today!”). It's a way to share a slice of daily life.
• As a Separable Verb: A key grammar point is that 做饭 can be split. You can insert other words in the middle, most commonly measure words or complements of result.
  • Example: 做一顿饭 (zuò yí dùn fàn) - to cook one meal.
  • Example: 饭做好了 (fàn zuò hǎo le) - the meal is cooked and ready.

• Example 1:
  • 我妈妈每天都给我做饭。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ māma měitiān dōu gěi wǒ zuòfàn.
  • English: My mom cooks for me every day.
  • Analysis: This shows a common use of 做饭 to express routine and care within a family. The structure “给 (gěi) + person + 做饭” means “to cook for someone.”
• Example 2:
  • 你会做饭吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ huì zuòfàn ma?
  • English: Can you cook?
  • Analysis: A simple and very common question to ask about someone's abilities. 会 (huì) here means “to know how to” or “to be able to.”
• Example 3:
  • 他做饭做得特别好吃。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuòfàn zuò de tèbié hǎochī.
  • English: He cooks exceptionally delicious food.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a degree complement (V + 得 + adj) to describe the quality of the cooking. Notice how the verb 做 is repeated. This is a standard structure for commenting on actions.
• Example 4:
  • 我今天太累了，不想做饭。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān tài lèi le, bùxiǎng zuòfàn.
  • English: I'm too tired today, I don't feel like cooking.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of how 做饭 is used in everyday complaints or decision-making.
• Example 5:
  • 你饭做好了吗？我饿了！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ fàn zuò hǎo le ma? Wǒ è le!
  • English: Are you done cooking? I'm hungry!
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 做饭 can be separated. 做好了 (zuò hǎo le) is a result complement, meaning the action of “cooking” is “finished and done well.”
• Example 6:
  • 在家做饭比去餐馆便宜多了。
  • Pinyin: Zài jiā zuòfàn bǐ qù cānguǎn piányi duō le.
  • English: Cooking at home is much cheaper than going to a restaurant.
  • Analysis: This sentence compares two activities, showing the practical context in which 做饭 is often discussed.
• Example 7:
  • 他正在厨房里给女朋友做饭。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài chúfáng li gěi nǚpéngyou zuòfàn.
  • English: He is in the kitchen cooking for his girlfriend.
  • Analysis: 正在 (zhèngzài) indicates a continuous action (is cooking). This sentence combines place (厨房 - kitchen), recipient (女朋友 - girlfriend), and action.
• Example 8:
  • 做饭其实是一门艺术。
  • Pinyin: Zuòfàn qíshí shì yī mén yìshù.
  • English: Actually, cooking is a form of art.
  • Analysis: Here, 做饭 is used as the subject of the sentence, functioning like a noun (“the act of cooking”).
• Example 9:
  • 为了健康，我们应该少吃外卖，多做饭。
  • Pinyin: Wèile jiànkāng, wǒmen yīnggāi shǎo chī wàimài, duō zuòfàn.
  • English: For the sake of health, we should eat less takeout and cook more.
  • Analysis: This highlights the cultural value of home cooking as a healthier alternative to eating out.
• Example 10:
  • 他连最简单的饭都做不好。
  • Pinyin: Tā lián zuì jiǎndān de fàn dōu zuò bu hǎo.
  • English: He can't even cook the simplest meal.
  • Analysis: Another example of a separable verb. The structure “连…都…” (lián…dōu…) means “even…”. 做不好 (zuò bu hǎo) means “cannot do it well.”
• Example 11:
  • 我们晚饭做点什么饭呢？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen wǎnfàn zuò diǎn shénme fàn ne?
  • English: What should we make for dinner?
  • Analysis: A very natural, conversational question that splits 做饭 to insert “点什么” (diǎn shénme - a little what). This is extremely common.

• 做饭 (zuòfàn) vs. 烹饪 (pēngrèn): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 做饭 (zuòfàn): Everyday cooking. It's what normal people do at home. Use this 99% of the time.
  • 烹饪 (pēngrèn): “Culinary Arts,” professional cooking, or the formal study of cooking. It's a formal, written-style word.
  • Incorrect: ~~我正在学习怎么烹饪。~~ (Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí zěnme pēngrèn.) - This sounds overly formal, like you're enrolling in a professional culinary institute.
  • Correct: 我正在学习怎么做饭。 (Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí zěnme zuòfàn.) - This means “I'm learning how to cook.”
  • Correct use of 烹饪: 他对中国烹饪有很深的研究。 (Tā duì Zhōngguó pēngrèn yǒu hěn shēn de yánjiū.) - “He has a deep research interest in Chinese culinary arts.”
• Forgetting it's a Verb-Object Phrase: English speakers sometimes treat “zuofan” as a single, inseparable verb. Remember that it can and often does get split up in natural speech. Failing to split it can sometimes sound unnatural.
  • A bit stiff: 我做完饭了。(Wǒ zuòwán fàn le.)
  • More natural: 我饭做好了。(Wǒ fàn zuò hǎo le.)

• 烹饪 (pēngrèn) - The formal term for “culinary arts” or “to cook,” used in professional or academic contexts.
• 厨房 (chúfáng) - Kitchen; the place where you 做饭.
• 菜 (cài) - A dish of food; cuisine. The result of 做饭 is usually one or more 菜.
• 吃饭 (chīfàn) - To eat a meal. The logical action that follows 做饭.
• 外卖 (wàimài) - Takeout; food delivery. The most common alternative to 做饭 at home.
• 下厨 (xiàchú) - Literally “to go down to the kitchen.” A slightly more vivid and sometimes literary synonym for deciding to cook a meal.
• 厨师 (chúshī) - A chef or a professional cook. A person whose job is to 做饭.
• 食谱 (shípǔ) - A recipe. The instructions you follow to 做饭.
• 厨艺 (chúyì) - Cooking skills; culinary skill. You can say someone's 厨艺 is good if they 做饭 well.
• 家常菜 (jiāchángcài) - “Home-style cooking.” The type of simple, delicious food one typically makes when they 做饭 at home.