wǎnfàn: 晚饭 - Dinner, Supper

• Keywords: wanfan, wǎn fàn, 晚饭, what is wanfan, Chinese for dinner, how to say dinner in Chinese, evening meal in China, eat dinner in Chinese, chī wǎnfàn, Chinese dinner culture, supper in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for dinner, 晚饭 (wǎnfàn). This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, and cultural significance as a central family event in China. Discover how to use it in everyday conversation, from asking “What's for dinner?” to inviting friends out, with 10 practical example sentences and analysis perfect for beginners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wǎnfàn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: The evening meal; dinner or supper.
• In a Nutshell: 晚饭 (wǎnfàn) is the most common and direct way to say “dinner” in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to the last main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening. Beyond just food, it represents a crucial time for family members to gather, share about their day, and reconnect after work or school.

• 晚 (wǎn): This character means “evening,” “night,” or “late.” It is composed of the “sun” radical (日) on the left and a phonetic component on the right. You can think of it as the time when the sun (日) is setting or has gone down.
• 饭 (fàn): This character originally meant “cooked rice,” but its meaning has expanded to mean “meal” in a general sense.
• Together, 晚 (wǎn) + 饭 (fàn) literally translates to “evening meal,” which is exactly what dinner is.

In Chinese culture, 晚饭 (wǎnfàn) is often the most important meal of the day, not just for nutrition but for family cohesion. While work and school schedules can make lunch a hurried affair, dinner is the protected time for the family to come together. This contrasts with some Western cultures where schedules can be more individualistic, and family members might eat at different times. The Chinese family dinner often involves multiple dishes placed in the center of the table, meant to be shared by everyone—a practice that reinforces the values of community and togetherness. It's a daily ritual where parents can connect with their children, news is exchanged, and family bonds are strengthened. Asking someone, “你吃晚饭了吗？(Nǐ chī wǎnfàn le ma? - Have you eaten dinner yet?)” can also be a common, friendly greeting, similar to asking “How are you?”

晚饭 (wǎnfàn) is a neutral and widely used term appropriate for almost any informal or semi-formal situation.

• Asking about dinner: You'll use it to ask what's for dinner, when dinner is, or if someone has eaten. The most common verb used with it is 吃 (chī), meaning “to eat.” So, 吃晚饭 (chī wǎnfàn) means “to eat dinner.”
• Invitations: It's the standard word to use when inviting a friend, colleague, or family member for a casual dinner. For example, “我请你吃晚饭 (Wǒ qǐng nǐ chī wǎnfàn)” means “I'll treat you to dinner.”
• Daily conversation: It's a high-frequency word used in daily planning and conversation. E.g., “I'll go home after I finish work to make dinner (做晚饭 - zuò wǎnfàn).”

The term is generally informal. For a very formal event like a state dinner or a wedding reception, the word 晚宴 (wǎnyàn), meaning “banquet,” would be more appropriate.

• Example 1:
  • 我们今天晚饭吃什么？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jīntiān wǎnfàn chī shénme?
  • English: What are we eating for dinner today?
  • Analysis: A very common and practical question used within a family. The structure is “Subject + time + wǎnfàn + verb + object?”
• Example 2:
  • 你吃晚饭了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ chī wǎnfàn le ma?
  • English: Have you eaten dinner yet?
  • Analysis: This is a classic Chinese greeting, especially in the evening. It functions like “How are you?” and shows you care about the person's well-being. The particle “了 (le)” indicates the action has been completed.
• Example 3:
  • 晚饭准备好了，快来吃吧！
  • Pinyin: Wǎnfàn zhǔnbèi hǎo le, kuài lái chī ba!
  • English: Dinner is ready, come and eat!
  • Analysis: A typical phrase you would hear in a Chinese household. “准备好了 (zhǔnbèi hǎo le)” means “is ready” or “has been prepared.”
• Example 4:
  • 我今天晚上要跟朋友一起吃晚饭。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān wǎnshang yào gēn péngyou yìqǐ chī wǎnfàn.
  • English: I'm going to have dinner with friends tonight.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how to express plans. “跟 (gēn)… 一起 (yìqǐ)” is a common structure meaning “together with…”
• Example 5:
  • 妈妈做的晚饭最好吃。
  • Pinyin: Māma zuò de wǎnfàn zuì hǎochī.
  • English: The dinner mom makes is the most delicious.
  • Analysis: The particle “的 (de)” connects the noun (晚饭) with the person who made it (妈妈做的 - what mom made). “最 (zuì)” means “most.”
• Example 6:
  • 六点半吃晚饭，可以吗？
  • Pinyin: Liù diǎn bàn chī wǎnfàn, kěyǐ ma?
  • English: Let's have dinner at 6:30, is that okay?
  • Analysis: A simple way to propose a time for dinner. “可以吗 (kěyǐ ma?)” is a polite way to ask for agreement.
• Example 7:
  • 我通常不吃晚饭，因为我想减肥。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ tōngcháng bù chī wǎnfàn, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng jiǎnféi.
  • English: I usually don't eat dinner because I want to lose weight.
  • Analysis: This example shows how to negate the action. “不吃 (bù chī)” means “don't eat.” “因为 (yīnwèi)” introduces a reason.
• Example 8:
  • 谢谢你的晚饭，太丰盛了！
  • Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ de wǎnfàn, tài fēngshèng le!
  • English: Thank you for the dinner, it was so sumptuous!
  • Analysis: A polite phrase to use after being treated to a meal. “丰盛 (fēngshèng)” is a great word for describing a rich, abundant meal.
• Example 9:
  • 别担心，晚饭我来做。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, wǎnfàn wǒ lái zuò.
  • English: Don't worry, I'll make dinner.
  • Analysis: The structure “我来 (wǒ lái) + verb” is a common and confident way to volunteer to do something. It implies, “Let me handle this.”
• Example 10:
  • 昨天的剩菜可以当今天的晚饭。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān de shèngcài kěyǐ dāng jīntiān de wǎnfàn.
  • English: Yesterday's leftovers can be today's dinner.
  • Analysis: This shows the flexibility of the word. “当 (dāng)” here means “to serve as” or “to be.” “剩菜 (shèngcài)” is a useful word for “leftovers.”

• “Meal” vs. “Rice”: The biggest confusion for beginners comes from the character 饭 (fàn). While it can mean “cooked rice” on its own, in the context of 早饭 (zǎofàn), 午饭 (wǔfàn), and 晚饭 (wǎnfàn), it always means “meal.” A common mistake is to think `晚饭` specifically means you are eating rice for dinner. While rice is a staple, `晚饭` refers to the entire meal, whether it includes rice, noodles, dumplings, or anything else.
  • Incorrect: 我晚饭只吃了面条，没吃饭。(Wǒ wǎnfàn zhǐ chīle miàntiáo, méi chī fàn.) - This sounds contradictory, like saying “For my dinner meal, I only ate noodles, I didn't eat a meal.”
  • Correct: 我晚饭吃了面条，没吃米饭。(Wǒ wǎnfàn chīle miàntiáo, méi chī mǐfàn.) - “For dinner, I ate noodles, not (white) rice.” Here you must specify 米饭 (mǐfàn) for “cooked rice.”
• 晚饭 (wǎnfàn) vs. 晚宴 (wǎnyàn): Do not use these interchangeably.
  • 晚饭 (wǎnfàn) is your everyday dinner. It's casual and common.
  • 晚宴 (wǎnyàn) is a “banquet” or “formal dinner party.” It implies a special occasion, multiple courses, guests, and a much grander scale. Inviting your friend for a casual weeknight meal using `晚宴` would sound strange and overly formal.

• 早饭 (zǎofàn) - Breakfast; the “morning meal.”
• 午饭 (wǔfàn) - Lunch; the “noon meal.”
• 吃饭 (chīfàn) - To eat a meal; the general verb phrase for eating.
• 做饭 (zuòfàn) - To cook; to make a meal.
• 夜宵 (yèxiāo) - A late-night snack, a smaller meal eaten after dinner.
• 晚宴 (wǎnyàn) - A formal dinner or banquet; used for special occasions.
• 聚餐 (jùcān) - A group meal; to get together to eat. Emphasizes the social gathering aspect.
• 请客 (qǐngkè) - To treat someone (to a meal, movie, etc.); to host. Often involves paying for someone's `晚饭`.
• 米饭 (mǐfàn) - Cooked rice. The specific food, not to be confused with `饭` in its meaning of “meal.”
• 开饭 (kāifàn) - To start a meal; “Dinner's served!” A verb indicating the meal is about to begin.