noun HSK 2
breakfast
Meaning
早餐 means breakfast, the first meal of the day eaten in the morning. It is composed of 早 (early) and 餐 (meal), literally meaning 'early meal.' This is the standard, formal term for breakfast in Mandarin Chinese.
Usage
早餐 is used in both spoken and written contexts. In casual speech, people often use 早饭 (zǎo fàn) as a more colloquial alternative. Common phrases include 吃早餐 (eat breakfast) and 早餐时间 (breakfast time). It's used in restaurants, hotels, and everyday conversation when discussing morning meals.
Examples
- 01你今天吃早餐了吗？?Did you eat breakfast today?
- 02酒店提供免费早餐。.The hotel provides free breakfast.
Characters
Measure words
- 顿一顿早餐
- 份一份早餐
Common collocations
- 吃早餐to eat breakfast
- 早餐时间breakfast time
- 准备早餐to prepare breakfast
- 自助早餐buffet breakfast
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 早 (early) with 餐 (meal), a straightforward compound that literally describes the timing of the meal. 餐 is a formal character for meals, used in restaurant and dining contexts.