noun HSK 3
dinner · supper · evening meal
Meaning
晚餐 refers to the evening meal, typically the last main meal of the day eaten in the evening. It is one of the three main daily meals alongside breakfast (早餐) and lunch (午餐). In Chinese culture, dinner is often the most substantial meal when families gather together.
Usage
晚餐 is the standard, neutral term for dinner used in both formal and informal contexts. It's more formal than colloquial terms like 晚饭. Commonly used when discussing meal plans, restaurant reservations, or daily routines. Native speakers often ask 晚餐吃什么? (What are we having for dinner?).
Examples
- 01我们一般七点吃晚餐。.We usually eat dinner at seven o'clock.
- 02今天的晚餐很丰盛，有鱼有肉。, .Today's dinner is very sumptuous, with both fish and meat.
Characters
Measure words
- 顿一顿晚餐
- 餐一餐晚餐
Common collocations
- 吃晚餐to eat dinner
- 准备晚餐to prepare dinner
- 晚餐时间dinner time
- 丰盛的晚餐abundant/sumptuous dinner
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 晚 (evening) with 餐 (meal), literally meaning 'evening meal'. The character 餐 originally depicted food being eaten, making this a straightforward compound.