Core Characters 核心汉字

吃
chī
to eat
6 strokesRadical: 口HSK 1
Stroke order & handwriting practice

喝
hē
to drink
12 strokesRadical: 口HSK 1
Stroke order & handwriting practice

饭
fàn
cooked rice / meal
7 strokesRadical: 饣HSK 1
Stroke order & handwriting practice

菜
cài
dish / vegetable
11 strokesRadical: 艹HSK 1
Stroke order & handwriting practice

Common Words 常用词

吃饭
chī fàn
to eat a meal
HSK 1

米饭
mǐ fàn
cooked rice
HSK 1

中国菜
zhōng guó cài
Chinese food
HSK 1

Dialogue 对话

A: 你吃什么? (nǐ chī shén me — What are you eating?)

B: 我吃米饭。 (wǒ chī mǐ fàn — I’m eating rice.)

Tip: 「饭」指一顿饭或米饭;「菜」指菜肴。中文说「吃饭」而不是「吃rice」——这是很好的文化点。