1. 主食 Staple food
主食
zhǔ shí
staple food
(Main + Food)
米饭
mǐ fàn
(cooked) rice
(Rice (grain) + Food/Meal)
粥
zhōu
congee / porridge
(The character depicts grain between two streams of water or steam, indicating soft-boiled grain)
面条/面
miàn tiáo / miàn
noodles
(Flour/Surface + Strip / Flour/Surface)
包子
bāo zi
steamed bun with filling
(Wrap/Bag + Noun suffix)
馒头
mán tou
steamed bun
(Steamed bun + Head (originally referring to a ritual food shaped like a head))
饺子
jiǎo zi
dumplings
(Horn-shaped/Dumpling + Noun suffix)
馄饨
hún tun
wonton
(Phonetic transliteration)
油条
yóu tiáo
deep-fried dough stick
(Oil + Strip)
煎饼
jiān bǐng
pancake
(Pan-fry + Round flat cake)
烧饼
shāo bǐng
baked flatbread
(Roast/Bake + Round flat cake)
春卷
chūn juǎn
spring roll
(Spring + Roll)
炒饭
chǎo fàn
fried rice
(Stir-fry + Rice/Meal)
炒面
chǎo miàn
fried noodles
(Stir-fry + Noodles/Flour)
面包
miàn bāo
bread
(Flour/Noodle + Wrap/Bag)
汉堡
hàn bǎo
hamburger
(Phonetic (Han + Fortress/Burg))
三明治
sān míng zhì
sandwich
(Phonetic (Three + Clear + Rule/Govern))
披萨
pī sà
pizza
(Phonetic (Drape/Spread + Sough/Wind-sound))
意大利面
yì dà lì miàn
pasta / spaghetti
(Italy + Noodles/Flour)
蛋糕
dàn gāo
cake
(Egg + Cake/Paste)
饼干
bǐng gān
biscuit / cookie
(Round flat cake + Dry)
方便面
fāng biàn miàn
instant noodles
(Convenient + Noodles/Flour)
