快餐

• Pinyin: kuài cān
• Hanzi breakdown: 快 (kuài) — fast, quick; 餐 (cān) — meal, food

Meaning

Fast food. Food that can be prepared and served quickly, typically from restaurants or takeout shops.

Refers to both Western fast food chains and Chinese quick-service restaurants. In China, this includes not only places like McDonald's but also local noodle shops and boxed meal vendors.

Examples

1. 中午我们吃快餐吧。 Let's eat fast food for lunch.
2. 他不喜欢吃快餐。 He doesn't like eating fast food.
3. 这附近有快餐店吗？ Is there a fast food restaurant nearby?

Usage Guide

Context: dining, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 快餐又便宜又方便。(Fast food is both cheap and convenient.)
• 我今天想吃快餐。(I want to eat fast food today.)

Don't Say

• 不要把所有简单的饭叫快餐 (Don't call all simple meals 快餐 — home-cooked simple meals are not fast food)

Origin & History

Compound of 快 (fast, quick) and 餐 (meal, food). A modern term reflecting the influence of fast food culture.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal