碗

• Pinyin: wǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 碗 = 石 (stone) + 宛 (winding, phonetic) — originally a stone vessel; now a general word for bowl

Meaning

Bowl. A round, deep dish used for holding food, rice, or soup.

One of the most essential eating utensils in Chinese cuisine. Used for rice (饭碗), soup (汤碗), noodles, and other dishes. Also functions as a measure word for bowl-sized portions (一碗饭, a bowl of rice). The idiom 铁饭碗 (iron rice bowl) refers to a stable, secure job.

Examples

1. 请给我一个碗。 Please give me a bowl.
2. 她吃了两碗米饭。 She ate two bowls of rice.
3. 吃完饭要自己洗碗。 After eating, you should wash the bowls yourself.

Usage Guide

Context: food, dining, kitchen, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 再来一碗汤。(One more bowl of soup, please.)
• 这个碗很漂亮。(This bowl is very pretty.)

Don't Say

• 一碗咖啡 (Don't use 碗 for drinks that come in cups — use 杯 for coffee, tea, and other cup-served beverages)

Origin & History

Originally written with the stone radical (石), as early bowls were made from stone. 宛 (wǎn) serves as the phonetic component.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal