套餐

• Pinyin: tào cān
• Hanzi breakdown: 套 = 大 (big) + 长 (long) enclosed, suggesting something that wraps around; 餐 = 食 (food) + 歺 (broken bones, suggesting eating)

Meaning

Set meal; combo meal. A fixed combination of dishes or services sold together at a set price.

Widely used in restaurants, fast food chains, and cafeterias. A 套餐 typically bundles a main dish with side dishes or a drink at a discounted combined price. The word has also extended to other industries, such as phone plans (套餐) or service packages.

Examples

1. 这家餐厅的午餐套餐只要三十元，非常实惠。 This restaurant's lunch set meal costs only thirty yuan — very good value.
2. 我点了一个套餐，包括一碗面条、一杯饮料和一份小菜。 I ordered a set meal that includes a bowl of noodles, a drink, and a side dish.
3. 手机套餐里包含了每月五十个G的流量。 The phone plan includes fifty gigabytes of data per month.

Usage Guide

Context: dining, shopping, services

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我要一个A套餐，谢谢。(I'd like the Set A meal, thank you.)
• 这个套餐比单点便宜多了。(This combo meal is much cheaper than ordering separately.)

Don't Say

• 我要一个套饭。(Don't say 套饭 when referring to a set meal — the correct and standard term is 套餐.)

Origin & History

Compound of 套 (set/package) and 餐 (meal), literally 'package meal.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal