餐饮

• Pinyin: cān yǐn
• Hanzi breakdown: 餐 (meal) + 饮 (drink)

Meaning

Catering; food and beverage industry; dining services.

Refers to the food service industry as a whole, including restaurants, catering, and food delivery. Often used in business and industry contexts rather than everyday conversation.

Examples

1. 餐饮行业受到疫情的严重影响。 The food and beverage industry was severely affected by the pandemic.
2. 他在餐饮业工作了二十多年。 He has worked in the catering industry for more than twenty years.
3. 这家公司主要经营餐饮服务。 This company mainly operates food service businesses.

Usage Guide

Context: business, industry, economics

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 餐饮业竞争很激烈。(The food and beverage industry is very competitive.)
• 他是餐饮界的知名人物。(He's a well-known figure in the catering industry.)

Don't Say

• 日常说'去餐饮'——应该说'去吃饭'或'去餐厅' (Don't say 去餐饮 in daily speech — say 去吃饭 or 去餐厅 instead)

Origin & History

Compound of 餐 (meal) + 饮 (drink), together meaning 'food and drink' or the food service industry.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal