薯片

• Pinyin: shǔ piàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 薯 = potato, tuber; 片 = slice, chip — potato chips

Meaning

Potato chips; crisps. Thin slices of potato that are fried or baked until crispy.

A common snack food, available in many flavors like 原味 (original), 番茄味 (tomato), 烧烤味 (BBQ). Major brands include 乐事 (Lay's) and 品客 (Pringles). Distinguished from 薯条 (french fries) which are stick-shaped. Also called 洋芋片 in some regions.

Examples

1. 看电影的时候他总喜欢吃薯片配可乐。 He always likes to eat chips with cola when watching movies.
2. 这种薯片的热量很高，吃多了容易发胖。 This type of chip is high in calories; eating too many makes you gain weight easily.
3. 超市货架上摆满了各种口味的薯片。 The supermarket shelves are filled with chips of various flavors.

Usage Guide

Context: food, snacks, casual

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你要什么口味的薯片？(What flavor of chips do you want?)
• 薯片吃太多对身体不好。(Eating too many chips is bad for your health.)

Don't Say

• 红薯片不是'薯片'，是'红薯干' (Dried sweet potato slices aren't called 薯片 — use 红薯干; 薯片 specifically means potato chips)

Origin & History

Compound of 薯 (potato, tuber) + 片 (slice, chip). Literally 'potato slices.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal