八宝饭 (bābǎofàn) · Eight Treasures Rice

Measure Word

一碗八宝饭 wǎn

Meanings

1 Eight Treasures Rice

Made with

糯米 nuòmǐ 红豆 hóngdòu 红枣 hóngzǎo 莲子 liánzǐ 葡萄干 pútaogān 猪油 zhūyóu

About the dish

Steamed glutinous rice layered with sweet red bean paste and topped with candied fruit, red dates, lotus seeds and raisins, turned out of a bowl and often glazed with syrup. Very sweet and sticky; the rice is mixed with sugar and lard.

Characters

Examples

HSK 3

过年的时候，奶奶总要做八宝饭。

Guònián de shíhou, nǎinai zǒng yào zuò bābǎofàn.

At Lunar New Year, Grandma always makes Eight Treasures Rice.

HSK 7-9

这碗八宝饭里有红枣、莲子和桂圆。

Zhè wǎn bābǎofàn lǐ yǒu hóngzǎo, liánzǐ hé guìyuán.

This bowl of Eight Treasures Rice has red dates, lotus seeds and longan.

Tips

culture

A steamed glutinous-rice dessert topped with eight kinds of candied fruit, nuts and seeds (red dates, lotus seeds, melon seeds, candied wintermelon, longan, raisins, walnuts, sweet bean paste - recipes vary). Standard at Lunar New Year reunion dinners; 八宝 invokes good fortune more than a literal count.