茶余饭后

茶餘飯後
cháyú-fànhòu
idiom #48,180

Meanings

  1. 1 leisure time after meals
  2. 2 over tea and after dinner
  3. 3 in one's spare time (for casual conversation or activity)

Examples

HSK 6
Cháyú-fànhòu, dàjiā xǐhuan jù zài yìqǐ liáotiān.
In the leisure time after meals, everyone likes to get together and chat.
HSK 7-9
Zhè jiàn shì chéng le cháyú-fànhòu de tánzī.
This incident has become a topic of casual after-meal gossip.

Tips

history
From Guan Hanqing's Yuan-dynasty qu-song 《斗鹌鹑·女校尉》: 「茶余饭饱邀故友」 - 'after tea and meals, invite old friends.' The Yuan period's teahouse leisure culture is where the phrase took root.
usage
Typically modifies nouns: 茶余饭后话题/谈资/闲谈 ('after-dinner topic/gossip/chat'). Slightly literary - 饭后 or 闲暇时 would be more casual.

Stroke Order

chá
fàn
hòu