零食

língshí

noun HSK 4 #8,895

Meanings

Literally 'fragmentary food' — small bits of food eaten between meals

Wǒ hěn xǐhuan chī língshí.

I really like eating snacks.

Kàn diànyǐng de shíhou yīdìng yào mǎi língshí.

You must buy snacks when watching a movie.

Yīshēng shuō shǎo chī língshí duì shēntǐ hǎo.

The doctor said eating fewer snacks is good for your health.

culture

Popular Chinese snacks include 辣条 (làtiáo, spicy strips), 瓜子 (guāzǐ, sunflower seeds), and 话梅 (huàméi, preserved plum).

usage

零食 is the general word for snacks. For specific types: 小吃 (xiǎochī) refers more to street food or local snack dishes.

零 líng

食 shí