Meaning of 零食
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- snack; nibbles
How to use 零食
零食 is the everyday word for snacks like chips, candy, or nuts eaten between meals. It often pairs with the verb 吃 (chī) or the measure phrase 一些 (yìxiē). Example: 孩子不要吃太多零食。(Háizi bú yào chī tài duō língshí.) Children should not eat too many snacks.
零 (líng) means zero or small scattered bits, and 食 (shí) means food. A snack is food in little bits, eaten outside of proper meals.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes say 小吃 (xiǎochī) when they mean packaged snacks. 小吃 usually means local street food or small dishes, while 零食 is junk food or treats you munch on at home.
零食 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
零 líng · zero · 13 strokes
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食 shí · food · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 零食.
| 食物 | shíwù | food |
| 零下 | líng xià | below zero (esp. temperature) |
| 食品 | shípǐn | foodstuff; food; provisions |
| 美食 | měishí | culinary delicacy; fine food |
| 粮食 | liángshi | foodstuff; cereals |
| 食堂 | shítáng | dining hall; cafeteria |
| 饮食 | yǐnshí | eating and drinking; food and drink; diet |
| 食欲 | shíyù | appetite |
| 零钱 | língqián | change (of money); small change |
| 零件 | língjiàn | part; component |
| 孤零零 | gūlínglíng | lone; isolated and without help |
| 食用 | shíyòng | to eat; to consume; edible |
Questions about 零食
What does 零食 mean?
零食 (língshí) means "snack; nibbles" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 零食?
零食 is made of 2 characters: 零 (13 strokes), 食 (9 strokes). That is 22 strokes in total.
Is 零食 an HSK word?
Yes. 零食 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 零食 and 点心?
点心 (diǎnxin) usually means pastries or dim sum, often served with tea. 零食 is a broader, casual word for any snack food eaten between meals.
How do I say I like eating snacks in Chinese?
You can say 我喜欢吃零食 (wǒ xǐhuan chī língshí). People also say 我爱吃零食 (wǒ ài chī língshí) for a stronger feeling.