做饭
To cook
Wörtlich: Do/Make + Rice/Meal
Use `做饭` for any routine cooking at home or for friends in casual settings.
In 15 Sekunden
- The standard way to say 'to cook' in any daily context.
- Combines the verb 'to make' with the noun for 'meal'.
- Used for home cooking rather than professional culinary arts.
Bedeutung
This phrase is the bread and butter of daily life. It literally means 'to make food' or 'to cook a meal' for yourself or others.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Answering a phone call from a friend
我在做饭，等一下打给你。
I am cooking, I'll call you back in a bit.
Complimenting a partner's skill
你做饭做得真好吃！
The food you cook is really delicious!
A formal dinner invitation at home
今天晚上我亲自为您做饭。
I will personally cook for you this evening.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Chinese culture, 'rice' (饭) is synonymous with 'food' or 'a meal' because it has been the staple grain for millennia. The phrase reflects a deeply rooted agrarian history where preparing the daily meal was the central task of the household.
The 'Rice' Secret
Even if you are making pasta or tacos, you still say `做饭`. In Chinese, `饭` represents the concept of a meal, not just literal white rice.
Don't confuse 做 and 作
Always use `做` (to make/create) for cooking. `作` is usually for more abstract tasks or formal writing.
In 15 Sekunden
- The standard way to say 'to cook' in any daily context.
- Combines the verb 'to make' with the noun for 'meal'.
- Used for home cooking rather than professional culinary arts.
What It Means
做饭 is the most common way to say 'to cook' in Chinese. It is a verb-object phrase. 做 means to do or make. 饭 usually means rice, but here it represents any meal. If you are boiling water for noodles or stir-frying a feast, you are 做饭.
How To Use It
Use it as a standard verb. You can put people in front of it. You can add time words too. For example, 'I am cooking' is 我在做饭. If you want to say 'cook for someone,' use the structure 给 (someone) 做饭. It is simple and very flexible. Don't worry about the specific dish yet. This phrase covers the whole process from chopping to plating.
When To Use It
Use it every day. Use it when your mom calls to ask what you are doing. Use it when you are planning a dinner date. It works perfectly when texting friends about weekend plans. It is the go-to phrase for home cooking. If you are at home and food is being prepared, this is your word.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid using this for professional chefs in a five-star hotel. They use more formal terms like 烹饪. Also, don't use it if you are just 'preparing' a cold salad or pouring cereal. That feels a bit too low-effort for 做饭. If you are ordering at a restaurant, you don't 'cook' the food, the chef does. Don't say you are 做饭 if you are just the one eating it!
Cultural Background
In China, food is the ultimate love language. Asking 'Have you eaten?' is a common greeting. Therefore, 做饭 is a high-value skill. Traditionally, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Being told you 做饭 well is one of the best compliments you can receive. It implies you are caring and capable. It is not just a chore; it is a way to provide for the family.
Common Variations
You might hear 煮饭 in Southern China or Taiwan. It literally means 'boil rice' but functions the same way. If you want to be specific about the meal, you can change 饭. Use 做早饭 for breakfast or 做晚饭 for dinner. If you are 'good at cooking,' you say 会做饭. It is a simple swap that makes you sound much more natural.
Nutzungshinweise
This is a 'separable verb' (VO compound). You can insert words in the middle, like `做了一顿饭` (cooked a meal). It is perfectly safe for all casual and semi-formal conversations.
The 'Rice' Secret
Even if you are making pasta or tacos, you still say `做饭`. In Chinese, `饭` represents the concept of a meal, not just literal white rice.
Don't confuse 做 and 作
Always use `做` (to make/create) for cooking. `作` is usually for more abstract tasks or formal writing.
The Ultimate Compliment
If someone says you are `贤惠` (xiánhuì) while you are `做饭`, they are calling you a 'virtuous' and 'capable' person—it's a very traditional, high-level compliment.
Beispiele
6我在做饭，等一下打给你。
I am cooking, I'll call you back in a bit.
Uses '在' to show an ongoing action.
你做饭做得真好吃！
The food you cook is really delicious!
Uses the 'verb + 得' structure to describe the quality.
今天晚上我亲自为您做饭。
I will personally cook for you this evening.
Adding '亲自' (personally) and '您' (polite you) elevates the tone.
今天轮到你做饭了。
It's your turn to cook today.
Direct and informal for household management.
我不想做饭，我们点外卖吧。
I don't want to cook, let's just order takeout.
Relatable everyday laziness.
我给你做饭，你要多吃点。
I'm cooking for you, you need to eat more.
Shows affection through the act of cooking.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'I am learning to cook.'
我正在学习___。
`做饭` means to cook, while `吃饭` is to eat and `买饭` is to buy food.
How do you say 'cook breakfast'?
妈妈在厨房___。
`做早饭` specifically means making breakfast in the kitchen.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality of 'Cooking'
Texting friends or family
下厨 (xiàchú)
Everyday conversation
做饭 (zuòfàn)
Professional or culinary context
烹饪 (pēngrèn)
When to use 做饭
At Home
Preparing family dinner
Dating
Cooking for a partner
Chores
Deciding who cooks tonight
Hobbies
Learning new recipes
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, you can, but it might feel a bit 'heavy.' For simple things, some people just say 弄点吃的 (nòng diǎn chī de), which means 'fix something to eat.'
下厨 (xiàchú) literally means 'to go into the kitchen.' It sounds a bit more stylish or like you are doing it as a special treat rather than a daily chore.
Not really for the menu or the chef's title. For a restaurant setting, you'd use 烹饪 (pēngrèn) for the art of cooking or 厨师 (chúshī) for the chef.
You say 我不会做饭 (wǒ bù huì zuòfàn). This is a very common way to admit you rely on takeout!
Usually, baking is called 烘焙 (hōngbèi) or 做蛋糕 (zuò dàngāo). 做饭 implies a meal with savory dishes.
Only if you are talking about your personal life or hobbies. It's a neutral, everyday phrase, not a technical business term.
In this phrase, no. It means 'meal.' If you say 做米饭 (zuò mǐfàn), then you are specifically talking about steaming white rice.
You can say 做菜 (zuò cài). 菜 refers to the specific dishes/vegetables/meat, while 饭 refers to the whole meal.
It is understood everywhere. However, in the South, you will frequently hear 煮饭 (zhǔfàn) used interchangeably.
You can ask 今天晚上谁做饭？ (Jīntiān wǎnshàng shéi zuòfàn?).
Verwandte Redewendungen
做菜 (To cook dishes)
下厨 (To step into the kitchen/cook)
烹饪 (Culinary arts/cooking)
煮饭 (To cook rice/meals)
烧菜 (To cook/fry dishes)
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