In Chinese culture, 早饭 (zǎofàn) is often considered the most important meal of the day, a concept summed up by the saying: “早餐要吃好，午餐要吃饱，晚餐要吃少” (zǎocān yào chī hǎo, wǔcān yào chī bǎo, wǎncān yào chī shǎo) - “Eat a good breakfast, a full lunch, and a small dinner.” Unlike the Western tendency towards cold, sweet breakfasts like cereal or toast with jam, a traditional Chinese 早饭 is almost always hot and savory. This is partly rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which advises starting the day with warm food to aid digestion and awaken the body's energy (气, qì). The experience of getting breakfast in China is also culturally distinct. It's a bustling, communal affair. Streets come alive in the morning with vendors selling freshly made delights like steamed buns (包子, bāozi), fried dough sticks (油条, yóutiáo), savory crepes (煎饼, jiānbing), and soy milk (豆浆, dòujiāng). While modern city life has introduced a “grab-and-go” culture similar to the West, the food itself remains quintessentially Chinese—fresh, hot, and full of flavor. It's less about a quick bowl of cereal and more about a warm, satisfying start to the day.
早饭 (zǎofàn) is an extremely common, everyday word used in all informal and most formal contexts. It's the default term for breakfast. You will use it constantly in daily conversations:
The word itself is neutral and carries no special connotation. It is simply a factual descriptor for the morning meal.