饭碗 (fàn wǎn) — (literal) rice bowl; (figurative) job, liveliho… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

饭碗 literally means 'rice bowl' but is used figuratively for one's job or livelihood, especially one that puts food on the table. Closer in feel to 活 (informal 'work') than to the formal 工作 or the specific 职位/岗位.

noun

(literal) rice bowl(figurative) joblivelihood

Measure word · 个

Examples

饭碗。
Zhè ge fàn wǎn shì nǎi nai liú gěi wǒ de.
This rice bowl was left to me by my grandmother.
，饭碗。
Tā bù gǎn cí zhí, pà diū le fàn wǎn.
He doesn't dare quit for fear of losing his job.
饭碗。
Xiàn zài zhǎo gè wěn dìng de fàn wǎn bù róng yì.
Finding a stable job isn't easy nowadays.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

The parts for rice and bowl combine literally into a rice bowl, then extend to a job or way of making a living.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 飯; 饭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

食食shífood

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

反fǎn飯fàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 飯 combines 食 (food) with 反 for the sound; the simplified 饭 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical form.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

石宛碗

Meaning part形符xíngfú

石石shístone

Sound part声符shēngfú

宛

宛wǎn碗wǎn

Same sound today

碗 combines 石 (stone) with 宛. The 石 part relates to the meaning, and 宛 gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Kitchenware & Tableware Professions & Jobs

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