The Chinese people are very particular about eating. There is an old saying that says “food is the paramount necessity of the people”. This concept is also reflected in Chinese characters.

Study Chinese with Keats School: 食shí

The oracle bone character for “食” looks like a container filled with food. The character “食” can refer to either staple foods or all foods in general, as in the case in the expression “fèi qǐn wàn? shí”, meaning “to be so absorbed as to forget to eat and sleep”. “食” can also refer to the act of eating, as in the word “食堂shí tán?”, means “cafeteria or canteen”. Written as “饣” most characters that contain “食” as a component are related either to food or the act of eating. Examples include “yǐn饮 (to drink)”, “fàn饭(meal or rice)”, “饿 è(hungry)”, “饱bǎo (to be full)”.