We strive to offer you free Chinese learning resources. This series focuses on idioms and proverbs, which are rich in meaning and can be used in various situations. Today’s idiom is 「禮先一飯」, and its meaning and usage are explained below.
This time, we present the Chinese idiom 「禮先一飯」, with its definition and usage detailed below.
It means that one is older in etiquette. A meal is a metaphor for a very short period of time. It also means showing favor to others first in etiquette. Same as “ritual comes before meal”.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
lǐ xiān yī fàn
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
lai5 sin1 yat1 faan6
The sheer number of Chinese idioms and their varied meanings make them fascinating to study. Let these materials assist you as you advance your Chinese skills and understanding.
