吃
chī
to eat
Type: VerbsHSK 1
Mouth (口) + 乞 (to beg). Literally the mouth asking for food. The right-hand part also lends the sound (qi).
The most common greeting in China is 'Have you eaten?' (你吃了吗？), a way of asking how you are. No detailed answer is expected — just a 'yes, thanks'.
口kǒumouth
乞qǐto beg
我吃米饭。
Wǒ chī mǐfàn.
I eat rice.
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