dà mǐ
rice
我喜歡吃大米飯。
wǒ xǐhuān chī dà mǐ fàn.
I like to eat rice.
大米是中國人的主食。
dà mǐ shì zhōngguó rén de zhǔshí.
Rice is the staple food of the Chinese people.
大米可以做成各種各樣的美食。
dà mǐ kěyǐ zuò chéng gè zhǒng gè yàng de měishí.
Rice can be made into a variety of delicacies.
稻米 (dàomǐ)
rice
白米 (báimǐ)
white rice
小麦 (xiǎomài)
wheat
玉米 (yùmǐ)
corn
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The Chinese word 大米 (dàmǐ) for "rice" is composed of two characters: 大 (dà) meaning "big" and 米 (mǐ) meaning "rice". The character 大 is often used to indicate size or quantity, while 米 refers to the grain itself. Together, 大米 literally means "big rice", which is a reference to the larger size of rice grains compared to other grains like wheat or barley. This term is commonly used in China to refer to uncooked rice, while the term 米饭 (mǐfàn) is used for cooked rice.The character 大 has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). In its original form, 大 represented a person with outstretched arms, symbolizing greatness or largeness. Over time, the character evolved to its current form, which is still used today.The character 米 also has a long history, dating back to the oracle bone script as well. In its original form, 米 represented a single grain of rice. Over time, the character evolved to its current form, which is still used today.The combination of 大 and 米 to form 大米 is a relatively recent development, dating back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). This term quickly gained popularity and is now the standard term used in China to refer to uncooked rice.
