When animals look for food, we use 觅食 (mì shí). Think of a bird searching for worms or a squirrel gathering nuts. They are 觅食. People also 觅食 when they are looking for something to eat, especially in a more active or determined way, like exploring a new city for a good restaurant. It means they are actively seeking out food.
When we talk about animals looking for food, we use the word 觅食 (mì shí). It means 'to forage' or 'to seek food'. Think about a bird hopping around in the grass, looking for worms – that's 觅食!
You can also use 觅食 to describe people who are diligently looking for food, especially in a more adventurous or survival context, though it's more commonly used for animals.
§ What 觅食 (mì shí) means
- Definition
- to forage, to seek food
Alright, let's get into 觅食 (mì shí). This isn't a super common word you'll use every single day, but it's important to understand it because it comes up in specific contexts, especially when you're talking about animals or sometimes even people in a certain way. Think of it as 'foraging' or 'seeking food'. It's more about the act of searching for food, not just eating it.
§ Animals and 觅食 (mì shí)
The most common place you'll hear 觅食 (mì shí) is when talking about animals. Whether it's a documentary, a news report about wildlife, or even just a casual conversation about pets, this word describes how animals find their meals.
熊在森林里觅食。(Xiōng zài sēnlín lǐ mì shí.)
Translation hint: The bear is foraging in the forest.
鸟儿在清晨出来觅食。(Niǎor zài qīngchén chūlái mì shí.)
Translation hint: The birds come out in the early morning to forage.
§ People and 觅食 (mì shí) – A bit more nuanced
While primarily used for animals, you can sometimes hear 觅食 (mì shí) used for people, but usually with a slightly playful or descriptive tone, often implying a somewhat desperate or determined search for food, or just a general casual hunt for something to eat, especially when hungry. It's not the most common way to say 'go eat', so be careful how you use it.
- When you're really hungry and looking for anything.
- When describing a group of people looking for food in an informal setting, like at a festival or market.
我们去街上觅食吧！(Wǒmen qù jiē shàng mì shí ba!)
Translation hint: Let's go onto the street to find some food! (Implies a casual search, maybe for street food).
旅游时，我们总喜欢到当地市场觅食。(Lǚyóu shí, wǒmen zǒng xǐhuān dào dāngdì shìchǎng mì shí.)
Translation hint: When traveling, we always like to forage for food at local markets.
§ In News and Literature
You'll often encounter 觅食 (mì shí) in news articles, documentaries, or even nature-themed literature. It's the standard term for describing animal behavior related to food acquisition. It gives a sense of the struggle or the natural process of survival.
由于食物短缺，猴子们不得不跑到村子里觅食。(Yóuyú shíwù duǎnquē, hóuzi men bùdébù pǎodào cūnzǐ lǐ mì shí.)
Translation hint: Due to food shortages, the monkeys had no choice but to run to the village to forage.
Understanding 觅食 (mì shí) helps you grasp descriptions of natural phenomena and even some colorful expressions about human behavior. Remember, it's about the search for food, often with a hint of effort or necessity.
§ What Does 觅食 (mì shí) Mean?
- Chinese Word
- 觅食 (mì shí)
- CEFR Level
- B1
- Definition
- to forage, to seek food
The verb 觅食 (mì shí) literally means "to seek food." It's primarily used to describe animals looking for food, but you can also use it for humans in a more descriptive or slightly playful way when they're actively searching for something to eat, especially when the search is a bit of an effort.
鸟儿在树林里觅食。
(The birds are foraging in the woods.)
饿了一天，我终于找到地方觅食了。
(After being hungry all day, I finally found a place to seek food.)
§ Similar Words and When to Use Them
Chinese has several ways to talk about eating or looking for food. Here's how 觅食 (mì shí) compares to some common alternatives:
- 吃 (chī) - to eat: This is the most basic and general verb for eating. It describes the act of consuming food, without implying any search or effort.
我们去吃午饭吧。
(Let's go eat lunch.)
You would use 觅食 (mì shí) when the focus is on the active search for food, especially when referring to animals. You would use 吃 (chī) when the focus is simply on the act of eating.
- 找吃的 (zhǎo chī de) - to look for something to eat: This is a very common and direct way to say you're looking for food. It's more casual and frequently used in everyday conversation for humans.
我饿了，想出去找吃的。
(I'm hungry, I want to go out and look for something to eat.)
While 觅食 (mì shí) can be used for humans, 找吃的 (zhǎo chī de) is generally more natural and common when a person is just looking for a meal. 觅食 (mì shí) adds a layer of intensity or a more animal-like urgency to the search.
- 寻食 (xún shí) - to seek food: This is very similar to 觅食 (mì shí) in meaning and usage. Both 觅 (mì) and 寻 (xún) mean "to seek" or "to search." 寻食 (xún shí) is also primarily used for animals.
这些动物夜间出来寻食。
(These animals come out at night to seek food.)
In many contexts, 觅食 (mì shí) and 寻食 (xún shí) are interchangeable, especially when talking about animals. However, 觅食 (mì shí) might be slightly more common in everyday descriptions.
In summary:
- 觅食 (mì shí): Best for animals foraging. Can be used for humans in specific contexts, implying an active, sometimes challenging, search for food.
- 吃 (chī): General verb for eating. No implication of searching.
- 找吃的 (zhǎo chī de): Common and natural for humans looking for food.
- 寻食 (xún shí): Very similar to 觅食 (mì shí), often interchangeable for animals.
Choose 觅食 (mì shí) when the act of seeking food is emphasized, especially in nature or when describing a persistent, almost primal search. For everyday human hunger, simpler phrases like 找吃的 (zhǎo chī de) are usually more appropriate.
How Formal Is It?
"雄鹰在山谷中觅食。(Eagles forage in the valley.)"
"我们去前面找吃的吧。(Let's go find something to eat up ahead.)"
"鸟儿在树林里找食呢。(The birds are looking for food in the woods.)"
"小猫咪饿了，要去外面找饭饭。(The little kitten is hungry and needs to go outside to find some food.)"
재미있는 사실
This term is commonly used for animals, but can also be applied to humans in a more evocative or literary sense, suggesting a primal act of seeking sustenance.
수준별 예문
熊妈妈带着幼崽到森林里觅食。
The mother bear took her cubs to forage in the forest.
这些鸟儿每天都在草地上觅食。
These birds forage on the grass every day.
饥饿的流浪狗在垃圾堆里觅食。
The hungry stray dog foraged in the garbage pile.
蜜蜂在花丛中忙碌地觅食，采集花蜜。
Bees are busy foraging among the flowers, collecting nectar.
在野外，动物们需要自己觅食才能生存。
In the wild, animals need to forage for themselves to survive.
清晨，渔民们出海觅食，捕捞新鲜海产。
In the early morning, fishermen go out to sea to forage, catching fresh seafood.
这次露营，我们得自己动手觅食，体验野外生活。
For this camping trip, we have to forage for ourselves and experience life in the wild.
老鹰在高空中盘旋，寻找地面的猎物觅食。
The eagle circled high in the sky, looking for prey on the ground to forage.
어휘 가족
명사
동사
어원
The character '觅' (mì) means 'to seek' or 'to look for', and '食' (shí) means 'food'.
원래 의미: The combination directly conveys the meaning of 'seeking food'.
Sino-Tibetan, Sinitic, Chinese문화적 맥락
In Chinese culture, the act of '觅食' (mì shí) for animals is often seen as a natural and essential part of their existence. While primarily used for non-human animals, it can metaphorically describe a person's diligent search for food or a livelihood, carrying a subtle connotation of resourcefulness and survival.
실생활에서 연습하기
실제 사용 상황
Animals looking for food in nature.
- 熊在森林里觅食。
- 鸟儿在树林里觅食。
- 蜜蜂在花丛中觅食。
People looking for food in a survival situation.
- 他们在野外觅食。
- 饥饿的士兵在战场上觅食。
- 灾民在废墟中觅食。
Figurative use: searching for opportunities or resources.
- 他在商场上觅食新的商机。
- 这些公司都在全球范围内觅食人才。
- 艺术家们在城市里觅食创作灵感。
Talking about pets looking for food.
- 我的猫在厨房里觅食。
- 狗在花园里觅食。
- 仓鼠在笼子里觅食。
Discussing how different cultures or regions forage for food.
- 原住民通过狩猎和觅食来获取食物。
- 在某些文化中，人们仍然会去森林里觅食野生食物。
- 这个地区的人们以觅食为生。
대화 시작하기
"你有没有在野外觅食的经历？"
"你觉得哪些动物觅食的时候最有趣？"
"如果让你去一个荒岛，你会怎么觅食？"
"在你的文化中，有没有和觅食相关的传统或活动？"
"你认为现代社会中，人们还有必要学习觅食的技能吗？"
일기 주제
描述一次你或你认识的人“觅食”食物的经历，无论是真的去野外寻找，还是在家里翻箱倒柜找零食。
想象你是一种动物。你会选择在哪里觅食？你会觅食什么？
写一写你对“觅食”这个词的理解。你觉得它只是指寻找食物，还是有更深层的含义？
思考一下，在当今社会，人们在哪些方面还在进行“觅食”？（例如：寻找工作，寻找信息等）
如果你有机会和一位野外生存专家学习觅食技巧，你最想学什么？
셀프 테스트 30 질문
小鸟在树林里做什么？
小鸟通常会在树林里找吃的，所以是“觅食”。
饥饿的动物会去哪里觅食？
饥饿的动物会在它们的自然栖息地寻找食物，也就是野外。
农民伯伯的鸡在院子里做什么？
鸡通常会在院子里找小虫子或者谷物吃，这是觅食的行为。
小猫咪喜欢在家里觅食。
猫咪会在家里寻找食物，比如猫粮或者小零食。
人们在餐厅吃饭不是在觅食。
“觅食”是寻找食物的意思。虽然在餐厅吃饭是直接获取食物，但也包含了寻找食物、满足食欲的过程。
秋天的时候，熊会努力觅食，为冬天做准备。
熊在冬天冬眠前会大量进食，储备能量，这个过程就是觅食。
The little bird is foraging in the forest.
It's hard for animals to forage in winter.
The mother bear takes her cubs to forage together.
Read this aloud:
他们在野外觅食。
Focus: mì shí
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
蜜蜂在花丛中觅食。
Focus: mì fēng
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
小鸡在院子里觅食。
Focus: yuàn zi
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Imagine you are a little bird. Write two sentences about what you do in the morning to find food. Use simple sentences.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我是一只小鸟。我早上出去觅食。
Your pet cat is hungry. Write two sentences describing how your cat might look for food around the house. Use '觅食'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我的猫饿了。它在家觅食。
Think about a small animal you like. Write a sentence saying where and when this animal might forage for food. Use '觅食'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
小松鼠在树林里觅食。
公园里的鸟早上在做什么？
Read this passage:
公园里有很多鸟。早上，它们飞到草地上觅食。它们找虫子吃。
公园里的鸟早上在做什么？
文章中说“早上，它们飞到草地上觅食。”意思是它们在找食物。
文章中说“早上，它们飞到草地上觅食。”意思是它们在找食物。
为什么小动物冬天很难觅食？
Read this passage:
冬天来了，天气很冷。小动物们很难觅食。所以它们需要多储存食物。
为什么小动物冬天很难觅食？
文章中说“冬天来了，天气很冷。小动物们很难觅食。”
文章中说“冬天来了，天气很冷。小动物们很难觅食。”
农场里的鸡每天早上吃什么？
Read this passage:
农场里有几只鸡。每天早上，它们都在地上觅食，寻找小虫子和谷物。
农场里的鸡每天早上吃什么？
文章中说“它们都在地上觅食，寻找小虫子和谷物。”
文章中说“它们都在地上觅食，寻找小虫子和谷物。”
The little bird is foraging in the forest.
It's hard for animals to forage in winter.
They are foraging outdoors, looking for edible plants.
Read this aloud:
熊在觅食，准备过冬。
Focus: mì shí
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
农民会带着猪去地里觅食。
Focus: mì shí
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
这些昆虫喜欢在潮湿的土壤里觅食。
Focus: mì shí
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Imagine you are a bird looking for food in a park. Describe what you are doing using '觅食'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我是一只小鸟，正在公园里觅食。我在草地上跳来跳去，希望能找到一些虫子或种子。
Write a short sentence about an animal foraging in its natural habitat using '觅食'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
熊在森林里觅食，寻找浆果和鱼。
Describe a scenario where a person might be '觅食' in a non-literal sense, like searching for information or opportunities.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
他为了找到一份好工作，每天都在网上积极觅食，寻找招聘信息。
小鸟们在树林里觅食是为了什么？
Read this passage:
春天来了，小鸟们纷纷从南方飞回，它们开始在树林里忙碌地觅食，准备筑巢生蛋。
小鸟们在树林里觅食是为了什么？
文章中明确提到“准备筑巢生蛋”。
文章中明确提到“准备筑巢生蛋”。
为什么农民伯伯要让鸡在院子里觅食？
Read this passage:
农民伯伯养了一群鸡，每天早上都会把它们放出来，让它们在院子里觅食。这样，鸡可以吃到新鲜的虫子和青草。
为什么农民伯伯要让鸡在院子里觅食？
文章中提到“这样，鸡可以吃到新鲜的虫子和青草”。
文章中提到“这样，鸡可以吃到新鲜的虫子和青草”。
流浪猫狗在街头觅食主要寻找什么？
Read this passage:
城市里虽然没有大片的森林，但有些流浪猫狗仍然需要在街头觅食，寻找人们丢弃的食物残渣。
流浪猫狗在街头觅食主要寻找什么？
文章中明确提到“寻找人们丢弃的食物残渣”。
文章中明确提到“寻找人们丢弃的食物残渣”。
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
예시
鸟儿在地上觅食。
