How to Write 膳 (shàn) — Meaning “meals; food”

Imagine "good meat" — the left part 月 means meat, and the right part 善 means good. So think of a delicious meal made with high-quality meat. Another trick: picture a chef saying "shan!" (善) as he serves a meat dish.

Write the left radical 月 first, with two short internal horizontal strokes. The right part 善 has many horizontal lines — keep them evenly spaced and not too long to avoid a messy look. A common mistake is making the 月 too wide or confusing the top of 善 with the character 羊.

All three share the 月 radical, but the right side differs: 膳 has 善 (relating to food), 朦 has 蒙 (meaning dim or hazy), and 膀 has 旁 (meaning side or shoulder). Their meanings are completely separate: 膳 is about meals, 朦 is about unclear vision, and 膀 is about body parts.

膳 is a formal or archaic term for meals, not commonly used in daily speech. It appears in words like 膳食 (diet), 早膳 (breakfast), and 用膳 (to dine), often in written menus, historical texts, or polite invitations. Culturally, it reminds people of ancient imperial cuisine, such as 御膳 (imperial meals).

Common words containing 膳 include: 膳食 (shàn shí) — diet; meals; 早膳 (zǎo shàn) — breakfast (formal or archaic); 用膳 (yòng shàn) — To have a meal; to dine (formal)..