家常便饭

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: jiā cháng biàn fàn
• English Translation: Home-cooked meal (a commonplace occurrence)
• Idiom Composition: 「家」（Home or family）＋「常」（Ordinary, frequent, or daily）＋「便」（Simple, informal, or convenient）＋「饭」（Meal or food）
• Meaning: Originally referring to a simple, everyday meal prepared at home, this idiom is now primarily used as a metaphor for something that happens so frequently it is no longer surprising or remarkable.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「家常便饭」 contains the following nuances:

• Figurative Usage (Commonplace): In modern Chinese, this idiom is overwhelmingly used as a metaphor. It suggests that an event occurs with the same frequency and lack of fanfare as one's daily meals at home.
• Literal Meaning (Home Cooking): It can still refer literally to simple, non-extravagant food. This is often used to contrast home cooking with restaurant food or to show modesty when hosting guests.

3. Usage

「家常便饭」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing frequent occurrences: Used to describe situations like overtime, traffic, or minor failures that might be unpleasant but are so frequent that one is used to them.
  • Example:「对于程序员来说，加班熬夜已经是家常便饭了。」
    （For programmers, working overtime and staying up all night is already par for the course.）
• Humility and hospitality: Used when inviting guests to eat, expressing humility by suggesting the meal is nothing special, just ordinary food.
  • Example:「没什么好招待的，就是一顿家常便饭，请别介意。」
    （I have nothing special to treat you with, it's just a simple home-cooked meal, so please don't mind.）
• Habituation to an environment: Emphasizes that something which might surprise an outsider is perfectly normal for those within a specific environment or profession.
  • Example:「在这个地区，停电是家常便饭，大家都习惯了。」
    （In this region, power outages are a common occurrence, and everyone has grown used to them.）

Additional Examples:

1. 他在大城市生活，堵车对他来说早已是家常便饭。
   （Living in a big city, traffic jams have long been a routine part of life for him.）
2. 这种小感冒是家常便饭，多喝点水就好了。
   （A minor cold like this is nothing unusual; just drink plenty of water and you'll be fine.）
3. 虽然只是家常便饭，但妈妈做的味道总是最好的。
   （Although it's just a simple home meal, the taste of mom's cooking is always the best.）
4. 面对客户的刁难，这位资深销售早已视作家常便饭。
   （Facing unreasonable demands from clients, this veteran salesman has long regarded it as all in a day's work.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Origin: The phrase is associated with the Song Dynasty (宋朝) text He Lin Yu Lu (鹤林玉露), which contains the sentiment that 'ordinary official posts are easy to hold, and home-cooked food is good to eat.'
• Nuance: It is often used with a sense of stoicism or self-deprecation, especially when describing negative things like working late or facing difficulties that have become routine.
• Comparison: While 司空见惯 (sī kōng jiàn guàn) also means 'commonplace,' it is more formal and emphasizes the visual aspect of being 'used to seeing' something. 家常便饭 (jiā cháng biàn fàn) is more colloquial and carries a stronger sense of daily life.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 司空见惯 (sī kōng jiàn guàn): A common sight; something one is used to seeing. More formal than 家常便饭 (jiā cháng biàn fàn).link
  • 习以为常 (xí yǐ wéi cháng): To be accustomed to something so that it seems normal or natural.
  • 不足为怪 (bù zú wéi guài): Not worth being surprised at.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 千载难逢 (qiān zǎi nán féng): A rare opportunity that happens only once in a thousand years.
  • 百年不遇 (bǎi nián bú yù): Extremely rare; something that wouldn't be encountered even in a hundred years.
  • 不同寻常 (bù tóng xún cháng): Unusual or out of the ordinary.link
  • 大惊小怪 (dà jīng xiǎo guài): To make a fuss over a trivial matter.link

6. Summary

家常便饭 (jiā cháng biàn fàn) literally translates to "home-style simple food." In modern Chinese, it is a highly versatile colloquial expression used to describe events—often minor hardships, chores, or routine tasks—that have become a regular, expected part of one's life.