米粉 (mǐ fěn) literally means 'rice powder' or 'rice flour', but in everyday usage it refers to thin, soft noodles made from rice flour and water. The character 米 (mǐ) means 'rice', indicating the primary ingredient, while 粉 (fěn) means 'powder' or 'starch-based food', pointing to its texture and preparation method. Unlike wheat-based noodles, rice noodles are gluten-free, translucent when cooked, and commonly used in soups, stir-fries, and cold salads.

This term is widely used across southern China — especially in Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guangdong — and features prominently in regional dishes like Guilin rice noodles (桂林米粉) and Yunnan crossing-the-bridge rice noodles (云南过桥米线). It’s also popular in Southeast Asian cuisines (e.g., Vietnamese phở uses similar noodles). While 米粉 can occasionally refer to rice flour in cooking contexts, in most daily conversations and restaurant menus, it means 'rice noodles'.