点心(diǎn xin) - snack, dim sum in Mandarin

点心 (diǎnxin) covers small snacks and, in its most famous sense, dim sum, the small steamed and fried dishes served alongside tea in Cantonese restaurants. 点 (diǎn) here means "a little, a dot" and 心 (xīn) means "heart", so the compound is often glossed as "touching the heart" or "a little something", food that is not a full meal. Note that 心 (xīn) loses its tone here and is said neutrally, diǎnxin rather than diǎnxīn.

The word has two overlapping uses. Generally, 点心 (diǎnxin) means any light snack, a biscuit or a bun eaten between meals. In the specific context of Cantonese cuisine, 点心 (diǎnxin) is dim sum proper: 虾饺 (xiājiǎo, shrimp dumplings), 叉烧包 (chāshāo bāo, barbecue pork buns) and dozens of other small dishes, wheeled round on trolleys and ordered by pointing.

喝茶吃点心 (hē chá chī diǎnxin), "drink tea, eat dim sum", is the set phrase for the whole ritual, usually a leisurely weekend brunch with family rather than a quick bite.