HSK 1 · Article · 219 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-order-food-in-a-chinese-restaurant

怎么点菜？

How to order food in a Chinese restaurant

Name: ________________ Date: ________

在中国吃饭，点菜的时候说什么？我们一个一个来看。

第一个：“服务员！”你坐下了，想点菜，可以说“服务员”，也可以说“你好”。

第二个：“有什么好吃的？”菜太多了，不知道吃什么？问问服务员吧。

第三个：“我要这个。”不知道菜的名字？没关系。那边的人吃的菜，你也想吃？说“我要那个”。

第四个：“再来一个。”包子太好吃了？说“再来一个”！

第五个：“买单！”吃好了，说“买单”。

有一天，你和韩先生、黎先生去吃饭。吃好了，你说：“买单！”

黎先生说：“不，不，不，今天我请！”你说：“不，今天我请你们！”他说：“我请！我请！”

你们说了十分钟。韩先生呢？他不见了。

服务员来了：“韩先生买单了。”

你看，在中国，买单的人不说“买单”。

Key words

Eating out in China: what do you say when you order? Let's take it one at a time.

Number one: “Fúwùyuán!” Once you've sat down and want to order, you can say fúwùyuán (waiter), or you can say nǐ hǎo (hello).

Number two: “What's good here?” Too many dishes, and you don't know what to eat? Ask the waiter.

Number three: “I'll have this.” Don't know the name of the dish? No problem. Want what the people over there are eating? Say, “I'll have that.”

Number four: “One more.” The buns are too good? Say, “One more!”

Number five: “Mǎidān — the bill!” When you've finished, say mǎidān.

One day you go out to eat with Mr Han and Mr Li. When you've finished, you say, “The bill!”

Mr Li says, “No, no, no, today it's on me!” You say, “No, today I'm treating you!” He says, “My treat! My treat!”

You go on like this for ten minutes. And Mr Han? He's gone.

The waiter comes over: “Mr Han has paid.”

You see: in China, the one who pays the bill doesn't say mǎidān.