你 们 好!
Nǐmen hǎo!

In this lesson, we will continue to learn about the Chinese food culture.

Sentences

请 来 碗 米 饭.
Qǐng lái wǎn mǐfàn. Please bring me a bowl of rice.

请 来 碗 面 条.
Qǐng lái wǎn miàntiáo. Please bring me a bowl of noodles.

慢 慢 吃!
Mànmàn chī! Enjoy your meal!

Vocabulary

càipǔ 菜 谱 = menu (n.)
kuàizi 筷 子 = chopsticks (n.)
chā 叉 = fork (n.)
dāo 刀 = knife (n.)
lái 来 = here: to bring (v.)
wǎn 碗 = bowl (noun and measure word)
mǐfàn 米 饭 = rice (n.)
miàntiáo 面 条 = noodles (n.)
hún tun 馄 饨 = wonton, ”dumpling soup” (n.)
jiǎozi 饺 子 = dumplings (n.)
mànmàn 慢 慢 = slowly (adv.)

Ordering dishes

When ordering dishes in a restaurant in China, it is proper to use the polite expression Qǐng lái… Qǐng means ”please” and the verb lái carries the meaning of ”to come”, but here also of ”to bring.” Qǐng lái = Please bring...

The Chinese usually order or prepare many dishes for each meal and the staple food is generally either rice or noodles or some other type of pasta (especially in the northern parts of the country).

Separate servings of rice and noodles are ordered for each person, but all the other delicacies are placed in the middle of the table for everybody to taste. The measure word for ordering rice or noodles is wǎn, ie. "bowl/cup." Qǐng lái wǎn miàntiáo = Please bring me a bowl of noodles.

The Chinese always use chopsticks, kuàizi, for eating, and sometimes a spoon to eat soup – although it is a well-known fact that the Chinese usually ”drink" the soup from the bowl, in which case no tools are needed. Only in some restaurants, for example in hotels, can you find forks and knives placed next to your plate. In case needed, you can always of course try your luck and ask: Yǒu dāo chā ma? (Do you have a knife and a fork?)

There have been some rumours circulating in China about foreigners carrying their own forks and knives in their hand bags or pockets....

When you are about to start eating, your Chinese table mate will extend the greeting mànmàn chī! Literally, it means ”eat slowly.” The idea is that you should enjoy your meal and make the best out of it. A Chinese dinner can indeed last for hours, as people like to chat a lot while eating - dining is in essence a social event for the Chinese. And of course, eating slowly is more healthy than stuffing your stomach in a hurry.

In our next lesson, we will pour some Chinese drinks to go with all that food...