Situations · 20 phrases · 4 min read
Chinese for restaurants
Restaurants are where most visitors first have to hold a real exchange in Mandarin. This page runs in the order the meal actually happens.
At the door
几位？jǐ wèi?how many of you?What you will be asked. 位 is the polite measure word for people.
两位liǎng wèitwo of us
有位子吗？yǒu wèizi ma?do you have a table?
我们等一下wǒmen děng yíxiàwe'll wait a moment
Ordering
菜单càidānthe menu
服务员fúwùyuánwaiter, excuse meCalled out across the room. It is how everyone gets attention.
这个是什么？zhège shì shénme?what is this one?
我们要这个wǒmen yào zhègewe'll have this
What is in it
辣吗？là ma?is it spicy?
不要辣bú yào lànot spicy, please
我不吃肉wǒ bù chī ròuI don't eat meat
我对花生过敏wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐnI'm allergic to peanuts
During the meal
再来一瓶啤酒zài lái yì píng píjiǔanother bottle of beer
米饭还没来mǐfàn hái méi láithe rice hasn't come yet
很好吃hěn hǎochīit's delicious
可以打包吗？kěyǐ dǎbāo ma?can we take the rest away?
Paying
买单mǎidānthe bill, please结账, jiézhàng, also works.
一共多少钱？yígòng duōshao qián?how much altogether?
可以扫码吗？kěyǐ sǎo mǎ ma?can I scan to pay?
我要发票wǒ yào fāpiàoI need an official receiptThe receipt used for business expenses.
What nobody tells you
Calling 服务员 is not rude
Raising a hand and waiting quietly can mean waiting a long time. Calling 服务员 across the room is how everyone gets a waiter's attention, and nobody will think twice about it.
Dishes are shared
Dishes arrive in the middle of the table and everyone takes from all of them. A rough guide is one dish per person plus rice, and ordering a single plate for yourself is unusual in a group.
Taking the rest away is normal
Asking for 打包 at the end of a meal is ordinary and not at all stingy. Restaurants expect it and will have boxes ready.