PHRASES · RESTAURANT
Restaurant Chinese — Ordering food in Mandarin
Menu vocabulary, dish names, asking for the bill, and polite phrases for eating out in China.
67 entries
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
| Walking in & being seated | |
| nǐ你hǎo好，jǐ几wèi位？ | hello, how many people? (staff opener) |
| wǒ我men们sān三ge个rén人 | we're three people (sub the number you need) |
| yǒu有zuò座wèi位ma吗？ | do you have a table free? |
| yào要děng等duō多jiǔ久？ | how long's the wait? |
| wǒ我yǒu有yù预dìng订 | I have a reservation |
| wǒ我men们xiǎng想zuò坐kào靠chuāng窗de的wèi位zi子 | we'd like a window seat |
| kě可yǐ以zuò坐lǐ里miàn面ma吗？ | can we sit inside? |
| Looking at the menu | |
| qǐng请gěi给wǒ我cài菜dān单 | menu please |
| yǒu有yīng英wén文cài菜dān单ma吗？ | do you have an English menu? |
| yǒu有tú图piàn片cài菜dān单ma吗? | do you have a picture menu? |
| nǐ你men们yǒu有shén什me么tuī推jiàn荐？ | what do you recommend? |
| zhāo招pái牌cài菜shì是shén什me么？ | what's the signature dish? |
| zhè这ge个shì是shén什me么？ | what is this? (pointing at the menu) |
| zhè这ge个zěn怎me么yàng样？ | how is this one? |
| zhè这ge个là辣ma吗？ | is this spicy? |
| yǒu有sù素shí食ma吗？ | do you have vegetarian options? |
| yǒu有qīng清zhēn真cài菜ma吗？ | do you have halal food? |
| Ordering | |
| wǒ我yào要diǎn点cài菜 | I'd like to order |
| lái来yí一fèn份 | we'll have one order of … (the workhorse ordering verb) |
| wǒ我yào要yí一ge个 | I'll have one … |
| zài再lái来yí一ge个 | another one of … (ordering a second portion) |
| shǎo少là辣 | less spicy |
| bú不là辣 | no spice |
| duō多fàng放diǎn点là辣 | extra spicy |
| bú不yào要xiāng香cài菜 | no cilantro (very common request) |
| bú不yào要cōng葱 | no green onion |
| bú不yào要wèi味jīng精 | no MSG |
| wǒ我duì对huā花shēng生guò过mǐn敏 | I'm allergic to peanuts (sub any allergen) |
| wǒ我bù不chī吃là辣 | I don't eat spicy food |
| wǒ我bù不chī吃ròu肉 | I don't eat meat |
| Drinks | |
| hē喝diǎn点shén什me么？ | what would you like to drink? (staff) |
| yì一bēi杯shuǐ水 | a glass of water |
| yì一píng瓶pí啤jiǔ酒 | a bottle of beer |
| rè热shuǐ水 | hot water (the default Chinese-restaurant water) |
| bīng冰shuǐ水 | ice water (you usually need to ask explicitly) |
| chá茶 | tea |
| shén什me么chá茶？ | which tea? |
| kě可lè乐 | coke |
| During the meal | |
| fú服wù务yuán员 | waiter! (the universal call across China) |
| zài再lái来yì一píng瓶shuǐ水 | another bottle of water |
| kě可yǐ以jiā加diǎn点mǐ米fàn饭ma吗？ | can we get more rice? |
| zhè这ge个cài菜hái还méi没shàng上 | this dish hasn't come out yet |
| wǒ我men们děng等le了hěn很jiǔ久le了 | we've been waiting a long time |
| kě可yǐ以huàn换yí一xià下ma吗？ | can you swap this out? (something wrong with the dish) |
| qǐng请dǎ打bāo包 | please pack this to go |
| hé盒zi子yào要qián钱ma吗？ | is there a charge for the takeaway box? |
| Asking for the bill | |
| mǎi买dān单 | the bill! (loud, casual — universally understood) |
| jié结zhàng账 | settle the bill (slightly more formal than 买单) |
| yí一gòng共duō多shao少qián钱？ | how much in total? |
| kě可yǐ以shuā刷kǎ卡ma吗？ | can I pay by card? |
| kě可yǐ以yòng用Wēi微xìn信ma吗？ | can I pay with WeChat? |
| kě可yǐ以yòng用Zhī支fù付bǎo宝ma吗？ | can I pay with Alipay? |
| xiàn现jīn金 | cash |
| wǒ我men们AA | let's split the bill ("AA" is everyday Chinese for going Dutch) |
| wǒ我qǐng请kè客 | it's on me / I'll treat |
| yào要fā发piào票 | I need a receipt (the official tax receipt — useful for business expenses) |
| zhǎo找nǐ你de的qián钱 | your change (heard from staff handing it back) |
| Polite phrases & compliments | |
| hěn很hǎo好chī吃 | very tasty |
| tài太hǎo好chī吃le了 | so delicious |
| wǒ我chī吃bǎo饱le了 | I'm full |
| gòu够le了 | that's enough (politely declining more food) |
| màn慢man慢chī吃 | enjoy your meal (literally "eat slowly" — host's polite phrase) |
| gān干bēi杯 | cheers! (literally "dry the cup") |
| suí随yì意 | drink as you like / no pressure (gentle counter to 干杯) |
| xiè谢xie谢 | thank you |
| bú不yòng用le了，xiè谢xie谢 | no need, thanks (declining politely) |
| xià下cì次zài再lái来 | we'll come back (parting compliment to staff) |
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