Chinese people often say "吃饭!" (Chī fàn!) which means "Let's eat!" or simply wait for the eldest or host to signal, while showing respect by inviting seniors to start with phrases like "请用筷子" (Qǐng yòng kuàizi), meaning "Please use your chopsticks," or "趁热吃" (Chèn rè chī), "Eat while it's hot," as there isn't one single, universal "bon appétit" equivalent like Japan's itadakimasu.
What do Chinese say before a meal? Chinese people usually do not say anything or pray before a meal. But if there are more senior people at the table, people will generally wait for the senior person to say ( kuài ) 快 ( chī ) 吃 ( ba ) 吧 (Let's eat), as a signal to start eating.
加油 (jiayou) is a Chinese phrase that is a word of encouragement. Its literal translation in English is "to add fuel." The juxtaposition between this Chinese saying and the English idiom, "add fuel to the fire, " offers an interesting perspective.
I think the equivalent is 我要開動了, which basically means “I'm going to have this meal”, but no one actually says that whereas Japanese people usually say “itadakimashu” even if they're eating alone. It's a cultural thing. 慢慢吃? We said "开动" in every Chinese region at every meal situation.
Ni hao (pronounced "nee haow") is the basic, default greeting in Mandarin Chinese. It is written as 你好 (nǐ hǎo). Ni hao's meaning is, literally, "you OK/good."
If you've been studying Mandarin for some time, you've probably heard of the “3-3” tone rule. This rule states that if two consecutive characters have a third tone, the first “third tone” character should be changed to the second tone. So, it goes from “3-3” to “2-3”.
semi-syllabary used for transcribing Chinese languages, particularly Mandarin. Zhuyin Fuhao, often shortened as zhuyin and commonly called bopomofo, is a type of sound-based writing for the Chinese language. In Chinese, "bo", "po", "mo" and "fo" are the first four of the conventional ordering of available syllables.
Five US dollars (around 35 Chinese Yuan) isn't a lot in China for tourists but is a meaningful amount for daily necessities, buying several street food meals or bus rides, though it won't go far in big cities for luxuries, varying greatly by location and type of purchase.
Never leave a full bowl, but also do not empty your bowl entirely—the former shows that you don't approve of the food, while the latter implies the host did not give you enough. Defer to the host. Sit, eat, and drink after the host and respected elders or honored people.
“Zai Jian” is composed of two Chinese characters: 再 (zài) meaning “again” and 见 (jiàn) meaning “to see.” Thus, the phrase translates literally to “see you again”. The phrase can be and is frequently used in both formal and informal contexts.
The term is a concatenation of the word "big" (Chinese: 大) and the word "mom" (simplified Chinese: 妈; traditional Chinese: 媽). Although the literal meaning of "dama" is "big mother", "big mom", or "big mama", a more accurate meaning is "auntie" though it has no precise English counterpart.
超市 (chāoshì) Supermarket (Beginner)
The character “超 (chāo)” means super and “市 (shì)” means market.
To say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 in Mandarin Chinese, you say yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ, liù, qī, bā, using the Chinese characters 一, 二, 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八.
Itadakimasu (Japanese: いただきます; IPA: [itadakimaꜜsɯ̥]) is a Japanese phrase that translates 'to humbly receive'. Often said before eating a meal, the phrase is used as a way of showing gratitude and respect for everyone and everything that made the meal in front of you possible.
The Japanese 80% rule, called Hara Hachi Bu (腹八分), is a Confucian teaching to stop eating when you're about 80% full, not stuffed, promoting mindful eating, moderation, and longevity, common in Okinawa, a region with many centenarians, helping to prevent overeating and support healthy digestion by allowing the brain time to register fullness.
是 is used like the English verb “to be” when you want to connect two nouns (or pronouns, or a mix) in a sentence to explain what something or someone is: 我是美国人。 (wǒ shì měi guó rén.) I am an American.
China's "3-hour rule" for minors restricts children under 18 to playing online video games for only three hours per week, specifically from 8 PM to 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, to combat gaming addiction and improve health. Implemented by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) in 2021, the rule mandates gaming companies use real-name verification and facial recognition to enforce limits, though some children bypass it using adult accounts.
Tipping in bars and restaurants is not expected in China, unlike in most countries in Europe and in the United States. The general rule is the service should be exceptional at all times, and with no expectation of extra pay. Tipping in China can be considered rude and frowned upon.
The "Three Ts" in China refer to the highly sensitive topics of Taiwan, Tibet, and Tiananmen Square, which are major taboos and subjects of strict censorship, with discussions often discouraged or forbidden due to their challenge to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) narrative and authority. Foreigners are often advised to avoid these topics to prevent discomfort, legal issues, or awkwardness with Chinese citizens.
For Cantonese speakers, 14 and 24 are considered unluckier than the individual 4, because 14 (Cantonese Yale: sahp sei) sounds like "will certainly die" (實死, Cantonese Yale: saht séi), and 24 (Cantonese Yale: yih sei) sounds like "easy to die" (易死, Cantonese Yale: yih séi).
Chinese English Pinyin Dictionary
Search with English, Pinyin, or Chinese characters. 伯伯 bó bo. father's elder brother uncle.
shòu jiè to take oaths as a monk (Buddhism) to take orders.
Fun fact: Taylor Swift's name in Chinese is Taile Siweifute 泰勒·斯威夫特, a transliteration of her English name. Her Chinese nickname is Meimei/霉霉, which means something like “unlucky,” although to my knowledge it is only used for Swift and not applied to other unlucky people.