{"id":14744,"date":"2019-05-16T16:00:38","date_gmt":"2019-05-16T20:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=14744"},"modified":"2019-05-16T16:00:38","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T20:00:38","slug":"eating-out-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/eating-out-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Must-Know Questions for Eating Out in China"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re at a beginner level of Chinese, one of the most intimidating experiences is going out to a local restaurant. You show up to a crowded, noisy place and glance at the menu on the wall. It’s nothing but Chinese characters. The waiter asks you a question, and you have no idea what he just said. Looking around, you notice a few people giggling at you, the helpless lao wai<\/em>. Before you give up hope and go order McDonald’s for lunch, read on for a list of 7 must-know questions for eating out in China.<\/p>\n

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Ugh… English menu, please! (Photo by Sasha Savinov)<\/p><\/div>\n

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1. \u4f60\u4eec\u51e0\u4f4d?
\nn\u01d0 men j\u01d0 w\u00e8i?
\nHow many of you?<\/h3>\n

This is the first question you’ll get in any restaurant where you have to get a table and be waited on. It’s easy enough to answer this one. Just say “\u6211\u4eec… \u4f4d” (w\u01d2 men… w\u00e8i) with the number in the middle. For example, “\u6211\u4eec\u4e09\u4f4d” (w\u01d2 men s\u0101n w\u00e8i) means “There are 3 of us.”<\/p>\n

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2. \u4f60\u6709\u82f1\u6587\u83dc\u5355\u5417\uff1f
\nn\u01d0 y\u01d2u y\u012bng w\u00e9n c\u00e0i d\u0101n ma
\nDo you have an English menu?<\/h3>\n

There’s no shame in asking this question! Sure, you want to learn the Chinese characters (I recommend starting with the 100 most common<\/a>), but you don’t want to end up ordering chicken feet when you’re super hungry.<\/p>\n

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Spicy temptation of frog. (Photo by Sasha Savinov)<\/p><\/div>\n

While you won’t find English menus in hole-in-the-wall joints, many restaurants do have an English menu. Actually, many of them have a Chinglish menu<\/a>. While not exactly helpful for ordering food, these can at least provide a good laugh!<\/p>\n