在餐厅 · At the Restaurant
Zài cāntīng — Ordering a meal — a useful real-world dialogue.
Read the story
Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.
服务员:您好,几位?
Waiter: Hello, how many people?
客人:两位,谢谢。
Customer: Two, please.
服务员:这边请,这是菜单。
Waiter: This way, please. Here's the menu.
客人:谢谢。请问什么菜好吃?
Customer: Thanks. May I ask what is good here?
服务员:我们的鸡肉很有名。
Waiter: Our chicken is very famous.
客人:好,来一份鸡肉。
Customer: Great, one order of chicken please.
服务员:要米饭吗?
Waiter: Would you like rice?
客人:要两碗,再来一个青菜。
Customer: Two bowls, and a vegetable dish too.
服务员:喝什么?
Waiter: What would you like to drink?
客人:两杯茶,谢谢。
Customer: Two cups of tea, thank you.
服务员:好的,请等一下。
Waiter: Alright, please wait a moment.
客人:服务员,买单!
(Later) Customer: Waiter, the check please!
Vocabulary in this story (38 words)
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 服务员 | fúwùyuán | waiter |
| 您好 | nín hǎo | hello (polite) |
| 几 | jǐ | how many |
| 位 | wèi | people (polite) |
| 客人 | kèrén | customer |
| 两 | liǎng | two |
| 谢谢 | xièxie | thank you |
| 这边 | zhèbiān | this way |
| 请 | qǐng | please |
| 这 | zhè | this |
| 是 | shì | is |
| 菜单 | càidān | menu |
| 请问 | qǐngwèn | may I ask |
| 什么 | shénme | what |
| 菜 | cài | dish |
| 好吃 | hǎochī | tasty |
| 我们 | wǒmen | our |
| 的 | de | (of) |
| 鸡肉 | jīròu | chicken |
| 很 | hěn | very |
| 有名 | yǒumíng | famous |
| 好 | hǎo | great |
| 来 | lái | bring |
| 一份 | yí fèn | one order |
| 要 | yào | want |
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | rice |
| 吗 | ma | (question) |
| 碗 | wǎn | bowls |
| 再 | zài | also |
| 一个 | yí ge | one |
| 青菜 | qīngcài | vegetable |
| 喝 | hē | drink |
| 杯 | bēi | cups |
| 茶 | chá | tea |
| 好的 | hǎo de | okay |
| 等 | děng | wait |
| 一下 | yíxià | a moment |
| 买单 | mǎidān | the bill |