Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 慢用 | mànyòng |
| 請慢用 / 请慢用 | qǐng mànyòng |
| 吃好喝好 | chīhǎohēhǎo |
These phrases are used to wish someone enjoyment of the meal they are about to eat. In a restaurant setting, 慢用 is the standard phrase used by waitstaff when placing food on a table. Other formal variations include 请慢慢享用 (Please enjoy it slowly) and 请用餐 (Please have your meal).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 慢用 literally means "use slowly".
Which one should you use?
慢用 is typically used by servers or hosts to guests. In contrast, 吃好喝好 is a more casual, hearty way to tell friends or family to enjoy their food and drink, meaning "eat well and drink well".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Adding 請 to the beginning to make 請慢用 makes the phrase a polite way to tell guests or customers to enjoy their meal. 吃好喝好 is the informal option used with friends and family.
How do you pronounce it?
mànyòng
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid translating "bon appétit" literally as 祝你胃口好 (which means "wish you a good appetite"), as this sounds unnatural in Chinese. Use 慢用 instead.
Did you know?
- In very casual settings, Chinese speakers may skip a formal 'bon appétit' phrase entirely and instead say 開飯了 ('the rice is ready'), which serves as the signal for everyone to begin eating.
- The character 用 in the phrase 慢用 literally means 'to use'. In a dining context, it acts as a formal and refined substitute for the more common verbs meaning 'to eat'.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of 'appetite' is often linked to physical health or desire, which is why phrases like 祝你胃口好 sound like a medical wish rather than a dining greeting.
Examples in context
- 您慢用。Nín màn yòng.Please enjoy your meal.
- 菜都上齐了，请慢用。Cài dōu shàng qí le, qǐng màn yòng.The dishes are all served, please enjoy.
- 热腾腾的汤，快慢用吧。Rè téng téng de tāng, kuài màn yòng ba.The soup is steaming hot, please enjoy it.
Example conversation
A waiter serves food to a couple at a restaurant.
- 浩然 Haoran这是您的招牌菜，请慢用。Zhè shì nín de zhāo pái cài, qǐng màn yòng.This is your signature dish, please enjoy your meal.
- 雨婷 Yuting谢谢你。Xiè xie nǐ.Thank you.
- 浩然 Haoran不客气，祝您用餐愉快。Bú kè qi, zhù nín yòng cān yú kuài.You're welcome, I wish you an enjoyable meal.
- 雨婷 Yuting好的，我们开动吧。Hǎo de, wǒ men kāi dòng ba.Okay, let's eat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bon appétit” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
