慢用
màn yòng
The English phrase "eat well" can be translated into Chinese as 慢用 (màn yòng).
慢用 is a polite way to tell a guest or a customer to enjoy their meal. It is commonly used by servers in restaurants or hosts when serving food to guests.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, 慢用 means "eat slowly".
Which one should you use?
While 慢用 is a polite way to say "enjoy your meal", 多吃点 is a more casual, warm way to encourage someone to eat more.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more informal way to say "eat well", you can use 吃得好. The phrase 饮食均衡 is a formal synonym for "eat well" that focuses on a balanced diet.
How do you pronounce it?
màn yòng
Did you know?
- While 慢用 is used for food, the same structure is used for other services, such as 慢走 to tell a guest to leave carefully and safely.
- In some regions, encouraging someone to 'eat more' with 多吃点 is a linguistic proxy for expressing affection or welcoming a guest into the family.
- The character 用 in 慢用 literally means 'to use', treating the act of eating as 'using' the meal provided.
Examples in context
- 请慢用。Qǐng màiyòng.Please enjoy your meal.
- 您慢用。Nín màiyòng.Please enjoy your meal (polite/formal).
- 菜已经上来了，请慢用。Cài yǐjīng shàng lái le, qǐng màiyòng.The food has arrived, please enjoy your meal.
Example conversation
A waiter serves a dish to a customer at a restaurant.
- 俊杰 Junjie这是您的鱼香肉丝，请慢用。Zhè shì nín de yú xiāng ròu sī, qǐng màn yòng.Here is your fish-flavored shredded pork, please enjoy your meal.
- 佳怡 Jiayi谢谢你。Xièxie nǐ.Thank you.
- 俊杰 Junjie不客气，需要什么请叫我。Bú kèqì, xūyào shénme qǐng jiào wǒ.You're welcome, please call me if you need anything.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，没问题。Hǎo de, méi wèntí.Okay, no problem.
