我想吃东西
wǒ xiǎng chī dōngxi
In Chinese, the phrase for 'I want food' is 我想吃东西 (wǒ xiǎng chī dōngxi).
Use 我想吃东西 to express a general desire to eat something, often when you feel a general hunger or a desire for snacks rather than a specific meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'I want to eat things'.
Which one should you use?
By using 东西, the phrase sounds more general and less specific than if you were to name a particular food.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this context, 东西 functions as a generic noun meaning 'thing' or 'stuff'.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ xiǎng chī dōngxi
Did you know?
- The word 东西 (dōngxi) literally translates to 'east-west', a term used to describe 'things' or 'objects' in a way that seems geographically nonsensical to English speakers.
- In Chinese culture, instead of asking 'do you want food', a host might ask 你吃饭了吗? which means 'Have you eaten yet?', as a way of showing care.
- If you are extremely hungry and want to say you are 'starving', you might say you are 'dead from hunger', using 饿死了 (è sǐ le), where 'death' is used as an intensifier.
Examples in context
- 请给我一份饭。Please give me a serving of food.
- 我想吃面条。I want to eat noodles.
- 我饿了，要吃炒饭。I'm hungry, I want to eat fried rice.
- 我想吃东西了。Wǒ xiǎng chī dōngxi le.I want to eat something now.
- 我想吃东西，饿死了。Wǒ xiǎng chī dōngxi, è sǐ le.I want to eat something, I'm starving.
Example conversation
A couple is sitting on the sofa at home in the evening.
- 志强 Zhiqiang佳怡，我想吃东西了。Jiāyí, wǒ xiǎng chī dōngxi le.Jiayi, I want to eat something.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，你刚才不是吃过吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ gāngcái búshì chīguò ma?Zhiqiang, didn't you just eat?
- 志强 Zhiqiang但是我现在又想吃东西了。Dànshì wǒ xiànzài yòu xiǎng chī dōngxi le.But now I want to eat something again.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好吧，那我们点外卖吧。Hǎo ba, nà wǒmen diǎn wàimài ba.Okay, then let's order takeout.
