定購 / 定购
dìnggòu
In Chinese, the verb to order is expressed in different ways depending on whether you are requesting goods or food. 定購 / 定购 (dìnggòu). Wiktionary also lists 點菜 / 点菜 (diǎncài) and 点餐 (diǎncān).
Meaning: to request some product or service (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 定購 / 定购 | dìnggòu |
| 點菜 / 点菜 | diǎncài |
| 点餐 | diǎncān |
The Chinese language uses specific terms to distinguish between ordering products and ordering food. When you are requesting physical items like books or supplies, typically from a catalog or an online store, you use 定購 / 定购. When you are ordering food or a meal, you use 点餐 or 點菜 / 点菜.
Which one should you use?
Use 定購 / 定购 specifically for ordering goods and products rather than food. For food-related contexts, use 点餐 as a general term for ordering a meal or food service, which is common in modern or fast-food settings. 點菜 / 点菜 is also used for ordering dishes or food.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern parts of China, including Beijing, the word 叫 may be used more frequently in both formal and informal settings to call out an order.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
dìnggòu
Did you know?
- In many modern Chinese cities, you rarely use these phrases aloud because QR codes on tables allow you to 点餐 digitally without speaking to a waiter.
- When ordering food, if you are undecided, you might ask the waiter to 随便点, which means to 'order whatever' and let the restaurant decide the best dishes.
- The term 點菜 (diǎncài) literally translates to 'point at dishes', reflecting the traditional practice of pointing to specific items on a menu.
Examples in context
- 我需要一位服务员帮助我点餐。I need a waiter to help me order.The sentence is useful for requesting help from a waiter to use the form 点餐.Tatoeba #11837294 by Lemmih, translation #11837295 by Lemmih
Sources
- Wiktionary, “order” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
