Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 請坐 / 请坐 | qǐng zuò | |
| 坐吧 | zuò ba | informal |
In a formal dinner setting, you may use 请入座 to mean 'please take your seat', whereas in a classroom you might say 请坐好 to mean 'please sit properly'. If you want to tell someone to feel free to take a seat, you can say 请随便坐.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 請坐 / 请坐 is composed of 請, meaning 'please' and 坐, meaning 'to sit'.
Which one should you use?
While 請坐 is a polite request, the form 坐吧 uses the particle 吧 to make the phrase sound more like a casual suggestion or invitation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
請坐 / 请坐 is a common and straightforward way to say 'please sit down' in formal situations. For even greater politeness when addressing elders or superiors, you can use 请您坐下. In contrast, 坐吧 is a casual way to say it used among close friends and family.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 下 (down) after 坐 (sit) in the phrase 請坐下 makes the expression more specific to the physical action of lowering oneself into a seat, although 請坐 is more common as a standard polite greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
qǐng zuò
Did you know?
- The character 坐 is a pictograph that originally depicted a person sitting on the ground or a mat, reflecting ancient Chinese living habits before chairs were common.
- The word 坐 is used in the term 坐車 to mean 'taking a bus' or 'riding in a car', even though the passenger is not technically 'sitting down' the entire time.
- In some social contexts, a host might repeatedly say 請坐 while gesturing for the guest to sit, but the guest may politely decline and remain standing for a few moments to show modesty.
Examples in context
- 在这里请坐Please sit here.
- 先生，请您坐下Sir, please have a seat.
- 朋友，请坐吧Friend, please have a seat.
- 嗨，坐吧Hey, have a seat!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please sit down” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
