外卖
wàimài
In Chinese, takeaway is 外卖 (wàimài).
The term 外卖 refers to a meal bought to be eaten elsewhere. To express the action of ordering takeaway, you can use the verb 点 (diǎn), which means 'to order' or 'to click', before the word to form the phrase 点外卖. If you need to refer to a takeaway delivery person, you can add the suffix 员 (yuán), meaning 'person' or 'staff', to create the word 外卖员.
Meaning: meal bought to be eaten elsewhere (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 外卖 is composed of 外 (wài), meaning 'outside' and 卖 (mài), meaning 'to sell'.
Which one should you use?
While 外卖 refers to the service of ordering food to be delivered, 打包 is used when you want to pack up food you have already ordered or eaten at a restaurant to take home.
How do you pronounce it?
wàimài
Did you know?
- While 外卖 refers to the food, the act of bringing it to the customer is often called 跑腿 (pǎotuǐ), which literally means 'running legs'.
- China has some of the world's most advanced 外卖 ecosystems, where apps like Meituan and Ele.me allow users to order almost anything delivered, from a single cigarette to a pharmacy prescription.
- The term for a delivery person, 外卖员 (wàimàiyuán), uses a suffix that is often found in more formal professional titles, such as those for teachers or engineers.
Examples in context
- 我要外卖。I want takeaway.
- 请打包一份。Please pack one portion to go.
- 我想点外卖。Wǒ xiǎng diǎn wàimài.I want to order takeaway.
- 今天我们吃外卖吧。Jīntiān wǒmen chī wàimài ba.Let's have takeaway today.
- 这份外卖到了。Zhè fèn wàimài dào le.This takeaway has arrived.
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to eat at home in the evening.
- 浩然 Haoran雨婷，你想吃什么？Yǔtíng, nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?Yuting, what do you want to eat?
- 雨婷 Yuting我不想做饭，我们点外卖吧。Wǒ bù xiǎng zuò fàn, wǒmen diǎn wàimài ba.I don't want to cook, let's order takeaway.
- 浩然 Haoran好啊，我也想吃外卖。Hǎo a, wǒ yě xiǎng chī wàimài.Okay, I want takeaway too.
- 雨婷 Yuting那你想吃中餐还是西餐？Nà nǐ xiǎng chī Zhōngcān háishì Xīcān?Then do you want Chinese food or Western food?
