Ask your host about the meal’s serving arrangement and state your own dietary needs clearly.
Before eating#
Ask which utensils are for serving and whether a dish contains an ingredient you need to avoid. An appearance or translated dish name is not confirmation of its ingredients.
During the meal#
Follow the host’s explanation of shared dishes, or ask rather than guessing. Say politely if you do not want alcohol or more food. These are considerate options, not a claim that every household follows one seating order or requires a particular toast.
Useful words#
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 筷子 | kuài zi | chopsticks |
| 公筷 | gōng kuài | serving chopsticks |
Editorial scope and lexical reference#
The checklist is editorial advice. The source below supports the word meanings, not a claim that these suggestions are rules followed by all Chinese people. No interview, survey or measured effectiveness is asserted.
Lexical data adapted from CC-CEDICT contributors / MDBG, 23 October 2026 release, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Dictionary release.
Neutral-tone syllables are unmarked in the pinyin display; the dictionary source uses the number 5. Pronunciation notation reference.