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How to say “the check please” in Chinese

买单
mǎidān
the check please

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Word by word

mǎi
to buy
dān
bill / list

Tone tip

买单 is the casual 'check, please' in a restaurant. 结账 (jiézhàng) is a slightly more formal alternative.

In a sentence

服务员,买单!

Fúwùyuán, mǎidān!

Waiter, the check please!

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "the check please" in Chinese?+

"the check please" in Mandarin Chinese is 买单, pronounced mǎidān. 买单 is the casual 'check, please' in a restaurant. 结账 (jiézhàng) is a slightly more formal alternative.

What does 买单 mean literally?+

买单 breaks down as 买 (mǎi) = to buy, 单 (dān) = bill / list. Together it means "the check please".

How do I get the tones right in mǎidān?+

买单 is the casual 'check, please' in a restaurant. 结账 (jiézhàng) is a slightly more formal alternative.

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See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.