Short-term Spoken Chinese Threshold Vol. 1 Lesson 3 你吃什么What do you want to eat Part 1

听一听, 读一读 (Listen and read)

词汇 Vocabulary

• 吃 (chī) - to eat
• 什么 (shénme) - what
• 饺子 (jiǎozi) - dumpling
• 米饭 (mǐfàn) - cooked rice
• 面条 (miàntiáo) - noodle
• 面包 (miànbāo) - bread
• 包子 (bāozi) - steamed bun

日常用语

Daily Spoken Expressions

语法 Grammar

你吃什么?

(Nǐ chī shénme?) - What do you eat?

我吃 [food]。

(Wǒ chī [food].) - I eat [food].

Pinyin: Initial + Final + Tone

文化 Culture

饺子 (Jiǎozi) are a beloved staple, often for festivals. 米饭 (Mǐfàn), 面条 (Miàntiáo), 包子 (Bāozi) are daily essentials.

学习小结

Lesson Summary: Grammar & Culture

语法要点 Grammar Points

• 句型：你 + 动词 + 什么？ (Nǐ + verb + shénme?) - What do you [verb]?
• 回答：我 + 动词 + 名词。 (Wǒ + verb + noun.) - I [verb] [noun].
• "什么 (shénme)" is a question pronoun meaning "what". It's placed after the verb, where the object of the sentence would normally go.
• The verb "吃 (chī)" means "to eat".

文化背景 Cultural Context

Asking "你吃什么？" (Nǐ chī shénme?) is a fundamental and polite way to inquire about someone's food choice in a restaurant or casual setting. Food plays a central role in Chinese culture, and meals are often communal. The items listed (饺子, 米饭, 面条, 包子, 面包) represent common staple foods. 饺子 (dumplings) are particularly significant, often eaten during festivals like Chinese New Year. Understanding these basic food items and how to order them is a practical skill for anyone learning Chinese.