How to say “Can I get more rice?” in Chinese
“Can I get more rice?” in Chinese is 可以加饭吗?, written in pinyin as Kěyǐ jiā fàn ma?.
可以加饭吗?
Kěyǐ jiā fàn ma?
Can I get more rice?
Word by word
What each part of 可以加饭吗? actually means.
- 可以kěyǐcan / may
- 加jiāto add
- 饭fànrice / meal
- 吗mayes/no question particle
When you use it
- Use it in cheap local eateries where rice refills cost nothing or one or two yuan and the kitchen expects the ask.
- It also works when the dish-to-rice ratio surprises you; asking costs nothing and refills are standard in local shops.
Use 可以加饭吗? in restaurant situations. Order food, ask for the bill, handle spice levels.
Other ways people say it
The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.
米饭能免费加吗?
Mǐfàn néng miǎnfèi jiā ma?
Is the rice refill free?
再来一碗米饭。
Zài lái yì wǎn mǐfàn
One more bowl of rice, please.
加饭多少钱?
Jiā fàn duōshǎo qián?
How much is extra rice?
What usually trips people up
- Waiting for table service at fast rice shops — many have a rice cooker station; carry your bowl over and help yourself.
- Saying 加米 — 米 is uncooked grain; the cooked bowl you want is 米饭.
- Assuming free everywhere — noodle shops may not serve rice at all, and mid-range restaurants charge per bowl.
What you might hear back
- 可以,免费的。Kěyǐ, miǎnfèi deSure — it's free.
- 自己去那边加。Zìjǐ qù nàbiān jiāRefill it yourself over there.
- 一块一碗。Yí kuài yì wǎnOne yuan a bowl.
Common questions
- How do you say "Can I get more rice?" in Chinese?
- "Can I get more rice?" in Chinese is 可以加饭吗? — written in pinyin as Kěyǐ jiā fàn ma?. It is a restaurant phrase you would use in China.
- What does 可以加饭吗? mean in Chinese?
- 可以加饭吗? (Kěyǐ jiā fàn ma?) means "Can I get more rice?". Broken down word by word: 可以 (kěyǐ) means "can / may"; 加 (jiā) means "to add"; 饭 (fàn) means "rice / meal"; 吗 (ma) means "yes/no question particle".
- When would you use "Can I get more rice?" in Chinese?
- Use it in cheap local eateries where rice refills cost nothing or one or two yuan and the kitchen expects the ask. It also works when the dish-to-rice ratio surprises you; asking costs nothing and refills are standard in local shops.
Where you'll use it
可以加饭吗? comes up in these situations, in this order.
More Restaurant phrases
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