How to say “Chopsticks, please” in Chinese
“Chopsticks, please” in Chinese is 请给我筷子。, written in pinyin as Qǐng gěi wǒ kuàizi.
请给我筷子。
Qǐng gěi wǒ kuàizi.
Chopsticks, please.
Word by word
What each part of 请给我筷子。 actually means.
- 给gěito give
- 筷子kuàizichopsticks
- 勺子sháozispoon
When you use it
- Use it when the table has no chopsticks — common in hotel breakfast rooms, Western-style cafés, or when a box of them sits out of reach on a shared shelf.
- It also works mid-meal when yours fell on the floor: just catch the staff's eye and say it, they'll bring a fresh pair without a second question.
Use 请给我筷子。 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.
请给我勺子。
Qǐng gěi wǒ sháozi
A spoon, please.
有叉子吗？
Yǒu chāzi ma?
Do you have a fork?
再来一双筷子。
Zài lái yì shuāng kuàizi
One more pair of chopsticks.
What usually trips people up
- Saying 一个筷子 — chopsticks count as pairs: 一双筷子 (one pair). 一个筷子 makes waiters pause because it literally means one single stick.
- Expecting a napkin to come automatically — many places only give tissues in a box on the table, so ask 纸巾 (napkins) the same way when you need them.
- Waiting silently at fancy restaurants — high-end places set forks by default; if you want to eat Chinese-style there, you have to ask, nobody will guess.
What you might hear back
- 好的，马上给您。Hǎo de, mǎshàng gěi nínSure, right away.
- 筷子在那边的抽屉里，自己拿。Kuàizi zài nàbiān de chōuti li, zìjǐ náChopsticks are in the drawer over there, help yourself.
- 需要勺子吗？Xūyào sháozi ma?Do you need a spoon too?
Common questions
- How do you say "Chopsticks, please" in Chinese?
- "Chopsticks, please" in Chinese is 请给我筷子。 — written in pinyin as Qǐng gěi wǒ kuàizi. It is a restaurant phrase you would use in China.
- What does 请给我筷子。 mean in Chinese?
- 请给我筷子。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ kuàizi) means "Chopsticks, please". Broken down word by word: 给 (gěi) means "to give"; 筷子 (kuàizi) means "chopsticks"; 勺子 (sháozi) means "spoon".
- When would you use "Chopsticks, please" in Chinese?
- Use it when the table has no chopsticks — common in hotel breakfast rooms, Western-style cafés, or when a box of them sits out of reach on a shared shelf. It also works mid-meal when yours fell on the floor: just catch the staff's eye and say it, they'll bring a fresh pair without a second question.
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