买单

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买单 [2025/08/11 09:34] – created xiaoer买单 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== mǎidān: 买单 - To Pay the Bill, To Foot the Bill ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** 买单, maidan, how to pay the bill in Chinese, pay the bill Chinese, Chinese restaurant vocabulary, foot the bill Chinese, dining etiquette China, 请客 qingke, 结账 jiezhang, fighting for the bill China +
-  * **Summary:** Learn how to say "pay the bill" in Chinese with **买单 (mǎidān)**. This essential DokuWiki entry covers everything a beginner needs, from calling the waiter in a restaurant to understanding the deep cultural significance of paying for others in China. Discover its literal meaning ("to buy the list"), its figurative use ("to foot the bill" for a mistake), and how it connects to cultural concepts like "face" (面子) and treating guests (请客). +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** mǎidān +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Verb Phrase (Verb-Object) +
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 +
-  * **Concise Definition:** To pay the bill, especially for a meal or service at a restaurant or bar. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** **买单 (mǎidān)** is the most common and practical way to say you want to pay the check in China. It literally translates to "buy the list," which makes perfect sense when you think of the itemized bill. Beyond this simple transaction, `买单` is a key part of Chinese social etiquette, often involving a friendly "fight" over who gets the honor of paying to show generosity and respect. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **买 (mǎi):** To buy. This character is a combination of a net (罒) over a shell (贝). In ancient China, shells were used as currency, so the character vividly depicts using money to acquire something. +
-  * **单 (dān):** A list, bill, sheet, or single. In this context, it refers to the `账单 (zhàngdān)`, the itemized list of what you consumed—the bill. +
-  * The characters combine literally to mean **"to buy the bill."** You are essentially purchasing the receipt to settle your account. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-  * In China, the act of paying the bill—of who gets to `买单`—is often more than a simple financial transaction; it's a social performance rich with meaning. +
-  * **Generosity and "Face" (面子):** Vying to `买单` is a common way to show generosity, hospitality, and respect. For the host of a meal or the person with higher social standing, successfully paying the bill is a way of gaining or maintaining "face" (`面子 - miànzi`). To allow a guest or a subordinate to pay can be seen as a loss of face for the host. This often leads to the famous "fight for the bill," a friendly but sometimes surprisingly physical struggle over who gets to scan the QR code or hand cash to the waiter. +
-  * **Comparison to Western Culture:** In many Western cultures, "going Dutch" or splitting the bill (`AA制 - AA zhì`) is the default and is considered fair and equitable. While this is becoming more common among young Chinese friends, the tradition of one person treating everyone (`请客 - qǐngkè`) remains dominant in many situations, especially business dinners, family gatherings, or when someone is clearly the host. If an American insists on splitting the bill, their Chinese host might feel they are being treated impersonally or that their generosity is being rejected. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-  * **At a Restaurant/Bar:** +
-    * This is the most common context. To get the check, you simply catch the waiter's attention and say: `服务员，买单！` (Fúwùyuán, mǎidān!) - "Waiter, the bill!" +
-  * **Offering to Pay:** +
-    * When with friends or colleagues, you can express your intention to pay by saying `今天我买单` (Jīntiān wǒ mǎidān) - "I'll get it today" or `这顿我来买单` (Zhè dùn wǒ lái mǎidān) - "Let me get this meal." +
-  * **Figurative Meaning: Paying the Price:** +
-    * **买单** is also used metaphorically to mean "to bear the consequences" or "to pay the price" for a mistake or bad decision. In this structure, it's often phrased as `为...买单` (wèi... mǎidān), meaning "to pay the bill for...". +
-    * For example: `他需要为自己的错误买单。` (Tā xūyào wèi zìjǐ de cuòwù mǎidān.) - "He needs to pay the price for his own mistake." +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 服务员，**买单**！ +
-    * Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, **mǎidān**! +
-    * English: Waiter, the bill! +
-    * Analysis: This is the most direct and common way to ask for the check in a restaurant. It's considered neutral and perfectly polite. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 今天我请客，我来**买单**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Jīntiān wǒ qǐngkè, wǒ lái **mǎidān**. +
-    * English: It's my treat today, I'll pay the bill. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence connects the concept of treating someone (`请客`) with the action of paying (`买单`). `我来 (wǒ lái)` is a common way to say "Let me do it." +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 别跟我抢，这顿必须我来**买单**！ +
-    * Pinyin: Bié gēn wǒ qiǎng, zhè dùn bìxū wǒ lái **mǎidān**! +
-    * English: Don't fight me for it, I must be the one to pay for this meal! +
-    * Analysis: This exemplifies the "fight for the bill." `抢 (qiǎng)` means to snatch or fight over. This is a very common, friendly exchange in China. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 我们怎么**买单**？AA制可以吗？ +
-    * Pinyin: Wǒmen zěnme **mǎidān**? AA zhì kěyǐ ma? +
-    * English: How are we paying? Is it okay to split the bill? +
-    * Analysis: A practical question used among friends, especially younger people. `AA制 (AA zhì)` is the imported term for "going Dutch." +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 谢谢你，但是上次你已经**买单**了，这次该我了。 +
-    * Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ, dànshì shàng cì nǐ yǐjīng **mǎidān** le, zhè cì gāi wǒ le. +
-    * English: Thank you, but you already paid last time, it's my turn this time. +
-    * Analysis: This demonstrates the reciprocity involved in Chinese social dining. `该我了 (gāi wǒ le)` means "it's my turn." +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 你必须为自己的粗心**买单**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ bìxū wèi zìjǐ de cūxīn **mǎidān**. +
-    * English: You must pay the price for your own carelessness. +
-    * Analysis: This is a perfect example of the figurative use of `买单`. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with consequences. +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 最终，是普通人为政府的错误决策**买单**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zuìzhōng, shì pǔtōngrén wèi zhèngfǔ de cuòwù juécè **mǎidān**. +
-    * English: In the end, it's the ordinary people who foot the bill for the government's bad decisions. +
-    * Analysis: A more complex figurative example, showing how `买单` can be used in social or political commentary. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 老板说这次聚餐的费用由公司**买单**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Lǎobǎn shuō zhè cì jùcān de fèiyòng yóu gōngsī **mǎidān**. +
-    * English: The boss said the company will foot the bill for this team dinner. +
-    * Analysis: The structure `由...买单` (yóu... mǎidān) means "paid for by..." and is common in formal or business contexts. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 你**买单**了吗？我们可以走了。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ **mǎidān** le ma? Wǒmen kěyǐ zǒu le. +
-    * English: Have you paid the bill? We can go. +
-    * Analysis: A simple, practical question to check if the bill has been settled before leaving. +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 他喝醉了，没**买单**就跑了。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā hē zuì le, méi **mǎidān** jiù pǎo le. +
-    * English: He got drunk and ran off without paying the bill. +
-    * Analysis: This shows the negative consequence of *not* doing the action. This is the classic "dine and dash." +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **`买单` vs. `结账 (jiézhàng)`:** +
-    * These two are often interchangeable in a restaurant. `结账 (jiézhàng)` means "to settle an account" and can feel slightly more formal or universal. You would `结账` at a hotel front desk, while `买单` is more common for meals and drinks. For a beginner, using either in a restaurant is perfectly fine. `买单` originated from Cantonese and is very popular in Southern China, but is now understood everywhere. +
-  * **`买单` vs. `付钱 (fùqián)`:** +
-    * This is a critical distinction. `付钱 (fùqián)` means "to pay money" and is a general term for any transaction. You `付钱` for groceries, clothes, or a taxi fare. `买单` is specifically for paying a bill/check at an establishment like a restaurant, bar, or KTV. +
-    * **Incorrect:** 我在超市**买单**了。(Wǒ zài chāoshì mǎidān le.) +
-    * **Correct:** 我在超市**付钱**了。(Wǒ zài chāoshì fùqián le.) - I paid at the supermarket. +
-  * **Misunderstanding the Figurative Meaning:** +
-    * Remember that when you see `为...买单` (wèi... mǎidān), it almost never refers to actual money. It's about accountability and consequences. Don't offer your wallet if someone says you need to `为你的行为买单` (pay for your actions)! +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[结账]] (jiézhàng) - A close synonym, meaning "to settle the account." Slightly more formal and also used for hotel bills. +
-  * [[请客]] (qǐngkè) - To treat someone, to play host. This is the social act that leads to one person choosing to `买单` for the group. +
-  * [[AA制]] (AA zhì) - "Going Dutch," splitting the bill. The opposite social principle to `请客`. +
-  * [[付钱]] (fùqián) - To pay money. A broader, more general term for any kind of payment. +
-  * [[我来]] (wǒ lái) - "Let me." A very common and short way to offer to pay the bill: `(我来, 我来!)`. +
-  * [[账单]] (zhàngdān) - The bill, the check. This is the physical `单` (list) that you `买` (buy). +
-  * [[服务员]] (fúwùyuán) - Waiter, waitress. The person you say `买单` to. +
-  * [[面子]] (miànzi) - "Face," social standing, reputation. A core cultural concept that often dictates who should `买单`.+