'Eating' in China

在中国呆久了你就会发现,中国人见面打招呼的方式之一是："你吃了吗？"尤其是在吃饭点,这样的对话很常见：

If you stay in China for a long time, you will find out that some Chinese people greet others by saying "have you eaten already?" (你吃了吗 nǐ chī le ma?) ,especially at meal time, this dialogue can be heard anywhere.

Jim: Hi, Lucy, nǐ chī le ma?

Hi, Lucy, 你吃了吗？

Hi, Lucy, have you eaten?

Lucy: Chīle, nǐ ne ?

吃了,你呢？

Yes, and you?

Jim: wǒ yě chī le.

我也吃了.

I have, too.

这是因为过去物质匮乏,能吃饱成了彼此最朴实的愿望,所以这样问以显示关心.如今中国人再也不用为衣食担忧,但这样的问候方式却延续了下来,而且这种"吃文化"在人们如今的生活中还扮演了很重要的角色.

In the old days, when food was more scarce, this traditional greeting means you care for the person you are addressing. In modern China, food is plentiful, but the greeting has become commonplace, as well as other "eating terms". We will learn more here:

吃力 chī lì   have difficulties

吃得开 chī dé kāi   be popular

吃小灶 chī xiǎo zào   enjoy privilege

吃老本 chī lǎo běn   live off one's past gains

吃豆腐 chī dòu fǔ   take advantage of

吃不消 chī bú xiāo   too much

吃亏 chī kuī   to suffer losses

吃醋 chī cù   be jealous

(Source: china.com)