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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "takeout" in Chinese?
外卖
wài mài
In Chinese, "takeout" is 外卖 (wài mài).
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Pronunciation
Pronounced "wài mài", carrying fourth tone, then fourth tone: snapping downward fast, like giving a short order. Slow down on wài mài at first so the tone contour doesn't flatten out.
Writing and usage
外卖 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
我们结束了一天的疲惫，点了外卖。
wǒ men jié shù le yī tiān de pí bèi ， diǎn le wài mài 。
We ordered takeout after a long day.
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How to remember 外卖
A quick anchor: the scene from "We ordered takeout after a long day", then say "wài mài" out loud.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 外卖
How do you pronounce 外卖?
Pronounced "wài mài", carrying fourth tone, then fourth tone: snapping downward fast, like giving a short order. Slow down on wài mài at first so the tone contour doesn't flatten out.
Is 外卖 formal or casual?
外卖 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 外卖 used in Chinese?
外卖 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 我们结束了一天的疲惫，点了外卖。 (We ordered takeout after a long day.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"Takeout" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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