Chinese phrase
吃了吗？ chī le ma
Meaning
Have you eaten?
When to use it
This phrase asks whether someone has eaten. It often serves as a friendly greeting or casual check-in, rather than a literal question about a meal.
Example dialogue
早上好，吃了吗？ zǎo shàng hǎo chī le ma
Good morning, have you eaten?
吃过了，谢谢，你呢？ chī guò le xiè xiè nǐ ne
I've eaten, thanks. How about you?