Chinese word

外卖

Pronunciation

Pinyinwài mài

Meaning

  • nountakeout

Example

公司中午点了外卖，大家一起吃。gōng sī zhōng wǔ diǎn le wài mài dà jiā yì qǐ chī

At noon, the company orders takeout, and everyone eats together.

Illustration for 外卖 (takeout)

More examples

最近很多人喜欢在手机上订外卖，很方便。zuì jìn hěn duō rén xǐ huān zài shǒu jī shàng dìng wài mài hěn fāng biàn

Recently, many people like to order takeout on their phones, and it is very convenient.

Core concept

A restaurant prepares food for someone to eat elsewhere, with the food collected or brought to the customer.

Common phrases

  • 点外卖diǎn wài mài

    order takeout

  • 叫外卖jiào wài mài

    order takeout

  • 吃外卖chī wài mài

    eat takeout

  • 外卖送到家wài mài sòng dào jiā

    takeout delivered to your home

Similar words

外带wài dài: Prepared restaurant food packed for a customer to carry away and eat elsewhere.
外送wài sòng: Delivery of prepared restaurant food to the customer's location.
堂食táng shí: Having a meal while seated inside a restaurant.

Definition in Chinese

指顾客向餐馆订购并由商家配送到客户处，或由客户到店取走的熟食，即包括送餐上门也包括到店自取的外带服务。zhǐ gù kè xiàng cān guǎn dìng gòu bìng yóu shāng jiā pèi sòng dào kè hù chù huò yóu kè hù dào diàn qǔ zǒu de shú shí jí bāo kuò sòng cān shàng mén yě bāo kuò dào diàn zì qǔ de wài dài fú wù

Word origin

外 (wài, "outside") + 卖 (mài, "sell") describes a restaurant selling food for someone to take beyond the shop.

Usage tips

  • On restaurant apps, this label can cover pickup as well as delivery, so the handoff method is stated separately when it matters.

Other meanings

  • food deliverynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 外卖店wài mài diàntakeout restaurantnoun
  • 外卖员wài mài yuándelivery personnoun
  • 外卖服务wài mài fú wùfood delivery servicenoun

Word lists with this word