你吃了吗？

Learning Chinese: How to Say "Have You Eaten?" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 你吃了吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ chī le ma?
Pronunciation: ni3 chi1 le5 ma5
English Translation: Have you eaten?

Usage:

"你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" is a common greeting in Chinese, used to inquire about someone's well-being. It is typically used during mealtimes or when meeting someone for the first time during the day.

Example:

Chinese: 你吃了吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ chī le ma?
English: Have you eaten?

Chinese: 我吃了。
Pinyin: Wǒ chī le.
English: I have eaten.

Variations:

There are a few variations of "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" that you may hear:

你吃饭了吗？(Nǐ chī fàn le ma?): A more specific way to ask if someone has eaten a meal.
你吃东西了吗？(Nǐ chī dōngxi le ma?): A more general way to ask if someone has eaten anything.
Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers asking "Have you eaten?" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.
Additional Notes:

"你吃了吗？(Nǐ chī le ma?)" is a polite way to show关心 (guān xīn) or concern for someone's well-being.
It is not necessary to wait for a response before starting a conversation.
In some regions of China, people may also use "吃了吗 (chī le ma?)" as a standalone greeting.