How do you call those servants in the restaurants?

How do you call those servants in the restaurants?
Apr 16, 2008 22:39
BBQQ Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: offline	As a foreigner, did something embarrassing happen to you when dinning in a Chinese restaurant? How do you call those who serve in the restaurants? I know that you call them “waiter or waitress” in English. But do you know how to call them in Chinese? My foreign friend told me that he had an awkward experience in a restaurant. After the meal, he was going to pay the bill. He spoke to a female waitress: “小姐，买单(xiǎo jiě mǎi dān).(Please bring me the bill).” The girl came to him unhappily and said: “我(wǒ)不(bú)是(shì)小(xiǎo)姐(jiě). 请(qǐng)叫(jiào)我(wǒ)服(fú)务(wù)员(yuán)(I am not Xiao Jie. Please call me Fu Wu Yuan (Waitress).” Usually, we call them 服(fú)务(wù)员(yuán). When paying the bill, we say “服务员，买单(fú wù yuán mǎi dān).” Remember not to call them 小姐(xiǎo jiě). In earlier days, we called those female servants in the restaurants 小姐(xiǎo jiě). Nowadays, people seldom do this because it has become a derogatory term. Those call girls or prostitutes are called 小(xiǎo)姐(jiě). Thus, those waitresses don’t like people to call them 小(xiǎo)姐(jiě). However, it is said that Shanghai girls who work in the restaurants don’t like people to call them 服务员(fú wù yuán). They think that it is impolite. How should we call them? I have no idea. In Beijing restaurants, you’d better not call the female servants 小(xiǎo)姐(jiě) since it has become a derogatory term.

Apr 16, 2008 22:39

BBQQ
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Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: offline

As a foreigner, did something embarrassing happen to you when dinning in a Chinese restaurant? How do you call those who serve in the restaurants? I know that you call them “waiter or waitress” in English. But do you know how to call them in Chinese?

My foreign friend told me that he had an awkward experience in a restaurant. After the meal, he was going to pay the bill. He spoke to a female waitress: “小姐，买单(xiǎo jiě mǎi dān).(Please bring me the bill).” The girl came to him unhappily and said: “我(wǒ)不(bú)是(shì)小(xiǎo)姐(jiě). 请(qǐng)叫(jiào)我(wǒ)服(fú)务(wù)员(yuán)(I am not Xiao Jie. Please call me Fu Wu Yuan (Waitress).” Usually, we call them 服(fú)务(wù)员(yuán). When paying the bill, we say “服务员，买单(fú wù yuán mǎi dān).” Remember not to call them 小姐(xiǎo jiě). In earlier days, we called those female servants in the restaurants 小姐(xiǎo jiě). Nowadays, people seldom do this because it has become a derogatory term. Those call girls or prostitutes are called 小(xiǎo)姐(jiě). Thus, those waitresses don’t like people to call them 小(xiǎo)姐(jiě).

However, it is said that Shanghai girls who work in the restaurants don’t like people to call them 服务员(fú wù yuán). They think that it is impolite. How should we call them? I have no idea. In Beijing restaurants, you’d better not call the female servants 小(xiǎo)姐(jiě) since it has become a derogatory term.

Apr 17, 2008 06:00

CARLOS
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Join Date: Sep 10, 2007
Status: Offline

My wife taught me to say 服务员 and when paying say 服务员，买单.
It works here in Finland too, when in Chinese restaurant.

In Guangzhou we were in hotel restaurant and after finished eating I said 服务员，买单. The waitress was so surprised that she said: oh sir, You can speak! I said: yes, I can speak. Then she noticed what she had said and corrected she ment speak Chinese. I said no harm done, that´s about all I can in Chinese.

Carlos

Apr 17, 2008 11:20	#2
MUDDIEDKNEES Points: Join Date: Apr 1, 2008 Status: Offline	I was taught this when I first came to China, but found it really strange. Consider this: xiǎo jiě = little sister fú wù yuán = servant If you were a waitress, how would you rather be called?

Apr 17, 2008 11:24	#3
MUDDIEDKNEES Points: Join Date: Apr 1, 2008 Status: Offline	I forgot to mention--"servant" has a very feudal and derogatory connotation.

Apr 17, 2008 21:41	#4
BBQQ Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: Offline	"If you were a waitress, how would you rather be called?" A report from Xinhua says that most 服务员 in the restaurants prefer the customers to call them 服务员 (fú wù yuán). In some dialects, people have many ways to call 服务员, for example "姑娘, 买单." If you go to Xi'an, you will find that the locals usually say "女子, 买单." Very interesting.

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