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1Vocabulary2Songs3Key phrases4Dialogues5Grammar
CourseHSK 3 · Lesson 11
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HSK 3Lesson 11

点外卖

Diǎn wàimài

Ordering Takeout

It is Sunday evening and Annie is studying with Xiaoxue, Liu Ming and Li Wen for Monday's test. They are starving, there is one pack of instant noodles in the kitchen, and Liu Ming's phone won't turn on, so Annie orders takeout.

Illustration: Ordering Takeout

Lesson goal

You will learn to order takeout on your phone, say whether a place is clean and its food fresh, add drinks to an order, and count bites, times, run-throughs and calls.

By the end, you can

  1. 1Say what is missing at home and suggest ordering takeout.
  2. 2Say that food is fresh and a restaurant is clean.
  3. 3Add drinks to an order and say no to beer.
  4. 4Count bites, times, readings and calls when you talk about eating and going.
  5. 5Thank a neighbor who helps you.
1Vocabulary2Songs3Key phrases4Dialogues5Grammar

Part 1 · 11 new words

Vocabulary

1

Things to Eat and Drink

Contains 7 words

外卖

wàimài

takeout; food delivery

noun

方便面

fāngbiànmiàn

instant noodles

noun

饮料

yǐnliào

drink; beverage

noun

矿泉水

kuàngquánshuǐ

mineral water

noun

瓶子

píngzi

bottle

noun

啤酒

píjiǔ

beer (loanword)

noun

方便

fāngbiàn

convenient; suitable

verb
2

What Is Good About It

Contains 4 words

新鲜

xīnxiān

fresh (experience, food etc); freshness

adjective

干净

gānjìng

clean; neat

adjective

Part 2

Songs

Part 3 · 10 phrases

Key phrases

老师说这课要读三遍,我读了五遍才懂。

Lǎoshī shuō zhè kè yào dú sān biàn, wǒ dú le wǔ biàn cái dǒng.

The teacher said to read this lesson three times, and I needed five before I understood.

我在楼下叫了他两声,他才听见。

Wǒ zài lóu xià jiào le tā liǎng shēng, tā cái tīngjiàn.

I called him twice from downstairs before he heard me.

我们在手机上点了外卖,送外卖的人二十分钟就到了。

Wǒmen zài shǒujī shàng diǎn le wàimài, sòng wàimài de rén èrshí fēnzhōng jiù dào le.

We ordered takeout on the phone, and the delivery person was here in twenty minutes.

天晚了,不想做饭,就吃一包方便面,真方便。

Tiān wǎn le, bù xiǎng zuòfàn, jiù chī yì bāo fāngbiànmiàn, zhēn fāngbiàn.

Instant noodles are convenient, but eating them every day isn’t great.

饭馆里的饮料很贵,一杯要十二块。

Fànguǎn lǐ de yǐnliào hěn guì, yì bēi yào shí èr kuài.

Drinks in a restaurant are expensive, twelve yuan a cup.

超市里的矿泉水两块钱,比饭馆里的便宜很多。

Chāoshì li de kuàngquánshuǐ liǎng kuài qián, bǐ fànguǎn lǐ de piányi hěn duō.

Part 4 · 4 conversations

Dialogues

1

Dialogue 1: Only One Pack

It is eight o'clock on Sunday evening in Liu Ming and Li Wen's flat. The four of them are studying for tomorrow's test and everyone is hungry.

  • 刘刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
  • 刘刘明Liu Ming
  • 李李文Li Wen
  • 安安妮Annie
  1. 刘

    刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue

    刘小雪:

    都八点了,我饿坏了!你们家里有吃的吗?

    Dōu bā diǎn le, wǒ è huài le! Nǐmen jiā li yǒu chī de ma?

    It’s already eight and I’m starving! Is there anything to eat at your place?

  2. 刘

    刘明Liu Ming

    刘明:

Part 5 · 1 point

Grammar

1

Count bites, times, run-throughs and calls with 口, 回, 遍 and 声

口、回、遍、声

After a verb, a number and 口kǒu, 回huí, 遍biàn or 声shēng say how many bites, times, run-throughs or calls.

Pattern

Verb + number + measure word

The measure word after the verb counts the action: a bite, a time, a run-through or a call.

verb读What is done.
+
number一How many.
+

遍

biàn

time (a whole action from start to end)

measure word

声

shēng

sound; a call (also the count for calls and sounds)

noun
你你要以前,我要以后You Want the Past; I Want What Comes After2:41
Lyrics & translation for 你要以前,我要以后50 lines
  1. 那年,我的歌一出来——大家知道我的名字。

    That year, when my song came out—everyone knew my name.

  2. “以前的歌最好。”从那以后,你说了又说。

    “The old song was the best.” From then on, you said it again and again.

  3. 你说想我?新歌不要,只要以前的歌。

    You say you miss me? You do not want a new song, only the old one.

  4. 你前面站着现在的我——你还问:“以前的我呢?”

    Standing in front of you is the current me—and still you ask, “What about the old me?”

  5. 你要以前,我要以后,

    You want the past; I want what comes after,

  6. 以前的歌结束了,你还不让我走。

    The old song ended, and still you will not let me leave.

  7. 你说“以前最好”——我听见“别走”,

    You say, “The past was best”—I hear, “Do not leave.”

  8. 你爱以前的歌,还是要我一直不变?

    Do you love the old song, or do you want me to remain unchanged?

  9. 每次新歌一来,你问:“以前的歌呢?”

    Every time a new song arrives, you ask, “What about the old song?”

  10. 不像以前,怎么办?你着急。

    It is not like before—what now? You get anxious.

  11. 再来一次,对你很方便;

    One more time is very convenient for you;

  12. 这个方法对你很方便——对我,合适吗?

    This method is very convenient for you—but is it suitable for me?

  13. 根据以前的歌,我的得分是九十九:

    Based on the old song, my score is ninety-nine:

  14. 少的一分——叫“现在”。

    The missing point—is called “the present.”

  15. 想得到你的高分,就不能做今天的我?

    To get your high score, can I not be who I am today?

  16. 你喜欢的是我,还是不变的我?

    Is it me you like, or the me who does not change?

  17. “最好”两个字,你说得太多——都变脏了;

    The two characters “the best”: you have said them too much—they have grown dirty;

  18. 每个“真好”后面,站着两个字:“再来”。

    Behind every “really good” stand two characters: “again.”

  19. 你说这是喜欢,我听见“不让我变”;

    You call this liking me; I hear, “Do not let me change.”

  20. 你想要的不是我,是那一年。

    What you want is not me; it is that year.

  21. 你要以前,我要以后,

    You want the past; I want what comes after,

  22. 以前的歌结束了,你还不让我走。

    The old song ended, and still you will not let me leave.

  23. 你说“以前最好”——我听见“别走”,

    You say, “The past was best”—I hear, “Do not leave.”

  24. 你爱以前的歌,还是要我一直不变?

    Do you love the old song, or do you want me to remain unchanged?

  25. 每次新歌一来,你问:“以前的歌呢?”

    Every time a new song arrives, you ask, “What about the old song?”

  26. 不像以前的歌,还是要我一直不变?

    It is not like the old song—and still you want me to remain unchanged?

  27. 不只是你——我也说过“再来”。

    It is not only you—I have said “again” too.

  28. 你要以前?我说好;要多少?我都给。

    You want the past? I say yes. How much? I will give it all.

  29. 你一说“最好”,我就回到老方法;

    As soon as you say “the best,” I return to the old method;

  30. 你得到想听的,我得到你的“好”。

    You get what you want to hear; I get your “good.”

  31. 自己的打算?不要。你的喜欢?我要。

    My own plans? I do not want them. Your liking? I want it.

  32. 不合适?我知道。决定还是我做的。

    Not suitable? I know. I still made the decision.

  33. 大概不是怕没有人听,

    It probably is not that I am afraid no one will listen;

  34. 是怕听完,没有人说“好”。

    I am afraid that after listening, no one will say “good.”

  35. 新歌要怎样才好?我问你,不问自己;

    What does the new song need to be like to be good? I ask you, not myself;

  36. 你一问“以前呢?”我马上再唱以前的歌。

    As soon as you ask, “What about before?” I immediately sing the old song again.

  37. 你的问题解决了,我的问题才开始:

    Your problem is solved; mine is only beginning:

  38. 我一直唱昨天,今天谁来唱?

    I keep singing yesterday—who will sing today?

  39. 一半是你,一半是我。

    Half is you; half is me.

  40. 你要以前的歌,我要你的“好”。

    You want the old song; I want your “good.”

  41. 现在我决定——以前的歌还在,

    Now I decide—the old song is still there,

  42. 但是我的以后,我自己唱。

    But what comes after for me, I will sing myself.

  43. 你要以前,我要以后,

    You want the past; I want what comes after,

  44. 以前的歌还在,我也往前走。

    The old song is still there; I am moving forward too.

  45. 你说“以前最好”——我听过太久,

    You say, “The past was best”—I have heard it for too long.

  46. 这次不是“再来”,是新歌。

    This time it is not “again”; it is a new song.

  47. 新歌要怎样才好?这次我决定。

    What does the new song need to be like to be good? This time, I decide.

  48. 现在的我——就在你前面。

    The current me—is right in front of you.

  49. 你再问以前?

    You ask about the past again?

  50. 不只唱以后。

    I do not sing only what comes after.

Mineral water costs two yuan at the supermarket, much cheaper than in a restaurant.

爸爸晚饭喝一杯啤酒,可是要开车的时候不喝。

Bàba wǎnfàn hē yì bēi píjiǔ, kěshì yào kāichē de shíhou bù hē.

Dad has a beer with dinner, but not when he has to drive.

早上去超市,才能买到新鲜的鱼和菜。

Zǎoshang qù chāoshì, cái néng mǎi dào xīnxiān de yú hé cài.

You can only get fresh fish and vegetables if you go to the supermarket in the morning.

水果要洗干净再吃,孩子的手也要洗干净。

Shuǐguǒ yào xǐ gānjìng zài chī, háizi de shǒu yě yào xǐ gānjìng.

Wash fruit clean before you eat it, and wash the kids’ hands clean too.

这家店很方便,从我家走路五分钟就到。

Zhè jiā diàn hěn fāngbiàn, cóng wǒ jiā zǒulù wǔ fēnzhōng jiù dào.

This shop is convenient: it’s a five-minute walk from my home.

我找找……只有一包方便面。

Wǒ zhǎozhao... Zhǐyǒu yì bāo fāngbiànmiàn.

Let me look... there’s only one pack of instant noodles.

  • 李

    李文Li Wen

    李文:

    一包?四个人,一人一口就没了。

    Yì bāo? Sì ge rén, yì rén yì kǒu jiù méi le.

    One pack? Four of us, and it’s gone in a bite each.

  • 安

    安妮Annie

    安妮:

    方便面是很方便,可是明天要考试,我想吃点儿好的。

    Fāngbiànmiàn shì hěn fāngbiàn, kěshì míngtiān yào kǎoshì, wǒ xiǎng chī diǎnr hǎo de.

    Instant noodles are convenient, but we have a test tomorrow and I want something decent.

  • 刘

    刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue

    刘小雪:

    那个我吃过好几回了,不想再吃。

    Nàge wǒ chī guo hǎo jǐ huí le, bù xiǎng zài chī.

    I’ve had that so many times, I don’t want it again.

  • 李

    李文Li Wen

    李文:

    点外卖吧!

    Diǎn wàimài ba!

    Let’s order takeout!

  • 刘

    刘明Liu Ming

    刘明:

    我的手机坏了。安妮,你来点吧。

    Wǒ de shǒujī huài le. Ānnī, nǐ lái diǎn ba.

    My phone is broken. Annie, you order.

  • 2

    Dialogue 2: Reading the Reviews

    Annie opens a takeout app on her phone and the others crowd around her to read what people say about the restaurants.

    • 安安妮Annie
    • 刘刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
    • 刘刘明Liu Ming
    1. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      好,我来点。这家有很多人说菜很新鲜。

      Hǎo, wǒ lái diǎn. Zhè jiā yǒu hěn duō rén shuō cài hěn xīnxiān.

      Okay, I’ll order. Lots of people say the food at this place is fresh.

    2. 刘

      刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue

      刘小雪:

      干净吗?上次点的那家,我不想再点了。

      Gānjìng ma? Shàng cì diǎn de nà jiā, wǒ bù xiǎng zài diǎn le.

      Is it clean? I don’t want to order from the place we tried last time.

    3. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      有人说里面很干净,他们吃了好几回都没事。

      Yǒu rén shuō lǐmiàn hěn gānjìng, tāmen chī le hǎo jǐ huí dōu méishì.

      Someone says it’s very clean inside, and they’ve eaten there lots of times and been fine.

    4. 刘

      刘明Liu Ming

      刘明:

      好,就这家。要写房间号吧?二零二。

      Hǎo, jiù zhè jiā. Yào xiě fángjiān hào ba? Èr líng èr.

      Good, this one. You need the room number, right? 202.

    5. 刘

      刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue

      刘小雪:

      你看,要等五十分钟!

      Nǐ kàn, yào děng wǔshí fēnzhōng!

      Look, it says fifty minutes!

    6. 刘

      刘明Liu Ming

      刘明:

      没关系,我把这课再读一遍就到了。

      Méiguānxi, wǒ bǎ zhè kè zài dú yí biàn jiù dào le.

      No problem, I’ll read this lesson once more and it’ll be here.

    7. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      你们想吃点儿什么?我来点。

      Nǐmen xiǎng chī diǎnr shénme? Wǒ lái diǎn.

      What do you feel like eating? I’ll order.

    3

    Dialogue 3: No Beer Tonight

    Li Wen comes back from the kitchen just as Annie is adding drinks to the order.

    • 安安妮Annie
    • 刘刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
    • 刘刘明Liu Ming
    • 李李文Li Wen
    1. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      喝的呢?大家喝矿泉水吗?

      Hē de ne? Dàjiā hē kuàngquánshuǐ ma?

      What about drinks? Does everyone want water?

    2. 刘

      刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue

      刘小雪:

      我要甜的!

      Wǒ yào tián de!

      I want something sweet!

    3. 刘

      刘明Liu Ming

      刘明:

      再来一点儿啤酒吧,吃饭怎么能没有啤酒?

      Zài lái yìdiǎnr píjiǔ ba, chī fàn zěnme néng méiyǒu píjiǔ?

      Add a little beer too; how can you have a meal without beer?

    4. 李

      李文Li Wen

      李文:

      不行!明天考试,今天不喝啤酒。

      Bùxíng! Míngtiān kǎoshì, jīntiān bù hē píjiǔ.

      No way! We have a test tomorrow, no beer today.

    5. 刘

      刘明Liu Ming

      刘明:

      就一口,一口也不行吗?

      Jiù yì kǒu, yì kǒu yě bùxíng ma?

      Just a sip, not even a sip?

    6. 李

      李文Li Wen

      李文:

      一口也不行!

      Yì kǒu yě bùxíng!

      Not even a sip!

    7. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      听李文的。三个人喝矿泉水,喝完的瓶子给他换钱,小雪要一杯饮料。

      Tīng Lǐ Wén de. Sān ge rén hē kuàngquánshuǐ, hē wán de píngzi gěi tā huàn qián, Xiǎoxuě yào yì bēi yǐnliào.

      Listen to Li Wen. Three of us have water, and the empty bottles go to him to sell; Xiaoxue wants one soft drink.

    4

    Dialogue 4: Wrong Room

    The food should be here by now. Annie's phone rings, and the delivery person has a problem.

    • 安安妮Annie
    • 刘刘明Liu Ming
    • 李李文Li Wen
    • 邻邻居Neighbor
    1. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      喂?……什么?送到二零二了?我们是三零二啊!

      Wèi?... Shénme? Sòng dào èr líng èr le? Wǒmen shì sān líng èr a!

      Hello? ...What? You delivered to 202? We’re 302!

    2. 刘

      刘明Liu Ming

      刘明:

      二零二是我们去年的房间……我写错了,对不起!

      Èr líng èr shì wǒmen qùnián de fángjiān... Wǒ xiě cuò le, duìbuqǐ!

      202 was our room last year... I wrote it wrong, sorry!

    3. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      你上星期在咖啡店丢了东西,是李文回来给你开的门。今天是房间号,下次呢?

      Nǐ shàng xīngqī zài kāfēidiàn diū le dōngxi, shì Lǐ Wén huílai gěi nǐ kāi de mén. Jīntiān shì fángjiān hào, xià cì ne?

      Last week you lost your things at the café and Li Wen came back to let you in. Today it’s the room number, so what’s next?

    4. 李

      李文Li Wen

      李文:

      门口有人!我去开门。

      Ménkǒu yǒu rén! Wǒ qù kāi mén.

      Someone’s at the door! I’ll get it.

    5. 邻

      邻居Neighbor

      邻居:

      你们好,这是你们的外卖吧?送外卖的人在我门口叫了好几声,我一看,上面写的是你们的名字。

      Nǐmen hǎo, zhè shì nǐmen de wàimài ba? Sòng wàimài de rén zài wǒ ménkǒu jiào le hǎo jǐ shēng, wǒ yí kàn, shàngmiàn xiě de shì nǐmen de míngzi.

      Hi, this is your takeout, right? The delivery guy called out at my door several times, and when I looked, it had your names on it.

    6. 安

      安妮Annie

      安妮:

      是我们的!太谢谢您了,真不好意思。

      Shì wǒmen de! Tài xièxie nín le, zhēn bù hǎoyìsi.

      It’s ours! Thank you so much, I’m really sorry.

    7. 邻

      邻居Neighbor

      邻居:

      没事,快吃吧,菜还是热的。

      Méishì, kuài chī ba, cài háishi rè de.

      No problem, eat up, the food is still hot.

    measure word遍口 (kǒu) bite, 回 (huí) time, 遍 (biàn) run-through, 声 (shēng) call.
    +
    object课What it is done to, if you say it.

    In the second scene Liu Ming says 再读一遍zài dú yí biàn: he will read the whole lesson from the start once more while they wait.

    In sentences

    • 口: a bite

      我渴了,想喝一口水。

      Wǒ kě le, xiǎng hē yì kǒu shuǐ.

      I’m thirsty and want a sip of water.

      For food and drink, in small amounts.

    • 回: a time

      他去过两回西安。

      Tā qù guo liǎng huí Xī'ān.

      He has been to Xi’an twice.

      Like 次cì in spoken Chinese.

    • 遍: a full run

      这课我已经读了三遍。

      Zhè kè wǒ yǐjīng dú le sān biàn.

      I’ve read this lesson through three times.

      The whole thing from start to finish.

    • 声: a call

      你叫他一声,他就听见了。

      Nǐ jiào tā yì shēng, tā jiù tīngjiàn le.

      Call him once and he’ll hear you.

      A pronoun comes before the measure word.

    • 这个菜很好吃,你尝一口吧。

      Zhège cài hěn hǎochī, nǐ cháng yì kǒu ba.

      This dish is very tasty; have a bite.

    • 这本书很好看,我已经读了三遍。

      Zhè běn shū hěn hǎokàn, wǒ yǐjīng dú le sān biàn.

      This book is great and I’ve already read it three times.

    • A:你去过西安吗? B:去过两回,都是去玩儿。

      A: Nǐ qù guo Xī'ān ma? B: Qù guo liǎng huí, dōu shì qù wánr.

      A: Have you been to Xi’an? B: Twice, both times for fun.

    • 我哥哥在楼下叫了我一声,我就出去了。

      Wǒ gēge zài lóu xià jiào le wǒ yì shēng, wǒ jiù chūqu le.

      My brother called me once from downstairs, so I went out.

    • 刘明写错了房间号,送外卖的人在门口叫了好几声。

      Liú Míng xiě cuò le fángjiān hào, sòng wàimài de rén zài ménkǒu jiào le hǎo jǐ shēng.

      Liu Ming wrote the wrong room number, so the delivery person called out at a door several times.

    In the dialogues

    Dialogue 1 · Only One Pack · Turn 3

    See dialogue 1

    一包?四个人,一人一口就没了。

    Yì bāo? Sì ge rén, yì rén yì kǒu jiù méi le.

    One pack? Four of us, and it’s gone in a bite each.

    Why it matters · 一人一口yì rén yì kǒu: 口kǒu counts a bite, so the noodles are only a bite each.

    See dialogue 1

    Dialogue 1 · Only One Pack · Turn 5

    See dialogue 1

    那个我吃过好几回了,不想再吃。

    Nàge wǒ chī guo hǎo jǐ huí le, bù xiǎng zài chī.

    I’ve had that so many times, I don’t want it again.

    Why it matters · 好几回hǎo jǐ huí: 回huí counts how many times she has eaten them.

    See dialogue 1

    Dialogue 2 · Reading the Reviews · Turn 6

    See dialogue 2

    没关系,我把这课再读一遍就到了。

    Méiguānxi, wǒ bǎ zhè kè zài dú yí biàn jiù dào le.

    No problem, I’ll read this lesson once more and it’ll be here.

    Why it matters · 读一遍dú yí biàn: 遍biàn means reading the lesson all the way through.

    See dialogue 2

    Dialogue 3 · No Beer Tonight · Turn 5

    See dialogue 3

    就一口,一口也不行吗?

    Jiù yì kǒu, yì kǒu yě bùxíng ma?

    Just a sip, not even a sip?

    Why it matters · 一口yì kǒu: even the smallest sip of beer is a no.

    See dialogue 3

    Dialogue 4 · Wrong Room · Turn 5

    See dialogue 4

    你们好,这是你们的外卖吧?送外卖的人在我门口叫了好几声,我一看,上面写的是你们的名字。

    Nǐmen hǎo, zhè shì nǐmen de wàimài ba? Sòng wàimài de rén zài wǒ ménkǒu jiào le hǎo jǐ shēng, wǒ yí kàn, shàngmiàn xiě de shì nǐmen de míngzi.

    Hi, this is your takeout, right? The delivery guy called out at my door several times, and when I looked, it had your names on it.

    Why it matters · 叫了好几声jiào le hǎo jǐ shēng: 声shēng counts how many times he called.

    See dialogue 4
    Full explanationThe reasoning behind the pattern · 1 paragraph

    Chinese counts actions with measure words after the verb. 口kǒu counts bites and sips: 尝一口cháng yì kǒu. 回huí counts times, like 次cì in speech: 去过两回qù guo liǎng huí. 遍biàn counts a whole action from start to finish: 读一遍dú yí biàn is to read it all the way through once. 声shēng counts sounds and calls: 叫一声jiào yì shēng. The form is verb + number + measure word. With a noun object, the noun comes after the measure word: 吃一口饭chī yì kǒu fàn. A pronoun object comes right after the verb: 叫他一声jiào tā yì shēng. The key constraint is that 遍biàn means the whole process, so it is not for visits or occasions. A common mistake is to use it for those: ✗ 我去过西安两遍wǒ qù guo Xī'ān liǎng biàn; say ✓ 我去过西安两回wǒ qù guo Xī'ān liǎng huí. Another is the place of a pronoun: ✗ 叫一声他jiào yì shēng tā; say ✓ 叫他一声jiào tā yì shēng.