HSK 4Lesson 69
Inviting people to eat is a central part of Chinese hospitality. In this lesson a friend insists that Anne come to dinner, Bai Jiayue's family keeps Teacher Wang for a meal, two friends argue politely over the bill, and Li Wen gets help to host his uncle.
You will learn to host and be hosted at a meal: inviting and insisting, asking a guest to stay, settling the bill, and planning how to look after a visiting relative.
Part 1 · 8 new words
Contains 4 words
to treat (someone)
to ask to stay; to keep
to stay on; to leave behind
to keep company; to go with
Contains 4 words
to be left over
to make; to do (colloquial)
Part 2 · 8 phrases
她待人很热情，大家都喜欢她。
She treats people warmly, and everyone likes her.
给你留了一块蛋糕，放在冰箱里。
I saved a piece of cake for you; it's in the fridge.
别走了，留下来住一晚吧，明天再回去。
Don't go; stay the night and head back tomorrow.
菜太多了，吃不完，还剩半只鸡。
There was too much food, we couldn't finish it, and half a chicken is left.
周末我陪妈妈去商店买衣服，走了一下午。
On the weekend I went with my mom to buy clothes and we walked all afternoon.
手机被我弄坏了，我得去修一下。
I broke my phone, so I have to go get it fixed.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Liu Xiaoxue invites Anne to dinner at her home and will not take no for an answer; Anne offers to come early and help.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
安妮，这个周末我请客，来我家吃饭吧。
Anne, this weekend I'm having people over. Come to my place for dinner.
安妮Anne
在家做饭太麻烦你了，我们还是去饭店吧。
Cooking at home is too much trouble for you. Let's go to a restaurant instead.
Part 4 · 3 points
X也得X，不X也得X
Use subject + X也得X，不X也得X (X yě děi X, bù X yě děi X) to say someone must do X whether they want to or not.
No way out
Subject + X也得X (X yě děi X)，不X也得X (bù X yě děi X).
to guarantee; to provide (enough)
to count as; to put on (someone's bill)
来我家吃饭，米饭管够，肉也管够。
Come to my place to eat; there's plenty of rice and plenty of meat.
算上我，一共来了五个人。
Counting me, five people came in all.
一点儿也不麻烦。你来也得来，不来也得来！
It's no trouble at all. You're coming, and that's that!
安妮Anne
好吧，那我去。要我带点儿什么吗？
All right, I'll come. Do you want me to bring anything?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
什么都不用带，你人来就是了。
You don't need to bring anything. Just bring yourself.
安妮Anne
那我早点儿到，帮你一起弄菜。
Then I'll come a bit early and help you make the food.
Teacher Wang has visited Bai Jiayue's home. As she gets ready to leave, Bai Jiayue asks her to stay for the dinner her mother has made.
白家月Bai Jiayue
王老师，都六点了，您留下来吃饭吧。
Teacher Wang, it's already six o'clock. Please stay for dinner.
王老师Teacher Wang
不了，太麻烦你们了。我回家随便吃点儿就行。
No, that's too much trouble for you. I'll just grab something at home.
白家月Bai Jiayue
我妈已经弄了好几个菜，就是想留您吃饭。
My mom has already made quite a few dishes. She really wants you to stay and eat.
王老师Teacher Wang
你们一家人待我太好了，那我就不走了。
Your family treats me so well. Then I'll stay.
白家月Bai Jiayue
您别客气，饭菜管够，您多吃点儿。
Please don't stand on ceremony. There's plenty of food, so eat as much as you like.
王老师Teacher Wang
好。吃完饭我再陪你爸爸喝杯茶，聊聊天。
Good. After dinner I'll keep your dad company over a cup of tea and a chat.
Bai Jiayue and Wang Yixue finish a restaurant meal with food left over, and each wants to pay.
白家月Bai Jiayue
我们菜点多了，还剩这么多。
We ordered too many dishes. There's so much left.
王一雪Wang Yixue
剩就剩点儿吧，带回去明天还能吃。
So what if a bit is left over? We can take it home and eat it tomorrow.
白家月Bai Jiayue
也好。你等一下，我去付钱。
Fair enough. Wait a moment, I'll go and pay.
王一雪Wang Yixue
别去，今天算我的。上次是你请的。
Don't. Today is on me. Last time you paid.
白家月Bai Jiayue
上次吃得那么便宜，不能算。
Last time was so cheap, it doesn't count.
王一雪Wang Yixue
你就别跟我客气了，下次你请就是了。
Stop being so polite with me. You can just treat next time.
白家月Bai Jiayue
好吧，那说好了，下次一定算我的。
All right, it's agreed then: next time is definitely on me.
Li Wen's uncle is coming to visit, and Li Wen asks his roommate Liu Ming to help him host a meal at their apartment.
李文Li Wen
明天我叔叔来看我，我想在家请他吃饭，你能帮帮我吗？
My uncle is coming to see me tomorrow. I want to have him over for a meal. Can you help me?
刘明Liu Ming
当然可以。你会做饭吗？
Of course. Can you cook?
李文Li Wen
我只会弄几个简单的菜，怕他吃不好。
I can only make a few simple dishes. I'm afraid he won't eat well.
刘明Liu Ming
没关系，菜我来做，你就陪他聊天。
No problem. I'll do the cooking; you just keep him company.
李文Li Wen
太好了。他不吃辣的，你少放点儿辣。
Great. He doesn't eat spicy food, so go easy on the chilli.
刘明Liu Ming
放心吧。他要是晚上不想走，就留下来住，我去朋友那儿住一晚。
Don't worry. If he doesn't want to leave in the evening, he can stay over, and I'll spend the night at a friend's.
Liu Xiaoxue will not take no for an answer.
In sentences
Invitation
你来也得来，不来也得来！
You're coming, and that's that!
Warm insistence between friends.
Medicine
这个药你吃也得吃，不吃也得吃。
You're taking this medicine whether you like it or not.
From someone in charge, it sounds like an order.
Exam
明天的考试，你去也得去，不去也得去。
You're going to tomorrow's exam whether you like it or not.
Note 不去bú qù with tone change.
A：这么多菜，我吃不完。 B：你吃也得吃，不吃也得吃，这是我妈做的！
A: There's so much food; I can't finish it. B: You have to eat it, like it or not. My mom made it!
李文对刘明说：这顿饭你帮也得帮，不帮也得帮，我一个人弄不完。
Li Wen said to Liu Ming: You have to help with this meal, like it or not; I can't do it all by myself.
In 你来也得来，不来也得来nǐ lái yě děi lái, bù lái yě děi lái, the same verb appears four times: whether you come or not, you have to come. The two halves cover both choices, and both end in 得děi + X, so the listener has no way out. Between friends and family this is a warm, playful way to insist on an invitation, as Liu Xiaoxue does with Anne; from someone with authority it can sound like an order: 这个药你吃也得吃，不吃也得吃zhège yào nǐ chī yě děi chī, bù chī yě děi chī. It is spoken and emphatic, so it is not used in polite requests to strangers or superiors. Compare 说什么也得来shuō shénme yě děi lái, you must come no matter what, which insists in a similar way. 得děi here is read děi, must, not de. The verb must be exactly the same in all four places, and the second half needs 不bù. A common error is to leave out one 得děi: say 你来也得来，不来也得来nǐ lái yě děi lái, bù lái yě děi lái, not 你来也来，不来也得来nǐ lái yě lái, bù lái yě děi lái.
X就是了
End a sentence with verb phrase + 就是了jiù shì le to say that doing X is all that is needed, so the other person need not worry.
That's all you need to do
(Subject +) verb phrase + 就是了jiù shì le.
Liu Xiaoxue tells Anne there is no need to bring anything.
In sentences
Host
你人来就是了。
Just bring yourself.
Tells a guest not to bring anything.
Promise
你别着急，书我明天一定带给你就是了。
Don't worry, I'll bring you the book tomorrow, all right?
With 我wǒ it is a promise that settles the matter.
Offering help
有问题你问我就是了。
If you have a question, just ask me.
Makes help sound easy to accept.
A：我不知道怎么去你家。 B：你坐地铁到站，我去接你就是了。
A: I don't know how to get to your place. B: Just take the subway to the station and I'll come and meet you.
白家月对老师说：您坐下吃饭就是了，别的事我来做。
Bai Jiayue said to the teacher: Just sit down and eat; I'll take care of everything else.
就是了jiù shì le at the end of a sentence means that's all, nothing more is needed. It makes something sound simple and settles the matter: 什么都不用带，你人来就是了shénme dōu bú yòng dài, nǐ rén lái jiù shì le, just bring yourself. Hosts use it to stop a guest from worrying, and friends use it to end polite arguments: 你就别跟我客气了，下次你请就是了nǐ jiù bié gēn wǒ kèqi le, xià cì nǐ qǐng jiù shì le. With 我wǒ it can be a promise: 我明天一定给你就是了wǒ míngtiān yídìng gěi nǐ jiù shì le, I'll give it to you tomorrow, all right? It is casual, and in a sharp tone it can sound impatient. 就是了jiù shì le always comes last, after the whole verb phrase, and the 了le is part of it; this is different from 就是jiùshì meaning even if in 就是……，也…… (jiùshì …, yě …). A common error is to drop 了le or move the phrase forward: say
X就X（点儿）吧
Repeat a word around 就jiù, as in X就X点儿吧X jiù X diǎnr ba, to accept a small drawback because it does not really matter.
Let it go
X就X (X jiù X) + 点儿吧diǎnr ba，reason.
Wang Yixue doesn't mind the leftovers because they can take them home.
In sentences
Leftovers
剩就剩点儿吧，带回去明天还能吃。
So what if a bit is left over? We can take it home and eat it tomorrow.
The reason follows.
Price
贵就贵点儿吧，东西好就行。
So it's a bit expensive. As long as it's good, that's fine.
Accepts a higher price.
Distance
远就远一点儿吧，那家饭店的菜很好吃。
So it's a bit far. The food at that restaurant is delicious.
一点儿yìdiǎnr works too.
A：这个菜有点儿咸。 B：咸就咸点儿吧，多喝点儿水就行。
A: This dish is a bit salty. B: So be it; just drink more water.
菜做多就多点儿吧，叔叔来了，吃不完的我们明天再吃。
If we've made too much, so be it; Uncle is coming, and we'll eat what's left tomorrow.
In X就X (X jiù X), the same verb or adjective stands on both sides of 就jiù: the speaker accepts a fact that is not ideal and says it does not matter much: 剩就剩点儿吧，带回去明天还能吃shèng jiù shèng diǎnr ba, dài huíqu míngtiān hái néng chī, so what if a bit is left over. 点儿diǎnr or 一点儿yìdiǎnr after the second X makes the problem sound small, and 吧ba gives a tone of letting it go. A reason why it is acceptable often follows: 贵就贵点儿吧，东西好就行guì jiù guì diǎnr ba, dōngxi hǎo jiù xíng. The X is something unwelcome, such as 贵guì, 远yuǎn, 剩shèng or 晚wǎn, so the pattern is not used for good things. Compare X是X (X shì X), which admits a point before an objection; X就X (X jiù X) accepts it and moves on. A common error is to use two different words: say
你就别跟我客气了，下次你请就是了。
Stop being so polite with me. You can just treat next time.
Why it matters · Wang Yixue settles who pays.
