How to Say “An appetizer please” in Chinese
Food and dining · HSK 3
"An appetizer please" in Chinese is 请来一份开胃菜 (qǐng lái yī fèn kāi wèi cài). 开胃菜 literally means 'open-appetite dish'; same logic as the English word. In Chinese dining, the concept is a bit different from Western appetizers: at a proper meal you'll often see 凉菜 (cold dishes) served first, which function as appetizers.
Primary translation
请来一份开胃菜
qǐng lái yī fèn kāi wèi cài
Traditional: 請來一份開胃菜
Variants by register
Formal
请给我们来一份开胃菜
qǐng gěi wǒ men lái yī fèn kāi wèi cài
Casual
来个开胃菜
lái gè kāi wèi cài
When to use it
开胃菜 literally means 'open-appetite dish'; same logic as the English word. In Chinese dining, the concept is a bit different from Western appetizers: at a proper meal you'll often see 凉菜 (cold dishes) served first, which function as appetizers. In Western restaurants or hotels in China, 开胃菜 is the standard term. Using 来 (lái, 'bring/come') to order is extremely natural; more native than 我要 (I want). The measure word 份 works for a portion; 个 is more casual.
Example sentences
我们先来一份开胃菜，谢谢。
Wǒ men xiān lái yī fèn kāi wèi cài, xiè xie.
We'll start with an appetizer, thanks.
你们有什么开胃菜推荐？
Nǐ men yǒu shén me kāi wèi cài tuī jiàn?
What appetizers do you recommend?
这家餐厅的开胃菜特别好吃。
Zhè jiā cān tīng de kāi wèi cài tè bié hǎo chī.
This restaurant's appetizers are especially delicious.