How to Say “Rice or noodles?” in Chinese
Food and dining · HSK 2
"Rice or noodles?" in Chinese is 米饭还是面条？ (Mǐfàn háishì miàntiáo?). This is one of the most useful A-or-B questions you'll hear in any Chinese canteen or set-meal shop. 还是 (háishì) is the key word; it means 'or' specifically in questions offering a choice, never in statements (for that you use 或者 huòzhě).
Primary translation
米饭还是面条？
Mǐfàn háishì miàntiáo?
Traditional: 米飯還是麵條？
Variants by register
Formal
您要米饭还是面条？
Nín yào mǐfàn háishì miàntiáo?
When to use it
This is one of the most useful A-or-B questions you'll hear in any Chinese canteen or set-meal shop. 还是 (háishì) is the key word; it means 'or' specifically in questions offering a choice, never in statements (for that you use 或者 huòzhě). Note the cultural split: northerners are 'noodle people' (面食), southerners are 'rice people' (米饭). In a 盒饭 (boxed lunch) shop, the server will fire this question fast; a simple 米饭 or 面条 answer is all they need, no full sentence.
Example sentences
主食要米饭还是面条？
Zhǔshí yào mǐfàn háishì miàntiáo?
For the staple, do you want rice or noodles?
我要米饭，谢谢。
Wǒ yào mǐfàn, xièxie.
I'll have rice, thanks.
北方人爱吃面条，南方人爱吃米饭。
Běifāng rén ài chī miàntiáo, nánfāng rén ài chī mǐfàn.
Northerners love noodles, southerners love rice.