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How to Say ‘Would you like rice or noodles?’ in Simplified Chinese

要米饭还是面条？

yào mǐ fàn hái shì miàn tiáo

[yaow mee-fahn high-shir miàntiáo]

💬 Usage Tip: 还是 (hái shi) means "or" only in questions that offer a choice. You just answer with the one you want.

Phrase Breakdown

要米饭

yào mǐ fàn

want rice

要 (yào) means 'want'. 米饭 (mǐfàn) means 'cooked rice'.

Example

我要米饭。

I want rice.

Words in this phrase

要

yào

[yaow]

want; need

Commonly used to say what you want to buy, order, or have.

Example

我要一瓶水。

I want a bottle of water.

米饭

mǐ fàn

[mee-fahn]

cooked rice

Steamed rice served as a staple food.

Example

请再来一碗米饭。

Please bring another bowl of rice.

还是面条？

hái shì miàn tiáo

or noodles?

还是 (háishi) means 'or' in questions. 面条 (miàntiáo) means 'noodles'.

Example

喝茶还是咖啡？

Tea or coffee?

Words in this phrase

还是

hái shì

[high-shir]

Used in questions to offer alternatives, such as indoor or outdoor seating.

Example

您想坐室内还是室外？

Would you like to sit indoors or outdoors?

面条

miàn tiáo

[miàntiáo]

noodles

Long thin strips of dough, a staple food in China.

Example

北方人常吃面条。

Northerners often eat noodles.

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