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How to Say ‘No MSG, please’ in Simplified Chinese

请不要放味精

qǐng bú yào fàng wèi jīng

[qǐng bú yào fàng wèijīng]

💬 Usage Tip: 不要 + verb works as "please don't": 不要放辣椒 "don't add chili". 放 (fàng) means "put in".

Phrase Breakdown

请不要

qǐng bú yào

please don't

请 (qǐng) is a polite 'please', and 不要 (bú yào) means 'don't'. 不 changes to second tone (bú) before the fourth-tone 要.

Example

请不要说话。

Please don't talk.

Words in this phrase

请

qǐng

[qǐng]

Please

A polite expression used when asking for something.

Example

请进,大家都在等你。

Please come in, everyone is waiting for you.

不要

bú yào

[bú yào]

don't

Used to tell someone not to do something.

Example

不要加冰。

Don't add ice.

放味精

fàng wèi jīng

add MSG

放 (fàng) means 'to put in' or 'to add', and 味精 (wèijīng) means MSG. All three syllables are falling or level tones, so say them crisply.

Example

这个菜放味精了吗?

Did you put MSG in this dish?

Words in this phrase

放

fàng

[fàng]

to put; to add

To put an ingredient into food.

Example

少放点盐。

Put in less salt.

味精

wèi jīng

[wèijīng]

MSG; monosodium glutamate

A flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese dishes.

Example

这个菜有味精吗?

Does this dish have MSG?

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