How to Say ‘What are you having for lunch?’ in Traditional Chinese
你中午要吃什麼？
nǐ zhōng wǔ yào chī shén me
[nǐ zhōngwǔ yào chī shénme]
🇹🇼 In Taiwan: Asking this in the break room is a common, low-key way to open a chat or hint at grabbing lunch together. Lunch in Taiwanese offices is usually around noon, followed by a quiet rest period, so plans tend to get made late in the morning.
Phrase Breakdown
你中午
nǐ zhōng wǔ
you, at noon
你 (nǐ) means 'you'. 中午 (zhōngwǔ) means 'noon' or 'lunchtime'.
你中午有空嗎？
Are you free at noon?
Words in this phrase
你
nǐ
[nǐ]
you
Refers to the person being spoken to.
你今天看起來很高興。
You look happy today.
中午
zhōng wǔ
[zhōngwǔ]
noon; midday
The middle of the day, around 12:00.
中午我們一起吃飯。
Let's eat together at noon.
要吃什麼？
yào chī shén me
what do (you) want to eat?
要 (yào) means 'want to' and 吃什麼 (chī shénme) means 'eat what'. The question rises gently at the end.
早餐要吃什麼？
What do you want for breakfast?
Words in this phrase
要
yào
[yào]
about to; going to
With 了, shows something is about to happen.
比賽要開始了。
The match is about to start.
吃
chī
[chī]
to eat
The basic verb for eating food.
我們去吃晚餐吧。
Let's go eat dinner.
什麼
shén me
[shénme]
what
Question word for 'what'.
你想買什麼？
What do you want to buy?
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