餐桌礼仪 Dinner Etiquette

中国饮食在世界上是很有名的。
I believe the Chinese food is famous around the world.

假如你来到中国，中国朋友请你吃饭，你就需要了解一下有关宴会中的座次问题。
And if you are in China and you are asked by your Chinese friend to a dinner, you may want to know how to pick up your seat at the table and what is the proper way to sit at the table.

这个位子一般是主位，是主人的。
Well, normally this seat is the seat for the host or the hostess.

这个位子面朝着门。（面朝着门的一般是主位。）
The seat is facing the door of this room.

也可以根据餐巾的样式来辨别座位。
One may also distinguish the seats at the table from the style in which the napkins are folded.

无论餐巾折成什么样式，最高的餐巾对应的座位，一定是主位。
Regardless of how the napkins are arranged.，the tallest arrangement will always correspond to the master seat.

一张坐四五个人的小桌子，与主人的座位相对应的背对着门的那个位置则是被邀请的主客坐的位置。
At the small table, a table for four of five, the seat right across of the host seat, the seat over there, the back of which is facing the door is the seat for the main guest.

当然如果桌子大一点的时候，比如说可以坐十到十二个人的桌子，由于主人和客人说话不太方便，跨越桌子就像跨越一片大海一样，所以他们可以挨着坐，这种情况下是可以挨着坐的，这样坐主人和客人说话更方便一些。
But usually of course, when it’s a bigger table, a table for ten or twelve, and it is not easy for host or hostess talking with the main guest, right across the table like right across the ocean and they can just sit side by side which can make it easier for them to talk.

我想你也注意到了在桌子上还有一个小桌子，就是这个，可以转动的这个。
And on the table I suppose you have noticed that there is something like this, it’s a smaller table on the big table.

你们叫它lazy Susan。
And I suppose you call it lazy Susan.

对，它可以方便客人夹菜。
Yeah, this can make things easier for us.

因为在中国的宴席上，我们并不是谁点的菜谁吃。
Because in the Chinese way of having food，we don’t order our own food.

而是为所有人点菜，大家一起分享食物。
We order for everybody and everybody shares the food on the table.

我们经常会采取桌上的人每人点一个菜的方式。
And usually we can have each of the people at the table to order one of the dishes.

那么如果我想吃的菜在桌子的另一边，比如说我想吃鸡肉，我就可以转动这个小桌子，让鸡肉转到我这一边来。
So what if something I want is on the other side of the table, for instance if I want the chicken, so I can turn the lazy Susan and turn the chicken to my side.

这样不用站起来就可以够到菜，因为站起来夹菜是不礼貌的。
I can just pick it up without standing up and reaching out which is not proper or polite in Chinese table manner.

另外还要注意当别人夹菜的时候，这个时候你最好不要转动这个小桌子。
And of course when someone else picks the dishes you are not gonna turn the table at that time, turn lazy Susan at that time.

你知道为什么我坐在这儿而不是坐在那儿吗？
And do you know why I just sit hear rather than there?

因为坐在那儿的人要负责买单。
Because the one sitting there is gonna pay the bill.

中国的宴席中一般都有敬酒的习俗。
Most Chinese people have the tradition of making toasts at banquets.

敬酒的顺序通常要按照年龄先长后幼、职位由高到低或者先主宾后次宾的顺序。
The order on the toast may be based on age from the eldest to the youngest by social position from high to low, or by guest status from principal to secondary.

只有充分考虑到敬酒的顺序，才能达到敬酒的效果，使大家皆大欢喜。
only if the individual proposes the toast in a correct and reasonable manner, would the toast be well received and appreciated.

在宴席上饮酒的过程中，随时都可以敬酒，而且可以向同一个人多次敬酒。
One may propose a toast at any time throughout the meal, and making several toasts to one person is acceptable as well.

当杯中的饮料少于一半时，主人通常会为客人斟满。
If the guests’ glasses are less than half full, the host will help refill glasses for them.

斟酒的次序同敬酒的次序一样也是有长幼高低之分的。
The order in which this takes place is similar to that of proposing toasts, placing those of higher social status first.

在与长辈或地位高的人碰杯时，人们为了表示自己的谦虚和对对方的尊敬，往往会让自己的杯口低于对方的杯口。
When people make a toast to a person superior, they usually make sure that rim of their glass clinks at position lower than rim of the other person’s glass, which expresses respect and modesty.

为了表示热情，主人通常还会不停地劝客人多吃一点。
To show good hospitality, the host usually urge the guest to eat more.

遇到孩子或者特别亲近的人，甚至还会亲自为客人夹菜。
For children, relatives or close friends, they will even serve the dishes themselves.

客人通常要友好地接受，并且表示感谢。
The guests are supposed to accept the serving and kindly show their appreciation.

即使遇到自己不喜欢吃的菜，也不要拒绝，放到自己盘子一边就可以了。
Even if they do not like the particular dish, they do not refuse the serving as simply accept it and leave it at side of their plate.

另外，在中国的饭店吃饭可以不用另外付小费。
Eating in the restaurant in China, tips are not necessary.

干杯
Bottom up!

买单
Pay the bill.

餐巾
napkin