How to Ask for the Bill in Chinese: Restaurant Phrases for 买单 and 结账
Learn to ask for the bill and split it in Chinese restaurants. Master 买单, 结账, and 分开付 with clear examples and a practical dialogue.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you finish a meal in a Chinese restaurant, you need to know how to get the server's attention and settle the bill. The most common expressions are 买单 (mǎi dān) and 结账 (jié zhàng). This lesson teaches you to ask for the bill, request to pay, and ask about splitting it. You will learn the direct phrases, when to use each, and how to combine them into polite requests. By the end, you will be able to handle the end of a meal smoothly.
By the end, you can…
- ask for the bill at a restaurant using 买单 or 结账.
- ask whether we can split the bill using 分开付 or AA制.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
买单。
The bill, please.
mǎi dān
Very common and direct. Use to call a server or state you want to pay. Slightly informal but widely acceptable.
结账。
Check, please.
jié zhàng
Also very common, slightly more formal than 买单. Works in most restaurants.
可以买单吗？
Could we have the bill, please?
kě yǐ mǎi dān ma
A polite question. 可以 means 'may/can', 吗 makes it a yes/no question. Use with staff.
可以分开付吗？
Can we split the bill?
kě yǐ fēn kāi fù ma
分开付 means 'pay separately'. Use when you want to pay individually.
我们AA制。
We'll go Dutch (split the bill).
wǒ men A A zhì
AA制 comes from Cantonese 'AA' (each pays their own share) and is used casually among friends. Pronounce each letter A separately.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask for the bill, use 买单 or 结账. Both are verb-object phrases. You can say them alone as a request, or add 可以...吗 to make a polite question. For example: 可以买单吗？(Could we have the bill?) or 可以结账吗？(Could we settle the bill?). To ask about splitting, use 分开付 (pay separately) or AA制 (split equally). For example: 可以分开付吗？(Can we pay separately?) or 我们AA制吧。(Let's split it.) Note that 买单 and 结账 are largely interchangeable in restaurants, though 结账 may sound slightly more formal.
When to use it
Use 买单 or 结账 when you are ready to pay and want to get the server's attention. If you are at a restaurant where you pay at the counter, you can still say 买单 to signal you are done. For splitting, 分开付 is clear and neutral; it means each person pays their own portion. AA制 is more casual and implies equal division, often used among friends. If you want to ask if splitting is possible, use 可以分开付吗？. Avoid using 买单 in very formal banquets where 结账 might be preferred, but both are generally understood.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
服务员，买单。
Waiter, the bill please.fú wù yuán, mǎi dān好的，一共两百块。
Okay, that's two hundred yuan in total.hǎo de, yī gòng liǎng bǎi kuài可以分开付吗？
Can we split the bill?kě yǐ fēn kāi fù ma可以，你们各付一百。
Yes, you each pay one hundred.kě yǐ, nǐ men gè fù yī bǎiA little context goes a long way
In many Chinese restaurants, you signal for the bill by catching the server's eye and saying 买单 or 结账. It is common to pay at the table or at the counter. Splitting the bill is increasingly common, especially among younger people, but in some traditional settings one person may treat everyone. Using 分开付 is straightforward and polite. AA制 is casual and often used among friends. If you are unsure, you can ask 可以分开付吗？
One thing to watch for
Saying 买单吗？ to mean 'Can I have the bill?'
Try this instead: 买单吗？ sounds like 'Do you want to pay?' or 'Are you paying?' because 吗 turns it into a yes/no question about the other person. To ask politely, say 可以买单吗？ (Could we have the bill?) or simply 买单。 as a request.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask for the bill in a Chinese restaurant?
Show a sample answer
买单。 or 结账。
Both are correct. 买单 is very common and slightly informal; 结账 is also common and slightly more formal. You can also say 可以买单吗？ for a polite question.
2How do you ask if you can split the bill?
Show a sample answer
可以分开付吗？
This asks 'Can we pay separately?' 分开付 means 'pay separately'. You could also say 可以AA制吗？ but that is more casual and asks about equal splitting.
3What does AA制 mean?
Show a sample answer
It means to split the bill equally, often among friends.
AA制 comes from Cantonese 'AA' and is used casually. It implies each person pays an equal share. It is not used in formal settings.
Use 买单 or 结账 to ask for the bill. For splitting, say 分开付 or AA制. Add 可以...吗 to make polite questions. Remember that 买单吗？ alone can sound like you're asking if someone else wants to pay.
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