How to Ask for the Check in Chinese: Say 买单 (Then Handle WeChat)
You’ve finished the meal. Plates are empty. Your phone is ready. You know you should ask for the check — then the waiter looks at you, and your mouth goes blank.
To ask for the check in Mandarin, catch the server’s attention and say 服务员，买单 (fúwùyuán, mǎidān) — “Waiter, check please.” 结账 (jiézhàng) also works. In mainland China the bill usually does not arrive until you ask; then you’ll often pay by WeChat or Alipay at the table. Pre-load 微信 / 支付宝 / 现金 so the follow-up doesn’t freeze you.
The lines you say out loud
| # | Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 服务员！ | fúwùyuán! | Waiter / Excuse me |
| 2 | 买单 | mǎidān | Check please |
| 3 | 结账，谢谢 | jiézhàng, xièxie | Settle up, thanks (alt.) |
| 4 | 微信可以吗？ | wēixìn kěyǐ ma? | Can I use WeChat Pay? |
| 5 | 支付宝可以吗？ | zhīfùbǎo kěyǐ ma? | Can I use Alipay? |
| 6 | 一起付 | yìqǐ fù | Pay together |
| 7 | 我买单 | wǒ mǎidān | I’ve got this / I’ll pay |
Read each line once, then say it without looking. If your mouth moved, you’re already ahead of dictionary-only readers.
Ordered already? The full meal loop starts with how to order food in Chinese — this page is the exit.
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First line works — second question freezes
You nail 买单. Then:
You: 买单。 Waiter: 微信可以吗？ / 现金还是微信？ / 一起付还是分开？ ← freeze zone
That second beat is where lunch ends cleanly — or stalls.
### Pre-load these answers
- 微信 (wēixìn) — WeChat Pay
- 支付宝 (zhīfùbǎo) — Alipay
- 现金 (xiànjīn) — cash
- 一起付 (yìqǐ fù) — one bill / pay together
You can also ask first: 微信可以吗？ / 支付宝可以吗？ — then hold up the QR on your phone.
Practice scene beat: signal → 服务员！ → 买单 → answer the payment question in one breath. Don’t stop at reading the gloss.
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买单 vs 结账 (say either)
Both mean you’re ready to settle.
- 买单 (mǎidān) — everyday restaurant “check please.” Meal-coded. Ubiquitous.
- 结账 (jiézhàng) — “settle the account.” Slightly more formal or northern-feeling. Still fine in a restaurant.
Either works. Don’t pad your brain with rare variants tonight.
*Don’t use 付钱 (fùqián) to call the bill. That just means “pay money.” It’s what you do* after they bring the total — not the request that brings the check.
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3 mistakes
- Saying 付钱 to call the bill. You want 买单 or 结账. Save “pay money” for the moment you’re actually paying.
- Waiting silently for the bill. In many mainland restaurants, you ask. Call 服务员, then 买单.
- Freezing on payment method. The first line works; the second question freezes. Practice 微信 / 支付宝 / 现金 out loud before you need them.
Pointing at your phone without speaking is weak. Say 买单, then answer the follow-up.
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Optional: together, split, or “I got it”
Keep these short — social beats, not a finance lecture.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一起付 | yìqǐ fù | Pay together / one bill |
| 分开付 | fēnkāi fù | Pay separately |
| 我买单 / 我来 | wǒ mǎidān / wǒ lái | I’ve got this |
Reality check: many places cannot item-split cleanly. One person pays; friends settle later on WeChat. If 分开付 gets a head-shake, switch to 一起付 and sort it outside.
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FAQ
### How do you ask for the check in Mandarin?
Catch the server’s attention and say 服务员，买单 (fúwùyuán, mǎidān) — “Waiter, check please.” 结账 (jiézhàng) also works. In mainland China the bill usually does not arrive until you ask; then you’ll often pay by WeChat or Alipay at the table.
### What’s the difference between 买单 and 结账?
Both mean you’re ready to settle. 买单 is the everyday restaurant “check please.” 结账 means “settle the account” and feels slightly more formal or northern, but either is fine. Don’t use 付钱 to call the bill — that just means “pay money.”
### What do you say after 买单 when they ask how you’ll pay?
Pre-load short answers: 微信 for WeChat Pay, 支付宝 for Alipay, or 现金 for cash. For one bill say 一起付; to try separate checks say 分开付 — many places still prefer one payer.
### Do you tip in mainland China?
Usually no tip is expected in everyday mainland restaurants. Pay the total on the check. Focus your speaking energy on 买单 and the payment follow-up — not tip phrases.
### How do you say “we’re paying together / separately”?
一起付 for together; 分开付 for separately; 我买单 when you’re covering it. If the kitchen can’t split items, one pays and friends settle later.
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Practice the second beat out loud
You’ve got seven lines. The gap now is your mouth under pressure — not another gloss of 买单.
Say 买单 once more, then answer 微信可以吗？ out loud. Then open the practice scene:
DailyChinese Pro is built around 365 real teachers + speakable content. The $1 path is speaking practice with AI feedback on your mouth — not a pure AI tutor product. Open your mouth. Get the exit sequence clean.
Cluster links
- Full order path: How to order food in Chinese
- Pointing order: 我要这个
- Spice line: 不要辣
- Counter fork: For here or to go in Mandarin
- Price before you lock: 多少钱 when ordering food
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Related: How to order food · 我要这个 · 不要辣