v.
To request politely to meet or speak with someone. To invite or treat someone; used as "please" in polite requests. Speech (言) beside fresh, green grass (青) for courteous asking.
请
Common Usage & Traps
- 请进 — please come in
- 请坐 — please sit down
- 请问 — excuse me; may I ask
- 请打电话 — please make a phone call
- 请你吃饭 — invite you to a meal; treat you to food
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坐请请坐Put 请 before the action, not after it.
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我请吃饭你我请你吃饭When 请 means invite or treat, the person comes right after 请.
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请问你叫什么名字吗？请问，你叫什么名字？请问 already opens a polite question; adding 吗 at the end doubles the question.
Does 请 go before or after the verb when it means 'please'?
Before the verb. 请坐 works; 坐请 sounds broken.
Put 请 in front of the action you want softened. 请坐, 请进, and 请打电话 all follow this pattern. If you move it after the verb, native ears hear broken word order. The story sign uses 请打电话给三号房间, where 请 sits before 打电话.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Position | 请坐 | 坐请 |
| Phone request | 请打电话 | 打电话请 |
| Polite command | 请进 | 进请 |
Does 请 only mean 'please'?
请 is not only 'please'. It also means to invite or treat someone.
我请你吃饭 means I am treating you to a meal. The person you invite comes right after 请: 请你, 请他. If you put the person after the verb, the sentence sounds broken. Use this pattern for meals, tea, and other treats.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | 我请你吃饭 = I'm treating you | 我请你吃饭 = I'm just saying please eat |
| Word order | 我请你喝茶 | 我请喝茶你 |
| Person after 请 | 他请我吃饭 | 他请吃饭我 |
Does 请问 mean 'please ask'?
No. 请问 is your polite question opener, not a command to ask someone else.
请问 works like 'excuse me' before your own question. 请问，你叫什么名字？ means you are asking the other person. To tell someone to ask a third person, say 你去问他. If you mean 'please ask him', 请问 is the wrong tool.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | 请问 = excuse me, may I ask | 请问 = please ask |
| Position | 请问，洗手间在哪儿？ | 洗手间请问在哪儿？ |
| Question shape | 请问，你叫什么名字？ | 请问你叫什么名字吗？ |
Appears in Stories 4 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.
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今天，热茶做好了， 请 您喝。”
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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这边 请 ，请进请坐 请 喝茶；
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家人、朋友关系好，“谢谢”、“您”、“ 请 ”太客气，在家说话不客气，可以不说“您和 请 ”。
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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Ｂ：可以， 请 说。
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
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谁看见我的大白猫大白， 请 打电话给三号房间。”
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