Answer for question 4570.

[elusivek]

[Error: unknown template qotd]There's this one question that the Chinese people (I've noticed it's mainly people from Southern China, or the ones that speak Cantonese)...

食飯未啊？

It's a kind of "How are you", but literally it means "have you eaten yet?"

I know for a fact that it's just people being polite, and that people mean no harm, no ill-will, but I just can't.

If you ask me that at general meal times like 12noon or 1pm, okay I understand. But when you ask me that at ambiguous times like 3pm or 4pm... what do you want me to answer? "Yes, I've eaten lunch," or "No, I haven't had dinner yet," or "I'm not planning to tea"? *

I know I'm being irrational and that the whole thing is in my head only, so I apologise in advance.

* I'm used to the "Breakfasts are before 9am", "Lunches can be anywhere 12noon - 2pm", and "Dinners are 7pm-9pm" schedule.

Flip side, as long as you ask about my dogs, I can be the friendliest person you've every known. Unless you make question sound like some kind of criticism or doubt on the awesomeness of my dogs.

Comments

[mores0ul.livejournal.com]

Haha my family / family friends from the mainland say that! No matter if I respond in the positive or negative, it's generally followed by an offer of food/tea. :P Food = love/care, plus I love to eat so win/win for me!

[crazybellatrix.livejournal.com]

I just wonder of what interest it is to someone whether you've eaten or not. O_o If it's like, "Have you eaten yet? Want to grab a bite to eat?" Okay, that's different. It's an invite to have a bite to eat. . . but just randomly asking if I've eaten? Um, why? xD.