Say it in Chinese
How to say I’m full in Chinese
Updated
I’m full in Chinese is 吃饱了. The full sentence is 我吃饱了. At a Chinese meal, hosts keep putting food in your bowl to look after you. This phrase tells them you have had enough. You may need to say it more than once.
The phrase
- 吃chīeat
- 饱bǎofull
- 了le
What it means
吃饱了 means “I’m full” or “I’ve eaten enough”. 吃 is “eat” and 饱 is “full”. 了 shows that it has happened.
You do not need to say “I”. With 我 (I) in front, 我吃饱了 is a full sentence and a little clearer. Both are normal.
How to say it
Say chī bǎo le. chī is high and level. bǎo dips low. le is short and soft.
The b in bǎo has no puff of air, so to English ears it can sound like a soft “p”. The vowel is like “ow” in “how”.
The pinyin shows how people really say it, the same as in the game.
When to use it
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When a host keeps serving you
Hosts often put food in a guest’s bowl without asking. When you have had enough, say 吃饱了. Leave a little food in your bowl too. An empty bowl gets refilled.
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When someone offers more
If someone asks 再来点 (have some more)?, 我吃饱了 is a polite no.
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When someone asks if you are full
Hosts check at the end of a meal: 吃饱了吗 (are you full)? Answer 吃饱了.
Other ways to say it
Related phrases from the game.
- 我吃饱了。 (wǒ chī bǎo le.) I'm full.
A full sentence. A little firmer than 吃饱了.
- 够了够了 (gòu le gòu le) Enough, enough
Say it quickly while someone is still serving you, often with a hand over your bowl.
- 我饿了 (wǒ è le) I'm hungry
The opposite. You say it on the first morning in the game, when you wake up in the hotel.
What people say back
- 吃饱了 (chī bǎo le) I’m full
The family keeps adding dumplings to your bowl.
They may say 行行行，吃饱了就好！ (xíng xíng xíng, chī bǎo le jiù hǎo!) OK OK OK, full is good! (Your host accepts it.) - 我吃饱了。 (wǒ chī bǎo le.) I'm full.
An auntie at your table offers you more.
They may say 年轻人吃得少！ (nián qīng rén chī de shǎo!) Young people eat so little! (She teases you a little. It is friendly.) - 吃饱了 (chī bǎo le) I’m full
At the end of lunch your friend asks 吃饱了吗 (are you full)?
They may say 还有橙子！ (hái yǒu chéng zi!) There are oranges too! (There is still fruit. In the game it is the oranges you brought as a gift.)
Common mistakes
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Saying it only once
Guests are expected to be modest, so hosts often offer again after the first “I’m full”. Say it a second time, with a smile. That is normal.
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Emptying your bowl
An empty bowl can look like you want more. When you are done, leave a little.
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Saying the food is not good
To stop eating, say you are full. Saying 不好吃 (not tasty) to stop the food will hurt your host.
Where it comes up in the game
A family lunch with dumplings
Once the dumplings are cooked, the family keeps adding them to your bowl: 多吃点多吃点 (eat more)! 再吃两个 (have two more)! You learn 吃饱了 and 够了够了 here, and your hosts let you stop.
The spa buffet
An auntie at your table asks 再来点? You say 我吃饱了, and she says young people eat so little.
A riverside snack
On a day trip to a water town, someone offers you rice dumplings, and you use the phrase again.
Questions
How do you say I’m full in Chinese?
I’m full in Chinese is 吃饱了. The full sentence is 我吃饱了. Both are polite. They are the usual way to tell a host you have had enough.
Why do Chinese hosts keep putting food in my bowl?
Chinese hosts serve food to a guest to show they care. Guests are expected to be modest, so hosts often offer again after the first no. Saying 吃饱了 (I’m full) a second time is normal.
How do you say enough in Chinese?
Enough in Chinese is 够了. People often say it twice, 够了够了, when someone is still serving them.
Should I finish everything on my plate in China?
You do not need to finish everything on your plate in China. An empty bowl can look like you want more. Leaving a little food shows you are full.
How do you say I’m hungry in Chinese?
I’m hungry in Chinese is 我饿了. 饿 means “hungry”.
What does 吃饱了吗 mean?
吃饱了吗? means “are you full?”. Hosts ask it at the end of a meal. Answer 吃饱了 (I’m full).