你哪里不舒服？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
What hurts you?
How to ask "before or after meals?" in Chinese
饭前还是饭后？
fàn qián háishi fàn hòu?
Before meals or after meals?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
This is a choice question using 还是 (or) to present two options: 饭前 (before meals) and 饭后 (after meals). The structure is A还是B? to ask which one.
Variations and politeness
饭前还是饭后吃？
fàn qián háishi fàn hòu chī?
Take it before or after meals? — More colloquial, adds the verb 'eat'.
你想饭前还是饭后？
nǐ xiǎng fàn qián háishi fàn hòu?
Do you want it before or after meals? — More personal and informal.
Mini dialogue
A
我应该饭前还是饭后吃药？
Wǒ yīnggāi fàn qián háishi fàn hòu chī yào?
Should I take the medicine before or after meals?
B
饭前吃比较好。
Fàn qián chī bǐjiào hǎo.
It's better to take it before meals.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When asking about the timing of medication or food intake.
- In medical or pharmacy settings to clarify instructions.
- When you need a polite, direct question about meal timing.
Avoid when
- When asking about a choice between more than two options; use a different structure.
- When using '或者' instead of '还是' in a question; '还是' is correct for alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'before or after meals?' in Chinese?
You say '饭前还是饭后？' (fàn qián háishi fàn hòu?).
How do you pronounce '饭前还是饭后？'?
It's pronounced 'fàn qián háishi fàn hòu?' with the tones: fàn (4th), qián (2nd), hái (2nd), shi (neutral), fàn (4th), hòu (4th).
When do you use '饭前还是饭后？'?
Use it when you need to ask whether something should be done before or after a meal, especially regarding medication or food.
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