你
I'm a little hungry. How do you buy food on the train?
Beginner · 9-11 min
Buy Food on the Train在火车上购买食物
After this scene, you can ask how to buy food on a train, understand the meal-cart and mobile-ordering options, use a seat QR code to order snacks, pay, and confirm delivery by carriage and seat.
Learning
Scene setup
You and your Chinese friend are seated in Car 11, and it is not yet lunchtime. A meal cart will come through later, but this particular train also provides a food-ordering QR code at the seat. Scanning it opens the onboard dining service for snacks and other available items. This QR-code feature is part of this train's setup and should not be treated as available on every train. Place a small order and receive it at seat 8A.
Real-life note
This scene separates three services: a meal trolley brought through by an attendant, station food delivery ordered through 12306, and onboard food ordered through the QR code provided at this particular seat. Availability varies by train, so use only the services actually shown. The order in this scene is linked to Car 11, seat 8A and is delivered there after payment.
Core dialogue
朋友
At lunchtime, an attendant will bring a food trolley through. It has boxed meals.
你
It isn't lunchtime yet. Is there another way?
朋友
You can order delivery from a station along the route on 12306, or scan the QR code at the seat to buy food available on the train.
你
I'll try this QR code.
朋友
After scanning, tap Dining Service.
你
There are snacks in here. Let's buy some chips and biscuits.
朋友
Sure. We'll arrive in a little over an hour, so there is no need to buy too much.
你
I've selected everything. It's twenty-eight yuan in total, and I paid with Alipay.
配送员
Hello. You're in Car 11, seat 8A, right? Here are the snacks you bought.
你
Yes. Thank you.
配送员
You're welcome. Please take them.
Key phrases
Pick a phrase and see what it means here, and how to reuse it.
Phrase Card
Phrase 1 of 7
chéng乘wù务yuán员
train attendant
From the dialogue
朋友:午餐时间乘务员会推着餐车过来，里面有盒饭。
At lunchtime, an attendant will bring a food trolley through, and it has boxed meals.
Use it here
乘务员 is the staff member serving passengers on the train. Here, the attendant pushes the food trolley through the carriage.
Say it another way
- wèn问chéng乘wù务yuán员
ask the train attendant
- chéng乘wù务yuán员guò过lái来le了
the attendant has come over
- zhǎo找yí一xià下chéng乘wù务yuán员
find an attendant
Patterns
Pick a pattern and see how it helps you say new things in the same scene.
Pattern Card
Pattern 1 of 3
现在还不到 + Time，还有其他办法吗？
Explain that a scheduled option is not available yet, then ask for another method.
现在还不到时间，还有其他办法吗？
时间 = the scheduled time that has not arrived
From dialogue
- xiàn现zài在hái还bú不dào到wǔ午cān餐shí时jiān间，hái还yǒu有qí其tā他bàn办fǎ法ma吗？
It is not lunchtime yet. Is there another way?
Try also
- xiàn现zài在hái还bú不dào到jiǎn检piào票shí时jiān间，hái还yǒu有qí其tā他bàn办fǎ法ma吗？
It is not ticket-checking time yet. Is there another way?
- xiàn现zài在hái还bú不dào到rù入zhù住shí时jiān间，hái还yǒu有qí其tā他bàn办fǎ法ma吗？
It is not check-in time yet. Is there another way?
Common mistakes
Small fixes that make your Chinese sound natural.
1. Put 着 directly after the action verb
Not natural
午餐时间乘务员会着推餐车过来。
Natural
午餐时间乘务员会推着餐车过来。
Why
着 follows the action verb 推 to describe the accompanying manner. Do not place 着 before the verb.
2. Keep the two phone services separate
Not natural
在12306上扫座位二维码买沿途车站的外卖。
Natural
可以在12306上订沿途车站的外卖，也可以扫座位上的二维码买车上的食品。
Why
The 12306 station-delivery option and this train's seat-QR onboard menu are two separate ordering routes.
3. Do not join the carriage and seat with 和
Not natural
您好，您是十一车厢和八A吧？这是您买的零食。
Natural
您好，您是十一车厢八A吧？这是您买的零食。
Why
十一车厢 and 八A form one nested location label, so they are placed together without 和.
Connected learning path