歐博思 Posted April 16, 2011 at 03:27 AM Report Posted April 16, 2011 at 03:27 AM A month ago or so I was traveling with my girlfriend in Xi'an. Just down the road from the Hantang Hostel (near some banks I think) there was a lady that ran an awesome noodle shop. I wanted to start up a conversation with her but :o I realize I don't know the appropriate word for "shop keep". I ran a search just now on MDBG and got 财东和店主. It is the type of small shop where she cooks the hot pot out in front -- very small. What's the best translation for the English of "shop keep(er)"? Quote
imron Posted April 16, 2011 at 03:41 AM Report Posted April 16, 2011 at 03:41 AM 老板. If it's a woman you should use 老板娘. 1 Quote
m000gle Posted April 16, 2011 at 04:46 AM Report Posted April 16, 2011 at 04:46 AM Yep. 老板 is probably the best to use when in a small shop, market or small restaurant (where those working also seem to run/own the place). I think its also probably the most politically correct since there's nothing to take offense too (eg. 小姐). Depending on the locale, just shouting 服务员(儿） at a 麻辣烫 or in a bar seems most common. It still feels rude to me, since back home it would be a major faux pas, and it could be bad manners in some parts of country too, but when in Rome... Quote
歐博思 Posted April 16, 2011 at 06:08 AM Author Report Posted April 16, 2011 at 06:08 AM Thanks to both of you for replying. m000gle, you have seen people call for the waiter while still looking at their soup? haha, I can see where you are coming from about manners being quite different. I come from a small/mid size town in the midwestern USA, and for the most part folks are relatively polite. Yet I like to get things down quickly so city hustle and bustle is not too much a stretch for me. Since I dom't go to large cities in the USA too often even (haven't been to Chicago in 10+ years), I am hard pressed to say whether the difference in mannerisms I see in China (I'm in Beijing) can be more attributed to rural/city or rather West/East Quote
m000gle Posted April 16, 2011 at 09:17 PM Report Posted April 16, 2011 at 09:17 PM lol... I was meaning shouting it, to get the attention of a waiter/shopkeep, while at one of the 麻辣烫 locations... not actually directed towards the soup itself =P Thanks for checking the grammar, though jkjk Quote
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