Zuo Dong - The Chinese Way To Say "be Host"

zuò dōng 做 东

One-on-one Online Chinese lesson with Professional Chinese teacher in Beijing! – eChineseLearning.com

• How to express “it is my treat, let me be the host”? Or maybe you need to know “It is your treat today!” ?

Learn the dialogue ,you will get the answer! F: 今天的菜很辣。不过，我很喜欢。 Jin1tian1 de cai4 hen3 la4. bu2guo4,wo3 hen3 xi3huan. C: 我知道你也喜欢吃辣，所以就带你来这儿了。 Wo3 zhi1dao ni3 ye3 xi3huan chi1 la4, suo3yi3 jiu4 dai4 ni3 lai2 zhe4er le. F: 真过瘾啊！服务员，买单！ Zhen1 guo4yin3 a! Fu 2wu4yuan2, mai3dan1. C ：等等，说好了，今天我做东！ Deng3deng3,shuo1 hao3 le, jin1tian1 wo3 zuo4dong1!

Translation F: these dishes are very spicy, but, I like it. C ： I knew you love spicy food; this is why I brought you here. F: It was really terrific. Waitress, bring me the bill! C: wait ， I have told you, let me be the host today!

做东 zuò dōng v. Be host 今天聚餐我做东。 Jīntiān jùcān wǒ zuòdōng. The meal today is my treat.

Where comes the saying of “Zuo Dong”?

In ancient china, the houses are square, and face to the south (courtyard house for example.)

Living room

N

Living room

N For guest ( West)

For host (East)

So “sit in the east side” means sit in the host’s chair, that also means “be host” zuò dōng 做 东

Be host

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