叉子

• Pinyin: chā zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 叉 (fork) + 子 (noun suffix)

Meaning

Fork (eating utensil).

The common term for a dining fork. While chopsticks are traditional in Chinese cuisine, forks are commonly used for Western food and in modern dining settings.

Examples

1. 服务员，请给我一把叉子，谢谢。 Waiter, please give me a fork, thank you.
2. 小孩子还不太会用筷子，先给他一把叉子吧。 The child doesn't know how to use chopsticks yet — give him a fork first.
3. 西餐通常用刀叉，中餐用筷子。 Western food usually uses a knife and fork, while Chinese food uses chopsticks.

Usage Guide

Context: dining, everyday, restaurant

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 能给我一把叉子吗？(Can I have a fork?)
• 叉子在哪里？(Where is the fork?)

Don't Say

• 把大型农具叫'叉子'——农具应该叫'叉'或'干草叉' (Don't call large farm tools 叉子 — call them 叉 or 干草叉 for pitchforks)

Origin & History

Compound of 叉 (fork) + 子 (suffix), the suffix making it a common noun for the utensil.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal