请坐

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 请坐 (qǐng zuò) is a polite phrase used to invite someone to sit down. It is composed of two characters: 请 (qǐng), which means "please" or "to invite," and 坐 (zuò), which means "to sit." The word 请坐 is therefore literally translated as "please sit."The character 请 (qǐng) is derived from the ancient Chinese character 乞 (qǐ), which meant "to beg" or "to ask for." Over time, the character 请 came to be used more broadly to mean "to invite" or "to request." The character 坐 (zuò) is derived from the ancient Chinese character 坐 (zuò), which meant "to sit." The character 坐 has retained its original meaning in modern Chinese.The word 请坐 is commonly used in a variety of situations, such as when greeting guests at home, inviting someone to sit down at a restaurant, or offering a seat to someone on a bus or train. It is a polite and respectful way to invite someone to sit down, and it is often accompanied by a gesture, such as pointing to a chair or waving one's hand.