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请

qǐng

1. verb please (honorific opener of polite imperatives, 请-sentence)

   请坐，请喝茶。

   Qǐng zuò, qǐng hē chá.

   Please sit down and have some tea.

2. verb to request; to ask (someone to do something)

   想请你帮个忙。

   Xiǎng qǐng nǐ bāng ge máng.

   I'd like to ask you a favor.

3. verb to invite; to treat (someone to a meal etc.)

   我想请你吃饭。

   Wǒ xiǎng qǐng nǐ chīfàn.

   I'd like to treat you to a meal.

4. verb to hire; to engage (a tutor, worker etc.)

   他们家请了一位中文家教。

   Tāmen jiā qǐng le yī wèi Zhōngwén jiājiào.

   Their family hired a Chinese tutor.

5. verb to reverently obtain or receive (a Buddha statue, amulet, trophy, document etc. — respectful verb)

   他在庙里请了一尊佛像。

   Tā zài miào lǐ qǐng le yī zūn Fóxiàng.

   He reverently obtained a Buddha statue at the temple.

The full ChinesePath dictionary entry for 请 includes audio for every reading and example sentence, more example sentences, collocations, synonyms and links to the course units where it is taught.