wàimài xiǎogē: 外卖小哥 - Food Delivery Driver, Food Courier

• Keywords: waimai xiaoge, 外卖小哥, Chinese food delivery, food delivery driver in China, waimai meaning, xiaoge meaning, Chinese gig economy, Meituan driver, Ele.me driver, takeout delivery guy.
• Summary: Learn the meaning of 外卖小哥 (wàimài xiǎogē), the ubiquitous Chinese term for a male food delivery driver in China. This guide explores the cultural significance of the waimai xiaoge in China's booming gig economy, their daily lives, and how to use the term correctly when ordering from platforms like Meituan or Ele.me. Understand the difference between waimai (takeout) and xiaoge (little brother) and why this term is so central to modern urban life in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wàimài xiǎogē
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A (typically young) male food delivery driver.
• In a Nutshell: 外卖小哥 is the standard, friendly, and informal way to refer to the men you see hustling on scooters to deliver hot meals all across China. The term literally translates to “takeout little brother,” which captures the familiar, youthful, and hardworking image of these essential workers in China's convenience-driven economy.

• 外 (wài): Means “outside” or “external.”
• 卖 (mài): Means “to sell.”
• 小 (xiǎo): Means “small,” “little,” or “young.”
• 哥 (gē): Means “older brother.”

When combined, 外卖 (wàimài) literally means “outside sell,” which is the modern Chinese word for “takeout” or “food delivery.” 小哥 (xiǎogē) literally means “little older brother,” a common and friendly colloquial term used to address a young man, similar to calling someone “buddy” or “pal” in English, but with a hint of familial respect. Together, 外卖小哥 (wàimài xiǎogē) creates the image of a “takeout little brother”—the friendly young man who brings you your food.

The 外卖小哥 is more than just a job title; he is a cultural icon of modern China. These drivers are the visible engine of China's massive digital platform and convenience economy. In any major city, the sight of drivers in their distinct uniforms (like Meituan's yellow or Ele.me's blue) weaving through traffic is constant. Compared to a Western “DoorDash driver” or “Uber Eats courier,” the term 外卖小哥 carries a different cultural weight. While Western terms are purely functional, 外卖小哥 has a personal and social dimension. The use of 小哥 (little brother) humanizes the role, framing the interaction as one between familiar people rather than a faceless corporation and a consumer. These drivers are often migrant workers from smaller towns seeking opportunity in big cities. They are widely seen as embodying the Chinese value of 吃苦耐劳 (chīkǔ nàiláo)—the ability to endure hardship and work hard. They face immense pressure from platform algorithms to deliver orders at incredible speeds, often in harsh weather and difficult traffic, making them subjects of both public admiration for their hustle and social concern for their labor conditions.

The term is used constantly in daily life, both when interacting with drivers and when talking about them.

• Addressing a Driver: It's common and polite to call a driver directly “小哥 (xiǎogē)!” to get their attention or thank them. For example, upon receiving your food, you can say, “谢谢你，小哥！” (Xièxie nǐ, xiǎogē! - Thank you, little brother!).
• In Conversation: People use the full term when describing the person or their job. For example, “My food is late, I'm going to call the 外卖小哥.”
• Connotation: The term is overwhelmingly neutral to positive. It's a respectful and standard informal term. Using a more formal term like “配送员 (pèisòngyuán - delivery personnel)” in a casual conversation would sound unnaturally stiff.

• Example 1:
  • 那个外卖小哥骑车骑得特别快。
  • Pinyin: Nàge wàimài xiǎogē qí chē qí de tèbié kuài.
  • English: That food delivery driver rides his scooter really fast.
  • Analysis: A simple descriptive sentence. Note the verb-object-verb + 得 (de) structure used to describe how an action is performed.
• Example 2:
  • 我的午饭还没到，我得给外卖小哥打个电话。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de wǔfàn hái méi dào, wǒ děi gěi wàimài xiǎogē dǎ ge diànhuà.
  • English: My lunch hasn't arrived yet, I need to give the delivery guy a call.
  • Analysis: A very common real-world scenario. “给 (gěi)… 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà)” means “to make a phone call to…”.
• Example 3:
  • 外卖小哥，麻烦您把餐放到门口就行了，谢谢！
  • Pinyin: Wàimài xiǎogē, máfan nín bǎ cān fàng dào ménkǒu jiù xíng le, xièxie!
  • English: Delivery guy, please just leave the food at the door, thank you!
  • Analysis: This shows how to address a driver directly and politely. 麻烦您 (máfan nín - “trouble you”) is a common polite phrase for making a request.
• Example 4:
  • 今天雨下得这么大，当外卖小哥真不容易。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān yǔ xià de zhème dà, dāng wàimài xiǎogē zhēn bù róngyì.
  • English: It's raining so heavily today, being a food delivery driver is really not easy.
  • Analysis: This sentence expresses sympathy, a common sentiment towards delivery drivers. 当 (dāng) means “to be” or “to work as.”
• Example 5:
  • 新闻上说，一个外卖小哥救了一个掉进河里的孩子。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén shàng shuō, yíge wàimài xiǎogē jiùle yíge diào jìn hé lǐ de háizi.
  • English: The news said that a food delivery driver saved a child who had fallen into the river.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the term's use in media and storytelling, where drivers are often portrayed as everyday heroes.
• Example 6:
  • 他是美团的外卖小哥，穿着黄色的制服。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì Měituán de wàimài xiǎogē, chuānzhe huángsè de zhìfú.
  • English: He's a Meituan delivery driver, wearing a yellow uniform.
  • Analysis: Shows how to specify the company the driver works for.
• Example 7:
  • 你点的奶茶到了，外卖小哥在楼下等你。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ diǎn de nǎichá dào le, wàimài xiǎogē zài lóuxià děng nǐ.
  • English: The bubble tea you ordered has arrived, the delivery guy is waiting for you downstairs.
  • Analysis: A typical notification you might receive from a friend or receptionist. 点 (diǎn) here means “to order.”
• Example 8:
  • 很多年轻人来大城市做外卖小哥是为了挣更多的钱。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén lái dà chéngshì zuò wàimài xiǎogē shì wèile zhèng gèng duō de qián.
  • English: Many young people come to big cities to work as food delivery drivers in order to earn more money.
  • Analysis: This sentence touches upon the socio-economic context of the job.
• Example 9:
  • 别着急，外卖小哥应该马上就到了。
  • Pinyin: Bié zháojí, wàimài xiǎogē yīnggāi mǎshàng jiù dào le.
  • English: Don't worry, the delivery guy should be here any second.
  • Analysis: 马上就 (mǎshàng jiù)…了 is a common structure indicating that something is about to happen immediately.
• Example 10:
  • 平台系统给外卖小哥的时间太紧了，他们压力很大。
  • Pinyin: Píngtái xìtǒng gěi wàimài xiǎogē de shíjiān tài jǐn le, tāmen yālì hěn dà.
  • English: The platform's system gives the delivery drivers too little time; they are under a lot of pressure.
  • Analysis: This more advanced sentence discusses the systemic pressures on drivers, a frequent topic in Chinese social media.

• Gender is Important: 外卖小哥 (wàimài xiǎogē) is used exclusively for male drivers. For a female driver, you must use 外卖小姐姐 (wàimài xiǎojiějiě), which means “takeout little older sister.” Using the wrong term would be awkward.
• Don't Confuse the Person with the Product: A common beginner mistake is to confuse the person with the food.
  • Correct: 我的外卖到了。(Wǒ de wàimài dào le.) - My takeout food has arrived.
  • Correct: 我的外卖小哥到了。(Wǒ de wàimài xiǎogē dào le.) - My delivery driver has arrived.
  • Incorrect: 我的外卖小哥很好吃。(Wǒ de wàimài xiǎogē hěn hǎochī.) - This means “My delivery driver is delicious,” which is a very serious and strange mistake!
• “Little Brother” vs. “Delivery Boy”: Do not think of “小哥” as “boy.” In English, “delivery boy” can sound demeaning. In Chinese, “小哥” is a friendly and respectful term of address for a young man, similar to “mate” or “buddy” but with a uniquely Chinese flavor of politeness.

• 外卖 (wàimài) - The takeout food or delivery service itself. This is the product, not the person.
• 快递员 (kuàidìyuán) - A package courier (for non-food items like from Taobao or JD.com). This is a more formal and general term for any delivery person. A 外卖小哥 is a type of 快递员.
• 骑手 (qíshǒu) - Literally “rider.” A neutral, industry term often used by the platforms themselves to refer to their delivery drivers (both food and package).
• 小哥 (xiǎogē) - The generic, friendly term for any young man. You can use it for a waiter, a shop assistant, or just a stranger on the street.
• 小姐姐 (xiǎojiějiě) - The female equivalent of 小哥, used to address a young woman in a friendly, informal way. The term for a female delivery driver is 外卖小姐姐 (wàimài xiǎojiějiě).
• 美团 (Měituán) - One of the two dominant “super-apps” in China, famous for its yellow-clad food delivery fleet.
• 饿了么 (È le me) - The other major food delivery platform, owned by Alibaba. Its name literally means “Are you hungry?” and its drivers wear blue.
• 平台 (píngtái) - “Platform.” Refers to the app-based tech companies (like Meituan, Ele.me, Didi) that manage the gig economy.
• 打工人 (dǎgōngrén) - A popular, modern slang term for any worker, employee, or wage-earner. It's often used with a sense of self-deprecating humor and solidarity among the working class. A 外卖小哥 is a classic example of a 打工人.