In late 2017, a topic about Haidilao, the Chinese hotpot chain known for its exceptional service, trended on social networks: a Teddy bear was seated in front of a solo diner to keep them company.

　　2017年底，关于海底捞(一家以优质服务著称的火锅连锁店)的一个话题在社交网络上走红：一只泰迪熊毛绒玩具坐在独自就餐的客人面前陪他们用餐。

　　But how "considerate" was this move? Many people argued that eating alone is an enjoyable moment of solitude and even a fact of life in today’s China, rather than something to be pitied.

　　但是，这个行为又有多“贴心”呢?许多人认为独自吃饭是一个令人享受的时刻，并且也是如今中国生活的现实写照，而不是什么可怜事。

　　A recent report by market research group Kantar echoed the argument. Some 46 percent of the interviewees said they had eaten alone in the past 24 hours, up 9 percent from 2017.

　　市场研究集团凯度最近发布的一份报告呼应了该观点。大约46%的受访者表示在过去24小时内曾独自用餐，(这一数据)相比2017年增加了9%。

　　Around 16 percent of respondents said they preferred to eat out alone.

　　大约有16%的受访者表示，他们更喜欢独自在外用餐。

　　One reason for eating alone could be the rise of the single person Chinese household.

　　独自用餐的原因之一可能是中国独居人士比例的上升。

　　According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, marriage registrations have dropped in China every year since 2014, while the divorce rate has risen for 16 straight years.

　　据民政局报道，结婚登记率从2014年就一直在下降，而离婚率连续16年增长。

　　Another reason for eating alone is time - or the lack of it. Commuters, strapped for time, grab breakfast on the go at food outlets near subway and bus stations.

　　另一个独自吃饭的原因是时间，或者说时间不足。时间紧张的上班族在地铁站和公交车站附近的食品店边吃早餐边赶着上班。

　　And more people are having their lunch delivered from one of the many food delivery firms and choosing to eat it at their desks.

　　越来越多的人选择在自己的办公桌上吃外卖公司配送的午餐。

　　Ele.me, which means "Hungry?" in Chinese, is a popular Chinese app that offers online food delivery. The company noted the trend of "meals for one" in its market research report.

　　Ele.me，中文里意思是“饿了吗?”是目前在国内流行的在线送餐服务应用程序。该公司在其市场调查报告中指出了“一人一餐”的趋势。

　　Lunchtime is the rush hour for food deliveries and "lunch for one" is the most common choice. Cooperating with Ele.me, Pizza Hut changed its menu for solo diners. The 9-inch pizza once was the smallest pizza, but 6-inch is now.

　　午餐时间是送餐的高峰期，“一人一餐”是最常见的选择。和饿了么合作的必胜客也改变了其单人餐的菜单。把曾经披萨最小尺寸由9英寸改至6英寸。

　　Harvest Festival, a Chinese catering company, has also benefited from solo diners. Data from Ele.me shows sales of Harvest Festival on Ele.me rose by 63.1 percent in January after it rolled meals for one.

　　中国餐饮公司Harvest Festival也从单人用餐中受益。饿了么数据显示，自从推出了单人套餐，1月份Harvest Festival的销售额上升了63.1%。