Originally Posted by
moondog
Yes. (We've been through this before.) Locals can still pull off 小姐 without coming across as offensive, but for people like you and me, it's best to default to terms that can't possibly be misconstrued (even in the south).
I actually disagree. I think for foreigners you can get away with it, locals just don't use it.
For those who aren't so familiar:
1. All Chinese text books tell you to call waitresses xiaojie (小姐), technically means "miss". This includes guidebooks and translation texts like Rosetta Stone - so makes it more confusing.
2. Chinese don't use this to waitresses, since it is slang for "prostitute" (in mainland, in Taiwan this is used). However, as everything in Chinese it's context. I still think you can use it. Keep in mind if you want to call someone Miss Lastname, you still use xiaojie. For instance, if someone has the surname Zhang you call her 张小姐 (zhang xiaojie).
3. In China, older folks can call younger folks by terms of endearment, hence many times you find older folks calling younger waiters/waitresses by shuaige (帅哥) or meinv (美女) - literally meaning handsome guy or pretty girl. Sometimes females call waiters 小伙子 meaning "fellow" or "lad".