I had a friend who said there is a slight difference in the two phrases. But I don't see any difference between the two expressions. Could anyone explain it?
Thanks, Rachel
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2最后吃的菜 = the dish eaten last/the last dish to be eaten or 吃最后的菜 = eat the last dish. First phrase places emphasis on last + eating, second on the last dish.– VloJun 24, 2015 at 21:33
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1吃到最後的菜, if treated as a noun (i.e. 那一道吃到最後的菜), would be identical to 最後吃的菜.– leo4jcJun 24, 2015 at 21:43
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confirming preceding comment, just as in English, adjective 后 with degree adverb 最 in 1st case functions as adverbial (状语），in 2nd as attributive (定语）。– user6065Jun 24, 2015 at 21:56
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4 Answers
最后吃的菜 = 最后吃的(that you eat last) + 菜(dish/food);
so, 最后吃的菜 = "the dish that you eat last"
"最后吃的菜" is a noun phrase and it is "菜" essentially.
吃最后的菜 = 吃(eat) + 最后的菜(the last dish / the leftovers)；
so, 吃最后的菜 = “eat the last dish / leftovers”
"吃最后的菜" can be regared as an imperative sentence and it means "eat something". If you put a subject at the beginning of it（"我吃了最后的菜"/“我要吃最后的菜”，etc.）, it would be easier to understand.
Let's say you went to a nice restaurant for a nice meal.
Case 1: you had the meal, course by course. In this case 最后吃的菜=(吃)最后的菜=dessert
Case 2：you left in the meal for some reason. In this case 最后吃的菜=the dish you didn't finished. (吃)最后的菜=dessert.
You need to put these statements in their context to be certain of their exact meaning. Without further context, I would say:
最后吃的菜 = the (very) last dish(es) I ate (of a meal)
吃最后的菜 = the last dish(es) (of a meal which) I am eating/I haven't eaten yet
The last dish you eat (最后吃的菜) may not be the dish that is served last (最后的菜).
