China (中国, Zhōngguó) is famous for its rich culinary culture, with thousands of dishes, regional specialties, and unique flavors.
For expat students learning Mandarin (中文, zhōngwén), knowing the right words and phrases related to food can make dining out, ordering at restaurants, and discussing food with locals much easier and more enjoyable. From casual street food to fine dining, these phrases will help you navigate Chinese cuisine with confidence.
Basic Dining Phrases
Before diving into dishes, it’s essential to know basic expressions for ordering and dining politely.
- 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège) – I want this one
- 请给我菜单 (qǐng gěi wǒ càidān) – Please give me the menu
- 服务员 (fúwùyuán) – waiter / waitress
- 结账 (jiézhàng) – to pay the bill
- 好吃 (hǎochī) – delicious
Example sentences:
服务员，请给我菜单 (fúwùyuán, qǐng gěi wǒ càidān) – Waiter, please give me the menu.
这个菜很好吃 (zhège cài hěn hǎochī) – This dish is very delicious.
我想结账 (wǒ xiǎng jiézhàng) – I’d like to pay the bill.
Ordering Food and Drinks
Knowing how to express what you want is crucial. You can combine basic phrases with dish names or drinks.
- 我要点菜 (wǒ yào diǎn cài) – I want to order food
- 来一份 (lái yī fèn) – Give me one serving of…
- 请不要辣 (qǐng bú yào là) – Please make it not spicy
- 一杯水 (yī bēi shuǐ) – a glass of water
- 一瓶啤酒 (yī píng píjiǔ) – a bottle of beer
Example sentences:
我要点菜，一份宫保鸡丁 (wǒ yào diǎn cài, yī fèn gōngbǎo jīdīng) – I’d like to order one serving of Kung Pao Chicken.
请不要辣，我怕吃辣 (qǐng bú yào là, wǒ pà chī là) – Please make it not spicy; I can’t handle spicy food.
服务员，来一杯水，谢谢 (fúwùyuán, lái yī bēi shuǐ, xièxie) – Waiter, a glass of water please, thank you.
Talking About Taste and Flavor
China’s cuisine emphasizes a balance of flavors such as sweet (甜, tián), sour (酸, suān), salty (咸, xián), bitter (苦, kǔ), and spicy (辣, là). Using these words helps you describe dishes accurately.
Example sentences:
这个菜太咸了 (zhège cài tài xián le) – This dish is too salty.
酸甜可口的糖醋排骨很好吃 (suāntián kěkǒu de tángcù páigǔ hěn hǎochī) – Sweet and sour ribs are very delicious.
这道菜有点苦，我不太喜欢 (zhè dào cài yǒudiǎn kǔ, wǒ bú tài xǐhuān) – This dish is a bit bitter; I don’t like it very much.
Regional Chinese Cuisine Vocabulary
China has eight major culinary traditions (八大菜系, bā dà càixì), each with distinct flavors. Being familiar with regional dishes makes conversations more engaging.
- 川菜 (Chuāncài) – Sichuan cuisine, known for spicy dishes
- 粤菜 (Yuècài) – Cantonese cuisine, known for fresh and lightly flavored dishes
- 湘菜 (Xiāngcài) – Hunan cuisine, also spicy but with a strong aroma
- 北京烤鸭 (Běijīng kǎoyā) – Peking duck
- 小笼包 (xiǎolóngbāo) – soup dumplings
Example sentences:
我最喜欢吃川菜，因为辣味很好吃 (wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī Chuāncài, yīnwèi làwèi hěn hǎochī) – I like Sichuan cuisine the most because the spiciness is delicious.
北京烤鸭非常有名，也很好吃 (Běijīng kǎoyā fēicháng yǒumíng, yě hěn hǎochī) – Peking duck is very famous and also very tasty.
Street Food Vocabulary
Street food (街头小吃, jiētóu xiǎochī) is a popular part of Chinese culinary culture. Knowing these words helps you order and explore street snacks.
- 烤串 (kǎo chuàn) – grilled skewers
- 煎饼 (jiānbǐng) – Chinese crepes
- 糖葫芦 (tánghúlu) – candied hawthorn sticks
- 包子 (bāozi) – steamed buns
- 臭豆腐 (chòu dòufu) – stinky tofu
Example sentences:
我想尝尝街头小吃 (wǒ xiǎng chángchang jiētóu xiǎochī) – I want to try street food.
请给我一串烤串 (qǐng gěi wǒ yī chuàn kǎo chuàn) – Please give me one skewer of grilled meat.
糖葫芦甜甜的，很好吃 (tánghúlu tián tián de, hěn hǎochī) – Candied hawthorn is sweet and very tasty.
Expressing Preferences and Asking Questions
When dining with friends or in restaurants, these phrases help you communicate preferences:
- 你喜欢吃辣吗？(nǐ xǐhuān chī là ma?) – Do you like spicy food?
- 我不太吃辣 (wǒ bú tài chī là) – I don’t really eat spicy food
- 我喜欢甜的食物 (wǒ xǐhuān tián de shíwù) – I like sweet foods
- 这道菜是素的吗？(zhè dào cài shì sù de ma?) – Is this dish vegetarian?
Example sentences:
你喜欢吃四川菜吗？(nǐ xǐhuān chī Sìchuāncài ma?) – Do you like Sichuan cuisine?
我喜欢辣的食物 (wǒ xǐhuān là de shíwù) – I like spicy food.
这道菜是素的吗？我不能吃肉 (zhè dào cài shì sù de ma? wǒ bùnéng chī ròu) – Is this dish vegetarian? I can’t eat meat.
Dining Etiquette Phrases
Chinese dining etiquette is important and using polite phrases shows respect:
- 请慢用 (qǐng màn yòng) – Enjoy your meal
- 来，尝尝这个 (lái, chángchang zhège) – Come, try this
- 不客气 (bú kèqi) – You’re welcome / Don’t mention it
- 我来付钱 (wǒ lái fù qián) – I’ll pay
- 分开付可以吗？(fēnkāi fù kěyǐ ma?) – Can we pay separately?
Example sentences:
请慢用，这道菜很新鲜 (qǐng màn yòng, zhè dào cài hěn xīnxiān) – Enjoy your meal, this dish is very fresh.
我来付钱吧 (wǒ lái fù qián ba) – I’ll pay the bill.
Vocabulary
- 菜单 (càidān) – menu
- 好吃 (hǎochī) – delicious
- 辣 (là) – spicy
- 素 (sù) – vegetarian
- 烤串 (kǎo chuàn) – grilled skewers
- 小笼包 (xiǎolóngbāo) – soup dumplings
- 年糕 (niángāo) – rice cake
- 糖葫芦 (tánghúlu) – candied hawthorn sticks
- 饺子 (jiǎozi) – dumplings
- 服务员 (fúwùyuán) – waiter / waitress
