Updated on December 27, 2022
The Chinese city of Shanghai is in the midst of a Covid-19 lockdown.
The lockdown was swift. Once it was announced, the locals rushed to buy the groceries and other essential items.

In English, such situation is termed as “panic buying”.
Do you know how to say “panic buying” in Chinese?

In this Mandarin Chinese lesson, let’s learn how to say “panic buying” in Chinese.
- Check out my Barnes & Noble and Amazon home page.
All books for learning Mandarin Chinese
- Learn Chinese Reading
- Books to Learn Mandarin Chinese Grammar
- Learn Chinese Writing
- Chinese Dirty Words and Phrases
- Learn Chinese History
- Must Know Chinese Idioms
- Learn Chinese Characters
- Learn Simple Chinese Sentences
- Word Books to Learn Chinese Fast
- Phrase Books for Learning Mandarin Chinese
Well, there are numerous ways to say “panic buying”.
However, a slag has been doing round the corner in China: Qiang Cai (抢菜).
- 抢 (qiǎng): rob; loot
- 菜 (cài): vegetable

Hence, Qiang Cai literally mean “rob vegetables” or “Grab the vegetables”.
- 抢菜 (qiǎng cài): rob vegetables; struggle for the food; panic buying

Btw, 抢菜 should not be confused with 炝菜.
- 炝菜 (Qiàng cài): to stir-fry a vegetable or other dish in a hot pot.
抢菜 and 炝菜 are different from each other.