Chinese Food Vocabulary 2026 — How to Order Food in China
🍜 Chinese Food Vocabulary
Chinese menus are usually in Chinese. Here's your cheat sheet for ordering food, understanding what you're eating, and avoiding things you don't want.
The Essential Ordering Phrase
我要这个 (Wǒ yào zhège) — "I want this one"
Point at the menu item, the dish on another table, or the picture. Say this phrase. Done.
Meat (肉 Ròu)
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 猪肉 | Zhū ròu |
| Beef | 牛肉 | Niú ròu |
| Lamb / Mutton | 羊肉 | Yáng ròu |
| Chicken | 鸡肉 | Jī ròu |
| Duck | 鸭肉 | Yā ròu |
| Fish | 鱼 | Yú |
| Shrimp | 虾 | Xiā |
| Crab | 螃蟹 | Pángxiè |
| Squid | 鱿鱼 | Yóuyú |
| Egg | 鸡蛋 | Jīdàn |
Common Dishes
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Fried rice | 炒饭 | Chǎo fàn |
| Fried noodles | 炒面 | Chǎo miàn |
| Dumplings | 饺子 | Jiǎozi |
| Steamed buns | 包子 | Bāozi |
| Hotpot | 火锅 | Huǒguō |
| Skewers | 串 | Chuàn |
| Stir-fried vegetables | 炒青菜 | Chǎo qīngcài |
| Soup | 汤 | Tāng |
| Rice | 米饭 | Mǐ fàn |
| Noodles | 面 | Miàn |
| Bread | 馒头 | Mántou |
| Tofu | 豆腐 | Dòufu |
Cooking Styles
| Style | Chinese | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Stir-fried | 炒 (chǎo) | Quick-fried in a wok |
| Steamed | 蒸 (zhēng) | Cooked with steam |
| Boiled | 煮 (zhǔ) | Boiled in water/broth |
| Deep-fried | 炸 (zhá) | Fried in oil |
| Braised | 红烧 (hóng shāo) | Slow-cooked in soy sauce |
| Grilled / Roasted | 烤 (kǎo) | Over fire/charcoal |
| Raw | 生 (shēng) | Uncooked |
| Cold | 凉 (liáng) | Served cold |
Vegetables
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Cabbage | 白菜 | Bái cài |
| Broccoli | 西兰花 | Xī lán huā |
| Potato | 土豆 | Tǔ dòu |
| Tomato | 番茄 | Fān qié |
| Eggplant | 茄子 | Qiézi |
| Corn | 玉米 | Yù mǐ |
| Mushroom | 蘑菇 | Mógū |
| Bean sprouts | 豆芽 | Dòu yá |
| Spinach | 菠菜 | Bō cài |
| Green beans | 四季豆 | Sì jì dòu |
| Cucumber | 黄瓜 | Huáng guā |
| Garlic | 蒜 | Suàn |
| Ginger | 姜 | Jiāng |
| Chili pepper | 辣椒 | Là jiāo |
Flavors & Seasonings
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Spicy | 辣 | Là |
| Sweet | 甜 | Tián |
| Sour | 酸 | Suān |
| Salty | 咸 | Xián |
| Numbing (Sichuan pepper) | 麻 | Má |
| Fragrant / Aromatic | 香 | Xiāng |
| Oily | 油 | Yóu |
| Vinegar | 醋 | Cù |
| Soy sauce | 酱油 | Jiàngyóu |
Allergens & Restrictions
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I'm allergic to... | 我对...过敏 | Wǒ duì...guòmǐn |
| Peanuts | 花生 | Huāshēng |
| Shellfish | 贝类 | Bèi lèi |
| Gluten | 麸质 | Fū zhì |
| Dairy | 乳制品 | Rǔ zhì pǐn |
| No MSG | 不要味精 | Bù yào wèijīng |
| Vegetarian | 吃素 | Chī sù |
| I don't eat meat | 我不吃肉 | Wǒ bù chī ròu |
| Halal | 清真 | Qīng zhēn |
Drinks
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | 啤酒 | Píjiǔ |
| Red wine | 红酒 | Hóng jiǔ |
| White wine (liquor) | 白酒 | Bái jiǔ |
| Tea | 茶 | Chá |
| Green tea | 绿茶 | Lǜ chá |
| Black tea | 红茶 | Hóng chá |
| Coffee | 咖啡 | Kāfēi |
| Water | 水 | Shuǐ |
| Hot water | 热水 | Rè shuǐ |
| Cold water | 冰水 | Bīng shuǐ |
| Juice | 果汁 | Guǒzhī |
| Coca-Cola | 可乐 | Kě lè |
How to Order
At a Restaurant with Menu
- Sit down — wait to be seated or just find a table
- Get the menu — say "菜单" (cài dān) or point at one
- Order — say "我要这个" (wǒ yào zhège) while pointing
- Confirm quantity — hold up fingers for how many
- Wait — food comes when it's ready
At a Street Stall
- Look at what others are eating — point at something similar
- Say "我要这个" (wǒ yào zhège)
- Pay — show Alipay/WeChat QR code
- Eat — usually standing or at a small table
At a Hotpot Restaurant
- Choose broth — "红锅" (hóng guō, spicy) or "鸳鸯锅" (yuānyāng guō, half-and-half)
- Order ingredients — point at the menu or the display fridge
- Cook yourself — dip items in the boiling broth
- Dip in sauce — sesame oil + garlic is the standard
Menu Cheat Sheet
If you see these on a menu, you know what to expect:
| Menu Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 招牌菜 (zhāopái cài) | House specialty — try it |
| 今日特价 (jīnrì tèjiā) | Today's special |
| 例牌 (lì pái) | Regular portion |
| 大份 (dà fèn) | Large portion |
| 小份 (xiǎo fèn) | Small portion |
| 微辣 (wēi là) | Mildly spicy |
| 中辣 (zhōng là) | Medium spicy |
| 特辣 (tè là) | Extra spicy |
| 不辣 (bù là) | Not spicy |
| 买单 (mǎi dān) | Check, please |
Pro Tips
-
Point at pictures — most Chinese restaurants have picture menus or photos on the wall. Just point.
-
Look at other tables — see something that looks good? Point at it and say "我要这个."
-
Google Translate camera — point your camera at the menu for instant translation.
-
Say "好吃" after eating — it means "delicious" and makes the staff very happy.
-
Don't be afraid of unfamiliar dishes — Chinese food is generally safe and delicious. Try something new.
-
Ask for "不辣" if you can't handle spice — "bù là" means "not spicy."
-
Street food is safe — millions of locals eat it daily. If there's a line, it's good.
-
Small portions = more variety — order several small dishes to share rather than one big one.
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Written by Bobby, living in Chengdu since 2023
