Food is central to Chinese culture — meals are social events, and regional cuisines are a source of fierce pride. This lesson covers essential food vocabulary, ordering at restaurants, Chinese cuisine categories, and dining etiquette.
Estimated Time: 50–60 minutes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | rice (cooked) |
| 面条 | miàntiáo | noodles |
| 饺子 | jiǎozi | dumplings |
| 包子 | bāozi | steamed buns (filled) |
| 馒头 | mántou | steamed bread (plain) |
| 豆腐 | dòufu | tofu |
| 鸡蛋 | jīdàn | egg |
| 蔬菜 | shūcài | vegetables |
| 水果 | shuǐguǒ | fruit |
| 肉 | ròu | meat |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 猪肉 | zhūròu | pork (most common meat in China) |
| 牛肉 | niúròu | beef |
| 鸡肉 | jīròu | chicken |
| 鱼 | yú | fish |
| 虾 | xiā | shrimp |
| 羊肉 | yángròu | lamb/mutton |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 水 | shuǐ | water |
| 茶 | chá | tea |
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | coffee |
| 啤酒 | píjiǔ | beer |
| 果汁 | guǒzhī | juice |
| 奶茶 | nǎichá | milk tea (bubble tea) |
| 可乐 | kělè | cola |
💡 Cultural Insight: Chinese people traditionally drink hot water (热水, rè shuǐ) — even in summer! Asking for cold water at a restaurant may surprise the server. This practice is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which considers cold drinks harmful to digestion. Bubble tea (奶茶) has become a cultural phenomenon, with chains like 喜茶 (Heytea) and 奈雪的茶 (Nayuki) everywhere.
川菜 (Chuāncài) — Sichuan: Bold, spicy, numbing (麻辣, málà). Famous: 麻婆豆腐, 火锅
粤菜 (Yuècài) — Cantonese: Fresh, light, emphasis on seafood. Famous: 点心 (dim sum)
鲁菜 (Lǔcài) — Shandong: Savory, hearty. China's oldest formal cuisine
苏菜 (Sūcài) — Jiangsu: Sweet, delicate, artistic presentation
浙菜 (Zhècài) — Zhejiang: Fresh, tender, mellow
闽菜 (Mǐncài) — Fujian: Umami-rich, seafood, soups
湘菜 (Xiāngcài) — Hunan: Hot and sour, smoky flavors
徽菜 (Huīcài) — Anhui: Wild herbs, braising, stewing
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 服务员！ | fúwùyuán! | Waiter/Waitress! |
| 菜单 | càidān | menu |
| 我要点菜 | wǒ yào diǎn cài | I'd like to order |
| 请给我一份... | qǐng gěi wǒ yí fèn... | Please give me one serving of... |
| 我要一碗米饭 | wǒ yào yì wǎn mǐfàn | I want a bowl of rice |
| 不要太辣 | bú yào tài là | Not too spicy, please |
| 我吃素 | wǒ chī sù | I'm vegetarian |
| 有什么推荐的？ | yǒu shénme tuījiàn de? | Any recommendations? |
| 买单 / 结账 | mǎidān / jiézhàng | Check, please / Bill, please |
| 可以用微信支付吗？ | kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù ma? | Can I pay with WeChat Pay? |
Tipping is not customary in China and can even be seen as rude or confusing. The price on the menu is what you pay. In some high-end international hotels, tipping may be accepted but is never expected.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好吃 | hǎo chī | delicious |
| 辣 | là | spicy |
| 甜 | tián | sweet |
| 酸 | suān | sour |
| 咸 | xián | salty |
| 苦 | kǔ | bitter |
| 麻 | má | numbing (Sichuan peppercorn) |
| 鲜 | xiān | umami/fresh |
💡 Cultural Insight: In Chinese dining culture, dishes are shared from the center of the table — everyone picks from communal plates. It's polite to serve others before yourself, and the host often insists on paying the entire bill (抢着买单, qiǎngzhe mǎidān — "fighting to pay"). Splitting the bill is becoming more common among younger people but is still less typical than in the West.
绿茶 (lǜchá) — Green tea: Unoxidized, fresh, grassy (Dragon Well 龙井 is most famous)
红茶 (hóngchá) — Black tea: Fully oxidized (literally "red tea" in Chinese!)
乌龙茶 (wūlóng chá) — Oolong: Partially oxidized, complex flavors
普洱茶 (pǔ'ěr chá) — Pu'er: Fermented, earthy, aged (from Yunnan)
花茶 (huā chá) — Flower tea: Jasmine-scented, light and fragrant
Customer: 服务员！我们要点菜。(Fúwùyuán! Wǒmen yào diǎn cài.) — Waiter! We'd like to order.
Waiter: 好的，请看菜单。(Hǎo de, qǐng kàn càidān.) — OK, please look at the menu.
Customer: 有什么推荐的？(Yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?) — Any recommendations?
Waiter: 我们的宫保鸡丁很好吃。(Wǒmen de gōngbǎo jīdīng hěn hǎo chī.) — Our kung pao chicken is delicious.
Customer: 好的，一份宫保鸡丁，一碗米饭，不要太辣。(Hǎo de, yí fèn gōngbǎo jīdīng, yì wǎn mǐfàn, bú yào tài là.) — OK, one kung pao chicken, one rice, not too spicy.
Waiter: 要喝什么？(Yào hē shénme?) — What would you like to drink?
Customer: 一杯绿茶，谢谢！(Yì bēi lǜchá, xièxie!) — A cup of green tea, thanks!
1. What does "好吃" (hǎo chī) mean?
2. Which is the most common meat in Chinese cuisine?
3. Is tipping expected at restaurants in China?
Essential foods: 米饭 (rice), 面条 (noodles), 饺子 (dumplings), 豆腐 (tofu).
Eight Great Cuisines — from spicy Sichuan to delicate Cantonese dim sum.
Ordering: 我要... (I want...), 请给我... (please give me...), 买单 (check please).
Taste words: 辣 (spicy), 甜 (sweet), 酸 (sour), 咸 (salty), 麻 (numbing).
Culture: Shared dishes, hot water, no tipping, host pays the bill.