50 Essential Chinese Food Words for Restaurant Survival

Ordering Phrases

菜单 (càidān) — menu. 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège) — I want this one. 买单 (mǎidān) — the bill please. 不要辣 (bú yào là) — no spice please. These four phrases alone will get you through most restaurant situations.

Staple Foods

米饭 (mǐfàn) rice, 面条 (miàntiáo) noodles, 饺子 (jiǎozi) dumplings, 包子 (bāozi) steamed buns, 馒头 (mántou) plain steamed bread. In Taiwan, you will also encounter 滷肉飯 (lǔròu fàn) braised pork rice and 牛肉麵 (niúròu miàn) beef noodle soup — two beloved national dishes.

Popular Dishes

宫保鸡丁 (gōngbǎo jīdīng) Kung Pao chicken, 麻婆豆腐 (mápó dòufu) Mapo tofu, 红烧肉 (hóngshāo ròu) red-braised pork, 炒饭 (chǎofàn) fried rice, 火锅 (huǒguō) hotpot. Each region has specialties — Sichuan for spicy, Cantonese for dim sum, Shanghai for sweet savory.

Drinks

水 (shuǐ) water, 茶 (chá) tea, 咖啡 (kāfēi) coffee, 啤酒 (píjiǔ) beer, 珍珠奶茶 (zhēnzhū nǎichá) bubble tea — arguably Taiwan's most famous culinary export. Use our Pinyin Converter to check pronunciation of any food term.