Ordering in a Chinese Restaurant

Contents
Chinese Restaurant ............................................................................................................................. 1
Article: ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
Basic words and phrases ............................................................................................................................... 2
WHEN YOU WALK IN ................................................................................................................................. 2
FLAGGING SOMEONE DOWN.................................................................................................................... 2
ORDERING ................................................................................................................................................. 3
DURING THE MEAL.................................................................................................................................... 4
AFTER THE MEAL ....................................................................................................................................... 5
ON TIPPING ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Some more useful words .............................................................................................................................. 6
Alcoholic Drinking ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Non-alcoholic ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Tea (of course) .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Food - For the carnivore/From the sea ..................................................................................................... 7
Vegetables................................................................................................................................................. 8
Menu Mainstays ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Good Regional Dishes to Know ................................................................................................................. 9
Flavor ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
Spices/Seasoning .................................................................................................................................... 10
Good to Know ......................................................................................................................................... 11
Reading:
http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/how-to-order-chinese-food.htm

Basic words and phrases

Copied here below:
source: http://blog.tutorming.com/mandarin-chinese-learning-tips/how-to-order-food-in-
chinese-restaurant
Basics:

请 (qǐng)
Please. (Only used at the beginning of a sentence, and never used on it's own.)

谢谢 (xiè xiè!)
Thank you!
WHEN YOU WALK IN
WHAT YOU MIGHT HEAR:

几位？(jǐ wèi)
How many people?
HOW YOU MIGHT RESPOND:

一位 (yī wèi)
One.

两位 (liǎng wèi)
Two.

三位 (sān wèi)
Three.

四位 (sì wèi)
Four.

外带 (wài dài)
Takeout.
FLAGGING SOMEONE DOWN
If you are eating at a restaurant in China, people may not even approach to take your order.
Tipping at restaurants is not customary in China, therefore most servers do not provide
individualized service to each table, and instead “man the floor.” That’s why you usually need
to flag someone down for service.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY:

(While raising your hand) 服务员! (fú wù yuán)

Waiter!

点菜! (diǎn cài)

I'd like to order!
HOW THEY MIGHT RESPOND:

诶！(èi)
Yes?

马上! (mǎ shàng)

Be right there!

ORDERING
WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY:

"帮忙拿一个菜单. (bāng máng ná yī fèn cài dān)"

"Please bring me a menu."

"四杯冰水! (sì bēi bīng shuǐ)"

"Four cups of ice water!"

"一壶茶水! (yī hú chá shuǐ)"

"One pot of tea!"
Due to new water regulations in many big cities, restaurants in China have begun charging for
water, so keep that in mind when you order.

"一份宫保鸡丁! (yī fèn gōng bào jī dīng)"

"One serving of Kung Pao Chicken!"

(While pointing to the menu) "这个, 一份 (zhè gè, yī fèn)"

"One serving of this."

"有什么可以推荐的吗? (yǒu shén me kě yǐ tuī jiàn de mā)"

"Can you recommend anything?"

"这里最火的菜是什么? (zhè lǐ zuì huǒ de cài shì shén me)"

"What’s the most popular dish here?"
Below is a list of other foods that you might order:

米饭(mǐ fàn) Rice.

粥 (zhōu) Congee.
青菜 (qīng cài) Vegetables.
饺子 (jiǎo zi) Dumplings.
面条 (miàn tiáo) Noodles.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HEAR

"有什么忌口吗？(yǒu shén me jì kǒu mā)"

"Are there things you do not eat?"

“忌口” roughly translates “diet” or “avoided foods.” If you have any allergies, food preferences,
food restrictions, etc, this is when you speak up.
HOW YOU MIGHT RESPOND

You can start by saying, "我不吃… (wǒ bù chī)"

"I don’t eat…"

肉 (ròu)
Meat

牛羊肉 (niú yáng ròu)

Beef and Lamb

猪肉 (zhū ròu)
Pork

辣 (là)
Spicy
If you don’t have any preferences, you can simply say:

"没有 (méi yǒu)"

"I don’t have any."
DURING THE MEAL
WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY

"帮忙加点茶水! (bāng máng jiā diǎn chá shuǐ)"

"Add some tea, please!"

"有餐巾纸吗？(yǒu cān jīn zhǐ mā)"

"Do you have napkins?"

"多拿几个盘子。(duō ná jǐ gè pán zi)"

"Bring some extra plates."
AFTER THE MEAL
WHAT YOU MIGHT SAY

"买单! (mǎi dān) The bill, please!"

"刷卡可以吗? (shuā kǎ kě yǐ mā) Can I use a credit card?"

ON TIPPING
It’s not customary to tip in restaurants in China. If the service was exceptionally good, and you
are paying in cash, you can simply ask them to keep the change as a tip.

"不用找了，当小费吧！(bú yòng zhǎo le dāng xiǎo fèi ba)"

"No need to get change, keep it as a tip!"
Of course, if you are in a Chinese restaurant in another country, please tip accordingly.
Some more useful words
Alcoholic Drinking
Píjiǔ: Beer

Báijiǔ: Literally means “white liquor”

Shàoxīngjiǔ: Shaoxing fermented rice wine

Hóng pútáojiǔ: Red wine

Bái pútáojiǔ: White wine

Gānbēi: Cheers!

Non-alcoholic
Guǒzhī: Fruit juice

Yī píng shuǐ: One bottle of water

Bīng shuǐ: Ice water (not really something you

should order in China)

Kěkǒukělè or Kělè: Coca-Cola

Xuěbì: Sprite

Kāfēi: Coffee

Dòujiāng: Fresh soymilk

Niúnǎi: Literally “cow’s milk”

Tea (of course)
Hóngchá: Black tea
红茶
Lǜchá: Green tea
绿茶

Mòlìhuāchá: Jasmine tea

茉莉花茶
Wūlóngchá: Oolong tea
乌龙茶
Júhuā chá: Chrysanthemum tea
菊花茶
Nǎichá: Milk tea/bubble tea
奶茶

Food - For the carnivore/From the sea

肉 Ròu: Meat

鸡肉 Jī ròu: Chicken

牛肉 Niúròu: Beef

猪肉 Zhū ròu: Pork

羊肉 Yáng ròu: Mutton

海鲜 Hǎixiān: Seafood

鱼 Yú: Fish

虾 Xiā: Shrimp

蟹 Xiè: Crab

龙虾 Lóngxiā: Lobster
Vegetables
Dòufu: Tofu
豆腐
Dòuyá: Bean sprout
豆芽
Bōcài: Spinach
菠菜
Báicài: Cabbage
白菜
Cōng: Scallion/Onion
葱
Sǔn: Bamboo shoot
笋
Mógu: Mushroom
蘑菇
Xīhóngshì/ Fān qié: Tomato
西红柿
Yùmǐ: Corn
玉米
Tǔdòu: Potato
土豆
Qiézi: Eggplant
茄子

Menu Mainstays
Mǐfàn: White rice
米饭
Chǎo fàn: Fried rice
炒饭
Jiǎozi: Dumplings
饺子
Húntún: Wonton
馄饨
Tāng: Soup
汤
Bāozi: Stuffed steamed bun
包子
Mántou: Plain steamed bun
馒头
Chǎomiàn: Fried noodles
炒面
Tāngmiàn: Noodle soup
 Zhōu: Congee/Porridge

Yóutiáo: Cruller (to accompany Zhōu)

Jīdàn: Egg

Cháyè dàn: Tea-soaked egg

Pídàn: Century-old egg (preserved duck egg)

Good Regional Dishes to Know

Sìchuān Huǒguō: Sichuan hot pot

Chāshāo: Cantonese barbeque pork

Běijīng kǎoyā: Beijing roast duck

Lánzhōu lāmiàn: Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles

Xiǎolóng bāo: Shanghai small steamed buns

Yángròu chuan: Chinese Muslim barbeque mutton skewers

Dōng pō zhū ròu: Hangzhou braised pork belly

Hézǐ jiān: Fujian oyster omelet

Chǎngshā chòu dòufu: Changsha-style stinky tofu

Flavor
Là: Spicy
辣
Má là: Numbing spicy
麻辣
Suān: Sour
酸
Xián: Salty
咸
Tián: Sweet
甜
Kǔ: Bitter
苦
Xiān: Similar to “umami” （ψαρι-αρνι）
鲜
Chòu: Smelly or pungent
臭
Wèidào: Taste/smell
味道

Spices/Seasoning
Jiàngyóu: Soy sauce
酱油
Cù: Vinegar
醋
Dàsuàn: Garlic
大蒜
Jiāng: Ginger
姜
Zhīma: Sesame
芝麻
Làjiāo: Hot pepper
辣椒
Huājiāo: Sichuan peppercorn (literally “flower pepper”)
花椒
Good to Know
Chī fàn: To eat (literally “eat rice”)
吃饭
Zǎocān: Breakfast
早餐
Wǔcān/Wǔfàn: Lunch
午餐 / 午饭
Wǎncān/Wǎnfàn: Dinner
晚餐 / 晚饭
Diǎnxīn: Dessert
点心
Cānguǎn: Restaurant
餐馆
Gè rén: (Number) of people
个人
Fúwùyuán: Waiter/waitress
服务员 Do NOT call your waitress Xiǎojiě. While it typically means
“Miss,” in the service industry it is slang for “prostitute.”

Kuàizi: Chopsticks
筷子
Chā: Fork
叉
Wǒ chī sù: I am vegetarian.
我吃素
Wǒ yào zhège: I would like this one.
我要这个
Yǒu shénme hào chī de: What’s good to eat?
有什么好吃的？
Zhè shì shénme: What is this?
这是什么
Càidān: Menu
菜单
Diǎn cài: To order
点菜
Duōshǎo qián: How much (does it cost)?
多少钱
Hěn hào chī: Delicious
很好吃
真棒 Zhēn bàng: Awesome， Super!