How To Order Chinese Food

How to Read a Chinese Menu

Reading menus in a foreign language can be an overwhelming experience even to someone who speaks some of it. This mainly happens because not many textbooks or online courses teach people some important key vocabulary that is most likely to show up in a menu. 

To add oil to the flames (mmm, food metaphors…), China is famous for its varied cuisine. Cooking styles and flavors vary greatly between the north and the south, the east and the west of China. Even hot pot, the rock star of Chinese restaurants all over the world, comes in different flavors depending on the province. 

So, how to order food in Chinese? Fret not. After reading this article, you will be able to read menus in Chinese and order food with minimal hassle!

Basics

Generally, all dishes in Chinese menus can be divided into several groups:

• 凉菜 / liángcài / cold dishes
• 热菜 / rè cài / hot dishes
• 汤 / tāng / soups and broths
• 饮料酒水 / yǐnliào jiǔshuǐ / drinks (both non-alcoholic and alcoholic)
• 点心 / diǎnxīn / dim sum; 甜点 / tiándiǎn / desserts

A decent meal for a group of four or more people may include all of the above. Note that while hot dishes is treated as the main course, you will often see different types of food spread out on the table at the same time, with your Chinese friends snacking on 黏糕 / nián gāo / sweet rice cake, washing it down with 鸡汤 / jītāng / chicken broth, then going to town on 煎饺 / jiān jiǎo / fried dumplings and 拍黄瓜 / pāi huángguā / beaten cucumbers indiscriminately. So don’t be shy with your order!

Cooking methods

No kitchen can do without a pot and a knife. Some Chinese dishes have names that allude to the way their ingredients have been cut. Cutting methods include:

Method	Translation	Example dishes	Translation
丝 / sī	shreds, strips	土豆丝 / tǔdòu sī	potato floss, shredded potatoes
块 / kuài	bits, chunks	鸡块 / jī kuài	chicken nuggets
片 / piàn	slices	鱼片泡饭 / yú piàn pàofàn	cice with fish fillet
条 / tiáo	strips	薯条 / shǔ tiáo	French fries
丁 / dīng	dice	宫保鸡丁 / gōng bǎo jī dīng	Kung Pao Chicken, spicy diced chicken

Cooking methods include: 

Method	Translation	Example dishes	Translation
煎 / jiān	pan fry	煎饺 / jiān jiǎo; 煎豆腐 / jiān dòufu	fried dumplings; fried tofu
炸 / zhá	deep fry	炸鸡 / zhá jī; 炸酱面 / zhá jiàng miàn	fried chicken; noodles with ground pork simmered in salty soybean paste
炒 / chǎo	stir-fry	青椒炒肉丝 / qīngjiāo chǎo ròu sī; 番茄炒鸡蛋 / fānqié chǎo jīdàn	stir-fried shredded meat with green pepper; scrambled eggs with tomatoes
烧 / shāo	braise, stew, bake, roast	红烧茄子 / hóngshāo qiézi; 红烧鱼 / hóngshāo yú; 烧饼 / shāobǐng	eggplant braised in soy sauce; fish braised in soy sauce; baked cake covered in sesame seeds
烤 / kāo	toast, bake, broil, roast	烤鸭 / kǎoyā; 北京烤鸭 / běijīng kǎoyā; 烧烤 / shāokǎo	roast duck; Peking duck; BBQ
煮 / zhǔ	boil	水饺 / shuǐjiǎo; 水煮鱼 / shuǐ zhǔ yú	boiled dumplings; Sichuan poached sliced fish in hot chili oil
炖 / dùn	stew	炖菜 / dùn cài; 炖牛肉 / dùn niúròu	vegetable stew; beef stew
蒸 / zhēng	steam	蒸饺 / zhēng jiǎo; 清蒸鱼 / qīngzhēng yú; 蒸鸡蛋 / zhēng jīdàn	steamed dumplings; steamed fish; steamed omelet

Flavors

The four basic flavors are 酸甜苦辣 / suāntiánkǔlà: sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy respectively. Many Chinese foods use combinations of various seasonings to achieve rich flavors, which can be described as:

Flavor		Translation	Example dishes		Translation
酸甜 / suān tián		sour and sweet	锅包肉 / guō bāo ròu		fried pork in scoop
糖醋 / táng cù		sweet and sour	糖醋排骨 / táng cù páigǔ		sweet and sour pork ribs
麻辣 / má là		numbingly spicy	麻辣烫 / málà tàng; 麻辣香锅 / málà xiāng guō		hot spicy soup; spicy stir-fry hot pot
椒麻 / jiāo má		spicy pepper	椒麻鸡 / jiāo má jī		spiced chicken with chili sauce
酱香 / jiàng xiāng		soy sauce	酱香排骨 / jiàng xiāng páigǔ		pork ribs braised in soy sauce
香辣 / xiāng là		fragrant and spicy	香辣鸡翅 / xiāng là jīchì; 麻婆豆腐  / má pó dòufu		spicy wings; Ma Po Tofu
酸辣 / suān là		sour and spicy	酸辣土豆丝 / suān là tǔdòu sī		sour and spicy shredded potatoes

Whether you can’t handle spicy food or habitually drink lava and want your meal to reflect that, don’t forget to tell the waiter how you like your food: 不辣 / bù là / not spicy, 微辣 / wēi là / a bit spicy, 中辣 / zhōng là / pretty spicy, or 特辣 / tè là / extremely spicy. 

 

Useful Phrases for Ordering Chinese Food

Obviously, reading the menu is just one part of the restaurant experience – the real deal is talking to the waiters. What will you hear from Chinese waiters and what will they expect you to say? Let’s find out!

Before sitting down

Phrase	Pinyin	Translation
您几位？	Nín jǐ wèi?	How many of you are here?
请问有预订吗?	Qǐngwèn yǒu yùdìng ma?	Do you have a reservation?
我们预订了座位/五人桌。	Wǒmen yùdìngle zuòwèi/wǔ rén zhuō.	We booked a table / a table for five.
请给我们一个靠窗的位置。	Qǐng gěi wǒmen yīgè kào chuāng de wèizhì.	Give us a table by the window, please.

Ordering

Phrase	Pinyin	Translation
服务员，点菜！	Fúwùyuán, diǎn cài!	Waiter, we are ready to order!
你们有英文菜单吗？	Nǐmen yǒu yīngwén càidān ma?	Do you have menus in English?
我们要一份这个……两份这个……	Wǒmen yào yī fèn zhège……liǎng fèn zhège……	We want one portion of this… two portions of that…
几碗米饭？	Jǐ wǎn mǐfàn?	How many bowls of plain rice?
请问有忌口吗？	Qǐngwèn yǒu jìkǒu ma?	Do you have any dietary restrictions?
不要辣， 不要香菜和葱。	Bùyào là, bùyào xiāngcài hé cōng.	No spice, no coriander, and no leek.
服务员，催一下我们这桌的菜。	Fúwùyuán, cuī yīxià wǒmen zhè zhuō de cài.	Waiter, hasten the cooks with our order.
我们等人到齐了再点菜。	Wǒmen děng rén dào qíle zài diǎn cài.	We’ll wait till everyone is here and then place our order.

Paying the bill

Phrase	Pinyin	Translation
服务员，买单！	Fúwùyuán, mǎidān!	Waiter, we are ready to pay the bill!
请问在哪买单?	Qǐngwèn zài nǎ mǎidān?	Excuse me, where do I pay?
你们是AA吗？还是一起结？	Nǐmen shì ēi ēi ma? Háishì yīqǐ jié?	Are you splitting the bill? Or paying together?
一共多少钱？	Yīgòng duōshǎo qián?	How much money in total?
您怎么支付呢？微信还是支付宝？	Nín zěnme zhīfù ne? Wēixìn háishì zhīfùbǎo?	How are you paying? With WeChat or Alipay?
需要开发票。	Xūyào kāi fāpiào.	I need the receipt.
欢迎下次光临！	Huānyíng xià cì guānglín!	Looking forward to you visiting our restaurant again!

 

What to Order in a Chinese Restaurant

Real Chinese food is much different from what you could get at Panda Express. Chinese people like to balance meat and vegetables out, and you won’t find as many deep-fried foods in Chinese restaurants as in the States.

Let’s start with Chinese staple foods: 米饭 / mǐfàn / rice and 面条 / miàntiáo / noodles, lifesavers of absolute beginners in Chinese. No one can go wrong with 炒饭 / chǎofàn / fried rice and 牛肉面 / niúròu miàn / beef noodles! Add 饼 / bǐng / pie and 粥 / zhōu / congee to the mix to eat your fill with 肉饼 / ròu bǐng / meat pie and 小米粥 / xiǎomǐ zhōu / millet gruel.

And if you feel ready to learn more, check out the lists below, compiled by foodies for foodies! But beware: dishes similar in the name may taste differently depending on the province, the city, or even the cook’s mood. It’s all part of the adventure!

Breakfast dishes

Name	Translation
蛋糕 / dàngāo	cake
面包 / miànbāo	bread
麦片 / màipiàn	oatmeal
包子 / bāozi	baozi, steamed buns with fillings
馒头 / mántou	mantou, plain steamed buns
烧麦 / shāo mài	shumai, a type of dim sum
烧饼 / shāobǐn	baked pie covered in sesame seeds
卷饼 / juǎn bǐng	roll with filling
豆浆 / dòujiāng	soy milk
牛奶 / niúnǎi	milk
粥 / zhōu	congee
馅饼 / xiàn bǐng	pie with filling
小笼包 / xiǎo lóng bāo	xiaolongbao (a type of Chinese steamed bun)
锅贴 / guōtiē	potsticker
煎饼 / jiānbing	pancake
玉米 / yù mǐ	corn
面条 / miàn tiáo	noodles

Popular dishes

Dishes	Translation
番茄炒蛋  / fānqié chǎo dàn	scrambled eggs with tomatoes
四喜丸子 / sì xǐ wánzi	braised pork meatballs in gravy
北京烤鸭 / běijīng kǎoyā	Peking duck
糖醋里脊  / táng cù lǐjí	sweet and sour pork
麻婆豆腐 / má pó dòufu	Mapo tofu, stir-fried tofu in hot sauce
宫保鸡丁 / gōng bǎo jī dīng	Kung Pao chicken
鱼香肉丝 / yú xiāng ròu sī	fish-flavored shredded pork
栗子鸡 / lìzǐ jī	chicken with chestnuts

Popular dishes by province

Province	Dish	Translation
河南 / hénán	烩面 / huì miàn	braised noodles
山西 / shānxī	刀削面 / dāoxiāomiàn	sliced noodles
武汉 / wǔhàn	热干面 / rè gān miàn	hot noodles with sesame paste
四川 / sìchuān	担担面 / dàndàn miàn	noodles with a peppery sauce
兰州 / lánzhōu	拉面 / lāmiàn	hand-pulled noodles

 

Complimenting the chef

Flavors	Translation	Examples	Translation
好吃 / hǎo chī	good to eat	这家火锅真好吃！/ Zhè jiā huǒguō zhēn hào chī!	This hot pot is good to eat!
可口 / kěkǒu	tasty	他弄得水果沙拉清凉可口。/ Tā nòng dé shuǐguǒ shālā qīngliáng kěkǒu.	The fruit salad he made is fresh and tasty.
爽口 / shuǎngkǒu	fresh and tasty	这几道小菜十分爽口。/ Zhè jǐ dào xiǎocài shífēn shuǎngkǒu.	These side dishes are very fresh and tasty.
鲜美 / xiānměi	delicious	妈妈做的红烧鱼味道鲜美。/ Māma zuò de hóngshāo yú wèidào xiānměi.	The braised fish my mom cooks is delicious.
香甜 / xiāngtián	sweet	爸爸挑选的桃子味道香甜，颜色鲜艳。/ Bàba tiāoxuǎn de táozi wèidào xiāngtián, yánsè xiānyàn.	The peaches my father chose were sweet and bright in color.
酥脆 / sūcuì	crispy	这里的炸红薯金黄酥脆。/ Zhèlǐ de zhà hóngshǔ jīnhuáng sūcuì.	The fried sweet potatoes here are golden and crispy.
回味无穷 / huíwèi wúqióng	divine, leaving a rich aftertaste	我刚喝了杯特好喝的奶茶，让人回味无穷。/ Wǒ gāng hēle bēi tè hǎo hē de nǎichá, ràng rén huíwèi wúqióng.	I just drank a cup of milk tea, which is very divine, leaving a rich aftertaste.
色香味俱全 / sè xiāngwèi jùquán	rich in flavour	这道菜真的色香味俱全！/ Zhè dào cài zhēn de sè xiāngwèi jùquán!	This dish is rich in flavour!
味道鲜美 / wèidào xiānměi	delicious	这家海鲜店的菜味道鲜美。/ Zhè jiā hǎixiān diàn de cài wèidào xiānměi.	The dishes in this seafood restaurant are delicious.
口感丰富 / kǒugǎn fēngfù	flavourful	梅干菜微甜，微咸，口感丰富。/ Méigān cài wēi tián, wēi xián, kǒugǎn fēngfù.	Prunes are flavourful, slightly sweet and slightly salty.

Of course, not all food deserves our heartfelt praises. If you want to politely criticize the dish, use 口味偏淡/咸/重 / kǒuwèi piān dàn/xián/zhòng to say that the taste is “somewhat bland/salty/heavy” respectively.

 

Chinese Table Manners

Last but not least, make sure to familiarize yourself with Chinese etiquette before setting your foot in a Chinese restaurant or family home. Remember: first impressions matter and little acts of politeness can take you a long way!

• The most important person (your boss at a company gathering or your partner’s elderly grandpa at a family get-together) should sit on the seat opposing the door, as far from where the waiters come in to serve the food as possible. Don’t sit down until more important people do.
• If you’ve been invited to a family dinner, the host will encourage you to eat more. Show your respect by asking for a refill – then they’ll know you’re enjoying your meal very much.
• Adding food to the elders’ or children’s plates is considered thoughtful and polite. Many restaurants will provide 公筷 / gōng kuài / communal serving chopsticks for this exact purpose.
• If there is a rotating tray, or “lazy Susan”, at your table, make good use of it instead of standing up and reaching for the food across the whole table, but don’t turn it when someone else is filling their plate.
• Never stick chopsticks upright in your food. That’s something people do with incense sticks during funerals and prayers to their deceased ancestors.
• Never play with your chopsticks and don’t use them as drumsticks. Apart from looking incredibly silly, hitting your chopsticks against the bowl is considered to bring bad luck, because that’s something beggars used to do to attract people’s attention.
• Don’t dig around for something specific in a communal dish – your tablemates won’t be happy to know you’re only letting them eat something you wouldn’t want to eat yourself.
• Don’t talk around a mouthful of food and avoid making too much noise when chewing.
• When in doubt, ask! You have nothing to lose.

That’s it, folks! Hope you found this article useful. Stay tuned for more and make sure to bless the Chinese restaurant in your area with your presence!