Traditional Chinese Food Vocabulary: 140+ Real-Life Words
繁體中文飲食詞彙:140+ 個實用單字與句子 Tap 🔊 to hear it
This list gives you Traditional Chinese (繁體中文) food words you’ll actually use: characters, pinyin with tone marks, simple meanings, and example sentences you can steal for real life.
Skim the cards for quick wins, copy the phrases for ordering, then use the tables to level up your menu-reading powers (without turning into a walking dictionary).
“Spicy” is not a personality trait. Start with 微辣 (mild) unless you enjoy regret as a side dish.
How to use this list
Tap 🔊 to hear the Traditional Chinese. Practice the phrases out loud. Then mix-and-match: “我要 + 一碗 + 麵” and suddenly you’re ordering like you belong there.
Pronunciation tip
Pinyin tone marks matter. là (辣, spicy) and lā (拉, pull) are not the same thing… unless you’re pulling your tongue off the table.
Must-know food words (quick cards)
菜單
càidān
menu
Nǐmen yǒu càidān ma?
Do you have a menu?
點餐
diǎncān
to order (food)
Wǒmen kěyǐ diǎncān le ma?
Can we order now?
推薦
tuījiàn
recommend / recommendation
Nǐ yǒu tuījiàn de cài ma?
Do you have a dish you recommend?
好吃
hǎochī
delicious (casual)
Zhège zhēn de hěn hǎochī!
This is really delicious!
辣
là
spicy
Wǒ xiǎng chī là de.
I want something spicy.
外帶
wàidài
to go / takeout
Wǒ yào wàidài.
I want it to go.
買單
mǎidān
to pay the bill
Kěyǐ mǎidān ma?
Can we get the bill?
素食
sùshí
vegetarian food
Nǐmen yǒu sùshí ma?
Do you have vegetarian options?
Order like a human (ready-to-use phrases)
These are the lines that save you from pointing at everything like it’s a museum exhibit.
我想點這個。
Wǒ xiǎng diǎn zhège.
I’d like to order this.
你們有英文菜單嗎?
Nǐmen yǒu Yīngwén càidān ma?
Do you have an English menu?
內用還是外帶?
Nèiyòng háishi wàidài?
Dining in or takeout?
可以幫我介紹一下嗎?
Kěyǐ bāng wǒ jièshào yíxià ma?
Could you introduce/explain it to me?
可以不要香菜嗎?
Kěyǐ bú yào xiāngcài ma?
Can I have it without cilantro?
我不吃牛肉。
Wǒ bù chī niúròu.
I don’t eat beef.
我對海鮮過敏。
Wǒ duì hǎixiān guòmǐn.
I’m allergic to seafood.
這個有堅果嗎?
Zhège yǒu jiānguǒ ma?
Does this have nuts?
請給我一杯水。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ.
Please give me a cup of water.
不要太辣。
Bú yào tài là.
Not too spicy.
幫我加辣。
Bāng wǒ jiā là.
Make it spicier for me.
少油少鹽。
Shǎo yóu shǎo yán.
Less oil, less salt.
這個要熱的還是冰的?
Zhège yào rè de háishi bīng de?
Do you want this hot or iced?
可以再來一份嗎?
Kěyǐ zài lái yí fèn ma?
Can I get one more portion?
我吃素。
Wǒ chī sù.
I’m vegetarian.
可以換成無麩質嗎?
Kěyǐ huàn chéng wú fūzhì ma?
Can it be made gluten-free?
請幫我結帳。
Qǐng bāng wǒ jiézhàng.
Please help me check out.
這個真的很好吃!
Zhège zhēn de hěn hǎochī!
This is seriously delicious!
How portions work in Chinese (without math pain)
You’ll hear people say “one bowl,” “one plate,” “one portion.” These are measure words. Use them to sound natural fast.
Measure words & portions (超實用)
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一份 | yí fèn | one portion | 我要一份炒飯。 Wǒ yào yí fèn chǎofàn. | I want one portion of fried rice. | |
| 一碗 | yì wǎn | one bowl | 請給我一碗湯。 Qǐng gěi wǒ yì wǎn tāng. | Please give me a bowl of soup. | |
| 一盤 | yì pán | one plate (dish) | 我們點一盤青菜。 Wǒmen diǎn yì pán qīngcài. | We’ll order one plate of greens. | |
| 一杯 | yì bēi | one cup | 我要一杯奶茶。 Wǒ yào yì bēi nǎichá. | I want a cup of milk tea. | |
| 一瓶 | yì píng | one bottle | 請給我一瓶水。 Qǐng gěi wǒ yì píng shuǐ. | Please give me a bottle of water. | |
| 一罐 | yí guàn | one can / jar | 我想買一罐咖啡。 Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yí guàn kāfēi. | I want to buy a can of coffee. | |
| 一包 | yì bāo | one bag / pack | 可以給我一包衛生紙嗎? Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yì bāo wèishēngzhǐ ma? | Can you give me a pack of tissues? | |
| 一個 | yí gè | one (general item) | 我要一個便當。 Wǒ yào yí gè biàndāng. | I want one bento box. | |
| 一條 | yì tiáo | one (long item, e.g., fish) | 我們點一條魚。 Wǒmen diǎn yì tiáo yú. | We’ll order one fish. | |
| 一串 | yí chuàn | one skewer | 夜市我想吃一串燒烤。 Yèshì wǒ xiǎng chī yí chuàn shāokǎo. | At the night market, I want one skewer of barbecue. | |
| 一顆 | yì kē | one (small round item) | 我想加一顆蛋。 Wǒ xiǎng jiā yì kē dàn. | I want to add one egg. | |
| 一塊 | yí kuài | one piece | 給我一塊豆腐。 Gěi wǒ yí kuài dòufu. | Give me a piece of tofu. |
Food vocabulary tables (grouped for real life)
Restaurants & ordering
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 餐廳 | cāntīng | restaurant | 我們在餐廳等朋友。 Wǒmen zài cāntīng děng péngyǒu. | We’re waiting for friends at the restaurant. | |
| 小吃 | xiǎochī | snacks / street food | 我最愛夜市的小吃。 Wǒ zuì ài yèshì de xiǎochī. | I love night market snacks the most. | |
| 夜市 | yèshì | night market | 週末一起去夜市吧。 Zhōumò yìqǐ qù yèshì ba. | Let’s go to the night market this weekend. | |
| 招牌 | zhāopái | signature (dish) | 這是他們的招牌菜。 Zhè shì tāmen de zhāopái cài. | This is their signature dish. | |
| 今日特餐 | jīnrì tècān | today’s special | 今天的今日特餐是咖哩雞。 Jīntiān de jīnrì tècān shì gālǐ jī. | Today’s special is curry chicken. | |
| 加點 | jiādiǎn | to add (another item) | 我們再加點一份水餃。 Wǒmen zài jiādiǎn yí fèn shuǐjiǎo. | Let’s add one more portion of dumplings. | |
| 內用 | nèiyòng | dine in | 我們要內用,謝謝。 Wǒmen yào nèiyòng, xièxie. | We’re dining in, thanks. | |
| 打包 | dǎbāo | to pack up (leftovers) | 吃不完可以打包嗎? Chī bù wán kěyǐ dǎbāo ma? | Can I pack it up if I can’t finish? | |
| 訂位 | dìngwèi | to make a reservation | 我想訂位,兩個人。 Wǒ xiǎng dìngwèi, liǎng gè rén. | I’d like a reservation for two. | |
| 排隊 | páiduì | to line up | 這家店要排隊很久。 Zhè jiā diàn yào páiduì hěn jiǔ. | You have to queue a long time for this place. | |
| 等位 | děngwèi | to wait for a table/seat | 人很多,我們先等位。 Rén hěn duō, wǒmen xiān děngwèi. | It’s crowded; we’ll wait for a table first. | |
| 座位 | zuòwèi | seat | 這裡有空座位嗎? Zhèlǐ yǒu kōng zuòwèi ma? | Is there an empty seat here? | |
| 服務生 | fúwùshēng | server / waiter | 服務生,可以過來一下嗎? Fúwùshēng, kěyǐ guòlái yíxià ma? | Excuse me, can you come over for a moment? | |
| 櫃台 | guìtái | counter | 請到櫃台結帳。 Qǐng dào guìtái jiézhàng. | Please pay at the counter. | |
| 結帳 | jiézhàng | to check out / pay | 我們要結帳。 Wǒmen yào jiézhàng. | We’d like to pay. | |
| 發票 | fāpiào | receipt (invoice) | 可以給我發票嗎? Kěyǐ gěi wǒ fāpiào ma? | Can you give me a receipt? | |
| 小費 | xiǎofèi | tip | 這裡需要給小費嗎? Zhèlǐ xūyào gěi xiǎofèi ma? | Do we need to tip here? | |
| 刷卡 | shuākǎ | to pay by card | 可以刷卡嗎? Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? | Can I pay by card? | |
| 現金 | xiànjīn | cash | 我只有現金。 Wǒ zhǐ yǒu xiànjīn. | I only have cash. | |
| 餐具 | cānjù | utensils | 可以再給我一套餐具嗎? Kěyǐ zài gěi wǒ yí tào cānjù ma? | Can you give me another set of utensils? | |
| 筷子 | kuàizi | chopsticks | 我不太會用筷子。 Wǒ bù tài huì yòng kuàizi. | I’m not very good with chopsticks. | |
| 湯匙 | tāngchí | spoon | 這碗湯需要湯匙。 Zhè wǎn tāng xūyào tāngchí. | This soup needs a spoon. | |
| 盤子 | pánzi | plate | 請給我們兩個盤子。 Qǐng gěi wǒmen liǎng gè pánzi. | Please give us two plates. | |
| 碗 | wǎn | bowl | 我想要一個小碗。 Wǒ xiǎng yào yí gè xiǎo wǎn. | I’d like a small bowl. | |
| 杯子 | bēizi | cup / glass | 這個杯子可以續杯嗎? Zhège bēizi kěyǐ xùbēi ma? | Can this cup be refilled? |
Taste & preferences
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 甜 | tián | sweet | 我喜歡甜一點的。 Wǒ xǐhuan tián yìdiǎn de. | I like it a bit sweeter. | |
| 鹹 | xián | salty | 這個湯有點鹹。 Zhège tāng yǒudiǎn xián. | This soup is a bit salty. | |
| 酸 | suān | sour | 你要不要加點酸? Nǐ yào bú yào jiā diǎn suān? | Do you want to add a bit of sourness? | |
| 苦 | kǔ | bitter | 這杯咖啡不苦。 Zhè bēi kāfēi bù kǔ. | This coffee isn’t bitter. | |
| 香 | xiāng | fragrant | 這個燒烤很香。 Zhège shāokǎo hěn xiāng. | This barbecue smells amazing. | |
| 鮮 | xiān | savory / umami | 這碗湯很鮮。 Zhè wǎn tāng hěn xiān. | This soup is really savory. | |
| 清淡 | qīngdàn | light (not heavy) | 我今天想吃清淡一點。 Wǒ jīntiān xiǎng chī qīngdàn yìdiǎn. | Today I want something lighter. | |
| 重口味 | zhòngkǒuwèi | strongly flavored | 他喜歡重口味的菜。 Tā xǐhuan zhòngkǒuwèi de cài. | He likes strongly flavored dishes. | |
| 少油 | shǎoyóu | less oil | 可以做少油嗎? Kěyǐ zuò shǎoyóu ma? | Can you make it with less oil? | |
| 少鹽 | shǎoyán | less salt | 麻煩少鹽,謝謝。 Máfan shǎoyán, xièxie. | Less salt, please—thanks. | |
| 脆 | cuì | crispy | 我喜歡外皮脆的。 Wǒ xǐhuan wàipí cuì de. | I like it crispy on the outside. | |
| 軟 | ruǎn | soft | 麵包要軟一點。 Miànbāo yào ruǎn yìdiǎn. | Make the bread a bit softer. | |
| 嫩 | nèn | tender | 這塊牛排很嫩。 Zhè kuài niúpái hěn nèn. | This steak is very tender. | |
| Q彈 | Q tán | springy/chewy (texture) | 這個珍珠很Q彈。 Zhège zhēnzhū hěn Q tán. | These boba pearls are really chewy. | |
| 濃 | nóng | rich / strong | 我想要濃一點的湯。 Wǒ xiǎng yào nóng yìdiǎn de tāng. | I want a richer soup. | |
| 清爽 | qīngshuǎng | refreshing / light | 這個沙拉很清爽。 Zhège shālā hěn qīngshuǎng. | This salad is really refreshing. | |
| 油膩 | yóunì | greasy | 這道菜有點油膩。 Zhè dào cài yǒudiǎn yóunì. | This dish is a bit greasy. | |
| 微辣 | wēilà | mild spicy | 我可以吃微辣。 Wǒ kěyǐ chī wēilà. | I can handle mild spicy. | |
| 大辣 | dàlà | very spicy | 他點了大辣的火鍋。 Tā diǎn le dàlà de huǒguō. | He ordered a very spicy hot pot. | |
| 冰 | bīng | iced / with ice | 我要冰的奶茶。 Wǒ yào bīng de nǎichá. | I want an iced milk tea. |
Cooking methods
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 煮 | zhǔ | to boil/cook | 這個麵要煮三分鐘。 Zhège miàn yào zhǔ sān fēnzhōng. | These noodles need to cook for three minutes. | |
| 炒 | chǎo | to stir-fry | 我想吃炒飯。 Wǒ xiǎng chī chǎofàn. | I want fried rice. | |
| 煎 | jiān | to pan-fry | 我喜歡煎蛋。 Wǒ xǐhuan jiāndàn. | I like fried eggs. | |
| 炸 | zhá | to deep-fry | 這家店的炸物很受歡迎。 Zhè jiā diàn de zháwù hěn shòu huānyíng. | This place’s fried foods are popular. | |
| 烤 | kǎo | to roast/bake/grill | 你想吃烤雞嗎? Nǐ xiǎng chī kǎojī ma? | Do you want roast chicken? | |
| 蒸 | zhēng | to steam | 這個小籠包是蒸的。 Zhège xiǎolóngbāo shì zhēng de. | These soup dumplings are steamed. | |
| 燉 | dùn | to stew | 今天我們燉一鍋湯。 Jīntiān wǒmen dùn yì guō tāng. | Today we’ll stew a pot of soup. | |
| 滷 | lǔ | to braise (in soy sauce) | 我想加一顆滷蛋。 Wǒ xiǎng jiā yì kē lǔdàn. | I want to add a braised egg. | |
| 涼拌 | liángbàn | cold mixed (salad-style) | 我們點一盤涼拌小黃瓜。 Wǒmen diǎn yì pán liángbàn xiǎohuángguā. | We ordered a plate of cold cucumber salad. | |
| 水煮 | shuǐzhǔ | boiled (in water) | 我想要水煮青菜。 Wǒ xiǎng yào shuǐzhǔ qīngcài. | I want boiled greens. | |
| 清蒸 | qīngzhēng | lightly steamed | 這條魚清蒸就很好吃。 Zhè tiáo yú qīngzhēng jiù hěn hǎochī. | This fish is delicious just steamed. | |
| 燒烤 | shāokǎo | barbecue | 夜市的燒烤很香。 Yèshì de shāokǎo hěn xiāng. | Night market barbecue smells amazing. | |
| 熬湯 | áo tāng | to simmer soup | 他用骨頭熬湯。 Tā yòng gǔtou áo tāng. | He simmers soup with bones. | |
| 乾煎 | gānjiān | pan-sear (little/no oil) | 這個魚用乾煎比較脆。 Zhège yú yòng gānjiān bǐjiào cuì. | This fish is crispier when pan-seared. | |
| 炙燒 | zhìshāo | torch-seared | 我想試試炙燒壽司。 Wǒ xiǎng shìshi zhìshāo shòusī. | I want to try torch-seared sushi. |
Staples & common dishes
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 白飯 | báifàn | white rice | 請再來一碗白飯。 Qǐng zài lái yì wǎn báifàn. | Please bring another bowl of rice. | |
| 炒飯 | chǎofàn | fried rice | 我點了一份炒飯。 Wǒ diǎn le yí fèn chǎofàn. | I ordered a portion of fried rice. | |
| 粥 | zhōu | porridge | 早上喝粥很舒服。 Zǎoshang hē zhōu hěn shūfu. | Porridge in the morning feels great. | |
| 麵 | miàn | noodles | 你想吃什麼麵? Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme miàn? | What kind of noodles do you want? | |
| 湯麵 | tāngmiàn | noodle soup | 下雨天很適合吃湯麵。 Xiàyǔ tiān hěn shìhé chī tāngmiàn. | Noodle soup is perfect on rainy days. | |
| 乾麵 | gānmiàn | dry noodles (no soup) | 我比較喜歡乾麵。 Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuan gānmiàn. | I prefer dry noodles. | |
| 米粉 | mǐfěn | rice noodles (thin) | 這家店的米粉湯很有名。 Zhè jiā diàn de mǐfěn tāng hěn yǒumíng. | This place is famous for its rice noodle soup. | |
| 冬粉 | dōngfěn | glass noodles | 火鍋裡我會加冬粉。 Huǒguō lǐ wǒ huì jiā dōngfěn. | I add glass noodles to hot pot. | |
| 河粉 | héfěn | flat rice noodles | 我想吃牛肉河粉。 Wǒ xiǎng chī niúròu héfěn. | I want beef rice noodles. | |
| 水餃 | shuǐjiǎo | boiled dumplings | 我們點了十顆水餃。 Wǒmen diǎn le shí kē shuǐjiǎo. | We ordered ten dumplings. | |
| 鍋貼 | guōtiē | pan-fried dumplings | 鍋貼要趁熱吃。 Guōtiē yào chèn rè chī. | Potstickers should be eaten hot. | |
| 包子 | bāozi | steamed bun (filled) | 早餐我吃兩個包子。 Zǎocān wǒ chī liǎng gè bāozi. | I ate two buns for breakfast. | |
| 饅頭 | mántou | steamed bun (plain) | 這個饅頭很鬆軟。 Zhège mántou hěn sōngruǎn. | This steamed bun is fluffy and soft. | |
| 吐司 | tǔsī | toast | 我要一份烤吐司。 Wǒ yào yí fèn kǎo tǔsī. | I want an order of toast. | |
| 三明治 | sānmíngzhì | sandwich | 她點了鮪魚三明治。 Tā diǎn le wěiyú sānmíngzhì. | She ordered a tuna sandwich. | |
| 沙拉 | shālā | salad | 沙拉可以不要洋蔥嗎? Shālā kěyǐ bú yào yángcōng ma? | Can the salad be without onion? | |
| 湯 | tāng | soup | 這碗湯太燙了。 Zhè wǎn tāng tài tàng le. | This soup is too hot. | |
| 濃湯 | nóngtāng | cream/thick soup | 我想要一碗玉米濃湯。 Wǒ xiǎng yào yì wǎn yùmǐ nóngtāng. | I want a bowl of corn chowder. | |
| 火鍋 | huǒguō | hot pot | 冬天大家都愛吃火鍋。 Dōngtiān dàjiā dōu ài chī huǒguō. | Everyone loves hot pot in winter. | |
| 小籠包 | xiǎolóngbāo | soup dumplings | 小籠包要小心湯汁。 Xiǎolóngbāo yào xiǎoxīn tāngzhī. | Be careful of the soup inside soup dumplings. | |
| 燒賣 | shāomài | siu mai | 我想再加點兩個燒賣。 Wǒ xiǎng zài jiādiǎn liǎng gè shāomài. | I want to add two more siu mai. | |
| 便當 | biàndāng | bento / boxed meal | 中午我買了一個便當。 Zhōngwǔ wǒ mǎi le yí gè biàndāng. | I bought a bento for lunch. | |
| 咖哩飯 | gālǐ fàn | curry rice | 這份咖哩飯很下飯。 Zhè fèn gālǐ fàn hěn xiàfàn. | This curry rice goes great with rice (very “rice-friendly”). | |
| 壽司 | shòusī | sushi | 這家壽司很新鮮。 Zhè jiā shòusī hěn xīnxiān. | This sushi place is very fresh. | |
| 披薩 | pīsà | pizza | 我們點一個海鮮披薩。 Wǒmen diǎn yí gè hǎixiān pīsà. | We ordered a seafood pizza. |
Ingredients (meat, seafood, veggies)
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 牛肉 | niúròu | beef | 這碗麵有牛肉。 Zhè wǎn miàn yǒu niúròu. | This noodle bowl has beef. | |
| 豬肉 | zhūròu | pork | 他點了豬肉炒飯。 Tā diǎn le zhūròu chǎofàn. | He ordered pork fried rice. | |
| 雞肉 | jīròu | chicken | 我想要雞肉沙拉。 Wǒ xiǎng yào jīròu shālā. | I want a chicken salad. | |
| 羊肉 | yángròu | lamb/mutton | 羊肉比較有味道。 Yángròu bǐjiào yǒu wèidào. | Lamb has a stronger flavor. | |
| 魚 | yú | fish | 這條魚很嫩。 Zhè tiáo yú hěn nèn. | This fish is very tender. | |
| 蝦 | xiā | shrimp | 我對蝦過敏。 Wǒ duì xiā guòmǐn. | I’m allergic to shrimp. | |
| 蟹 | xiè | crab | 這裡的蟹很新鮮。 Zhèlǐ de xiè hěn xīnxiān. | The crab here is very fresh. | |
| 蛤蜊 | gélí | clams | 這碗湯有很多蛤蜊。 Zhè wǎn tāng yǒu hěn duō gélí. | This soup has lots of clams. | |
| 牡蠣 | mǔlì | oysters | 我想吃牡蠣煎。 Wǒ xiǎng chī mǔlì jiān. | I want to eat oyster omelet. | |
| 花枝 | huāzhī | squid/cuttlefish (common menu term) | 你喜歡花枝還是魚? Nǐ xǐhuan huāzhī háishi yú? | Do you like squid or fish? | |
| 豆腐 | dòufu | tofu | 這個豆腐很滑嫩。 Zhège dòufu hěn huánèn. | This tofu is very silky and tender. | |
| 雞蛋 | jīdàn | egg | 我早餐想吃雞蛋。 Wǒ zǎocān xiǎng chī jīdàn. | I want eggs for breakfast. | |
| 青菜 | qīngcài | leafy greens | 火鍋要加青菜。 Huǒguō yào jiā qīngcài. | Add leafy greens to the hot pot. | |
| 高麗菜 | gāolícài | cabbage | 高麗菜很甜。 Gāolícài hěn tián. | Cabbage is quite sweet. | |
| 菠菜 | bōcài | spinach | 這盤菠菜是清炒的。 Zhè pán bōcài shì qīngchǎo de. | This plate of spinach is lightly stir-fried. | |
| 洋蔥 | yángcōng | onion | 我不要洋蔥。 Wǒ bú yào yángcōng. | No onion for me. | |
| 大蒜 | dàsuàn | garlic | 這個醬有大蒜味。 Zhège jiàng yǒu dàsuàn wèi. | This sauce has a garlicky taste. | |
| 薑 | jiāng | ginger | 請幫我加一點薑。 Qǐng bāng wǒ jiā yìdiǎn jiāng. | Please add a bit of ginger for me. | |
| 蔥 | cōng | scallion/green onion | 這碗麵多加蔥。 Zhè wǎn miàn duō jiā cōng. | Add extra scallion to this noodle bowl. | |
| 香菜 | xiāngcài | cilantro | 可以不要香菜嗎? Kěyǐ bú yào xiāngcài ma? | Can it be without cilantro? | |
| 番茄 | fānqié | tomato | 番茄蛋湯很好喝。 Fānqié dàn tāng hěn hǎo hē. | Tomato egg soup is really tasty. | |
| 馬鈴薯 | mǎlíngshǔ | potato | 我喜歡馬鈴薯泥。 Wǒ xǐhuan mǎlíngshǔ ní. | I like mashed potatoes. | |
| 玉米 | yùmǐ | corn | 這碗濃湯有玉米。 Zhè wǎn nóngtāng yǒu yùmǐ. | This thick soup has corn. | |
| 香菇 | xiānggū | shiitake mushroom | 香菇真的很香。 Xiānggū zhēn de hěn xiāng. | Shiitake mushrooms are really fragrant. | |
| 辣椒 | làjiāo | chili pepper | 我不要辣椒。 Wǒ bú yào làjiāo. | No chili pepper for me. |
Drinks & desserts
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 水 | shuǐ | water | 請給我一杯水。 Qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ. | Please give me a cup of water. | |
| 茶 | chá | tea | 我想喝熱茶。 Wǒ xiǎng hē rè chá. | I want hot tea. | |
| 紅茶 | hóngchá | black tea | 你要紅茶還是綠茶? Nǐ yào hóngchá háishi lǜchá? | Do you want black tea or green tea? | |
| 綠茶 | lǜchá | green tea | 綠茶可以無糖嗎? Lǜchá kěyǐ wútáng ma? | Can the green tea be sugar-free? | |
| 奶茶 | nǎichá | milk tea | 我要一杯冰奶茶。 Wǒ yào yì bēi bīng nǎichá. | I want an iced milk tea. | |
| 珍珠 | zhēnzhū | boba pearls | 珍珠可以少一點嗎? Zhēnzhū kěyǐ shǎo yìdiǎn ma? | Can I have fewer pearls? | |
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | coffee | 我早上一定要喝咖啡。 Wǒ zǎoshang yídìng yào hē kāfēi. | I have to drink coffee in the morning. | |
| 果汁 | guǒzhī | juice | 這個果汁很酸。 Zhège guǒzhī hěn suān. | This juice is very sour. | |
| 甜點 | tiándiǎn | dessert | 飯後你想吃甜點嗎? Fànhòu nǐ xiǎng chī tiándiǎn ma? | Do you want dessert after the meal? | |
| 冰淇淋 | bīngqílín | ice cream | 我想來一球冰淇淋。 Wǒ xiǎng lái yì qiú bīngqílín. | I want a scoop of ice cream. |
Optional variants: dietary labels & allergy words
If you have dietary needs, memorize these first. Your stomach will send a thank-you note.
| Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH + pinyin) | Translation | 🔊 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 過敏 | guòmǐn | allergic | 我對花生過敏。 Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn. | I’m allergic to peanuts. | |
| 堅果 | jiānguǒ | nuts | 這道甜點有堅果嗎? Zhè dào tiándiǎn yǒu jiānguǒ ma? | Does this dessert have nuts? | |
| 花生 | huāshēng | peanuts | 請不要放花生。 Qǐng bú yào fàng huāshēng. | Please don’t add peanuts. | |
| 無麩質 | wú fūzhì | gluten-free | 你們有無麩質的選項嗎? Nǐmen yǒu wú fūzhì de xuǎnxiàng ma? | Do you have gluten-free options? | |
| 乳製品 | rǔzhìpǐn | dairy products | 這杯飲料有乳製品嗎? Zhè bēi yǐnliào yǒu rǔzhìpǐn ma? | Does this drink contain dairy? | |
| 全素 | quánsù | vegan | 我吃全素。 Wǒ chī quánsù. | I’m vegan. | |
| 蛋奶素 | dàn nǎi sù | ovo-lacto vegetarian | 我吃蛋奶素,可以嗎? Wǒ chī dàn nǎi sù, kěyǐ ma? | I’m ovo-lacto vegetarian; is that okay? | |
| 素 | sù | vegetarian (short) | 這個可以做素的嗎? Zhège kěyǐ zuò sù de ma? | Can this be made vegetarian? |
If you can say 不要太辣 and 可以不要香菜嗎, you’re already ahead of 90% of tourists. The other 10% are just louder.





