The Ultimate Chinese Food Vocabulary List
If you’re tired of ordering the same dishes at Chinese restaurants, then it might be time to expand your palate and food vocabulary.
Here’s an in-depth Chinese food vocabulary list to help spice up your next plate, from dumplings to braised duck.
Contents
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Chicken Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 家禽类 | jiā qín lèi | Poultry |
| 醉鸡 | zuì jī | Drunken Chicken |
| 芋艿清汤鸭 | yù nǎi qīng tāng yā | Duck with Taro Soup |
| 上海酱鸭 | shàng hǎi jiàng yā | Shanghai Style Braised Duck in Red Rice Sauce |
| 斋香素烧鹅 | zhāi xiāng sù shāo é | Vegetarian Goose with Tofu Stew |
| 艳香烧贵妃鸡 | yàn xiāng shāo guì fēi jī | Chicken Wings and Legs with Brown Sauce and Red Wine |
Pork Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 猪肉类 | zhū ròu lèi | Pork |
| 走油蹄髈 | zǒu yóu tí pang | Braised Pig's Knuckle in Brown Sauce |
| 凉拌腰片 | liáng bàn yāo piàn | Sliced Pork Kidney with Celery |
| 八宝辣酱 | bā bǎo là jiàng | Eight Delicacies in Hot Sauce |
| 白切肉 | bái qiē ròu | Boiled Pork Slices |
| 彩色里脊丝 | cǎi sè lǐ ji sī | Shredded Pork Fillet with Vegetables |
| 辣酱肉末烧海带 | là jiàng ròu mò shāo hǎi dài | Seaweed Stew with Minced Pork in Spicy Sauce |
| 多味腰花 | duō wèi yāo huā | Three Flavor Pork Kidney |
| 竹笋烧咸肉 | zhú sǔn shāo xián ròu | Bacon Stew with Bamboo Shoots |
| 菜心狮子头 | cài xīn shī zi tóu | Meatball Stew with Choy Sum/Cabbage Heart |
Seafood Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 蟹类 | xiè lèi | Crab |
| 鱼类 | yú lèi | Fish |
| 虾类 | xiā lèi | Shrimp |
| 老上海熏鱼 | lǎo shàng hǎi xūn yú | Smoked Fish Shanghai Style |
| 红烧鱼块 | hóng shāo yú kuài | Braised Fish in Brown Sauce/Soy Based Brown Sauce |
| 锅烧河鳗 | guō shāo hé mán | Braised River Eel |
| 墨鱼大烤 | mò yú dà kǎo | Stewed Cuttlefish |
| 豆瓣鳝糊 | dòu bàn shàn hù | Eel in Chili Bean Sauce |
| 红烧划水 | hóng shāo huá shuǐ | Braised Grass Carp Tail with Brown Sauce |
| 粉皮烧鱼头 | fěn pí shāo yú tóu | Braised Fish Head with Flat Noodles |
| 上海蒸鱼 | shàng hǎi zhēng yú | Shanghai Steamed Fish |
| 小黄鱼烩豆腐 | xiǎo huáng yú huì dòu fu | Small Yellow Croaker Fish Stew with Tofu |
| 蒜苗炒鱿鱼 | suàn miáo chǎo yóu yú | Fried Squid with Garlic Sprouts |
| 过桥鲈鱼 | ɡuò qiáo lú yú | Sliced Bass in Soup |
| 红烧塘鲤鱼 | hóng shāo táng lǐ yú | Braised Pond Carp in Brown Sauce |
| 干贝鱼冻 | ɡān bèi yú dòng | Fish Aspic with Scallops |
| 油爆河虾 | yóu bào hé xiā | Deep-fried Shrimp |
| 水晶虾仁 | shuǐ jīng xiā rén | Sautéed Shelled Shrimp |
| 杞子醉虾 | qǐ zǐ zuì xiā | Drunken Shrimp with Goji Berries |
| 上海醉蟹 | shàng hǎi zuì xiè | Shanghai Drunken Crab/Shanghai Liquor-Soaked Crab |
| 清蒸螃蟹 | qīng zhēng páng xiè | Steamed Crab |
Vegetable Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 素菜 | sù cài | Vegetable Dishes |
| 香菇面筋 | xiāng gū miàn jīn | Mushrooms with Soy Puffs |
| 芝麻贡菜 | zhī ma gòng cài | Ivy Mosses with Sesame |
| 油焖春笋 | yóu mèn chūn sǔn | Braised Bamboo Shoots in Soy Sauce |
| 尖椒炒茄子 | jiān jiāo chǎo qié zi | Stir Fried Eggplant with Jalapeño |
| 荸荠炒冬菇 | bí qi chǎo dōng gū | Stir Fried Water Chestnuts with Mushrooms |
| 雪菜冬笋 | xuě cài dōng sǔn | Stir Fried Pickled Cabbage and Winter Bamboo Shoots |
| 干煸扁豆 | ɡān biān biǎn dòu | Dry-Fried French Beans |
Soups, Pots and Congee
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 汤 | tāng | Soup |
| 煲 | bāo | Pot |
| 羹 | gēng | Thick soup |
| 粥 | zhōu | Congee |
| 核桃羹 | hé tao gēng | Sweet Walnut Soup |
| 海鲜豆腐煲 | hǎi xiān dòu fu bāo | Stewed Seafood with Tofu en Casserole |
| 江南老鸭汤 | jiāng nán lǎo yā tāng | Southern Yangtze Duck Soup |
| 桂花糖粥 | guì huā táng zhōu | Sweet Osmanthus Congee |
| 风味鸡粥 | fēng wèi jī zhōu | Special Flavor Chicken Porridge |
| 桂花莲子羹 | guì huā lián zǐ gēng | Lotus Seed Congee with Osmanthus |
| 竹笋咸腿老鸭砂锅 | zhú sǔn xián tuǐ lǎo yā shā guō | Duck Stew with Bacon and Bamboo Shoots |
| 芋艿排骨煲 | yù nǎi pái gǔ bāo | Pork Rib Stew with Taro |
| 咖喱牛肉汤 | gā lí niú ròu tāng | Curry Beef Soup |
Wheat Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 面食 | miàn shí | Wheat food |
| 荠菜肉馄饨 | jì cài ròu hún tun | Pork and Shepherd's Purse Wontons |
| 干贝冬瓜球 | ɡān bèi dōng guā qiú | Winter Gourd Balls Stew with Scallops |
| 香蕉海鲜卷 | xiāng jiāo hǎi xiān juǎn | Fried Banana Roll Stuffed with Seafood |
| 鲜肉汤团 | xiān ròu tāng tuán | Pork Glutinous Rice Balls |
| 翡翠烧麦 | fěi cuì shāo mài | Steamed Open Dumplings/Sumai with Chinese Cabbage |
| 芝麻球 | zhī ma qiú | Sesame Balls |
| 排骨年糕 | pái gǔ nián gāo | Pork Chop with Rice Cake |
| 蟹粉小笼包 | xiè fěn xiǎo lóng bāo | Steamed Buns with Crab Meat and Pork |
| 叉烧 | chā shāo | Char Siu(Barbecued Roast Pork) |
Dimsum
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 点心 | diǎn xīn | Dimsum |
| 饺子 | jiăo zi | Dumplings |
| 包子 | bāo zi | Buns |
| 烧卖 | shāo mài | Siomai |
| 虾饺 | xiā jiăo | Hargaw |
| 锅贴 | guō tiē | Potsticker |
| 烧包 | shāo bāo | Siopao |
| 馒头 | mán tou | Plain steamed buns |
| 肠粉 | cháng fĕn | Rice rolls |
| 粽子 | zòng zi | Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf |
| 凤爪 | fèng zhǎo | Chicken feet |
| 排骨 | pái gŭ | Spareribs |
| 萝卜糕 | luó bo gāo | Radish cake |
| 芋角 | yù jiăo | Taro puff |
| 蛋挞 | dàn tà | Egg tart |
Types of Chinese Food
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 街头小吃 | jiē tóu xiǎo chī | Street food |
| 烧烤 | shāo kǎo | Barbecue |
| 家常菜 | jiā cháng cài | Homemade food |
| 中餐 | zhōng cān | Chinese cuisine |
| 西餐 | xī cān | Western food |
| 快餐 | kuài cān | Fast food |
| 甜点 | tián diǎn | Desserts |
| 火锅 | huǒ guō | Hot pot |
| 小吃 | xiǎo chī | Snacks |
| 自助餐 | zì zhù cān | Buffet |
| 寿司 | shòu sī | Sushi |
| 米饭类 | mǐ fàn lèi | Rice dishes |
| 烘焙食品 | hōng bèi shí pǐn | Baked goods |
| 饮品 | yǐn pǐn | Beverages |
| 沙拉 | shā lā | Salad |
To learn more about Chinese food and the differences between cuisines in the North, South, East and West, I highly recommend this video from Goldthread:
Seasonal Chinese Foods and Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Season / Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 圣诞火鸡 | shèng dàn huǒ jī | Christmas turkey | Christmas |
| 姜饼人 | jiāng bǐng rén | Gingerbread cookies | Christmas |
| 圣诞蛋糕 | shèng dàn dàn gāo | Christmas cake | Christmas |
| 烤肉拼盘 | kǎo ròu pīn pán | Roasted meat platter | Christmas |
| 热红酒 | rè hóng jiǔ | Mulled wine | Christmas |
| 年糕 | nián gāo | Rice cake | Chinese New Year |
| 春卷 | chūn juǎn | Spring rolls | Chinese New Year |
| 八宝饭 | bā bǎo fàn | Eight-treasure rice pudding | Chinese New Year |
| 汤圆 | tāng yuán | Glutinous rice balls | Lantern Festival |
| 青团 | qīng tuán | Green rice balls (stuffed with sweet fillings) | Tomb Sweeping Day |
| 艾草糕 | ài cǎo gāo | Mugwort rice cakes | Tomb Sweeping Day |
| 粽子 | zòng zi | Sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves | Dragon Boat Festival |
| 月饼 | yuè bǐng | Mooncakes | Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 桂花糕 | guì huā gāo | Osmanthus cake | Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 柚子 | yòu zi | Pomelo | Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 重阳糕 | chóng yáng gāo | Double Ninth cake (a type of layered cake) | Double Ninth Festival |
Noodle Dishes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 牛肉面 | niú ròu miàn | Beef Noodles |
| 炸酱面 | zhá jiàng miàn | Fried Sauce Noodles |
| 担担面 | dàn dàn miàn | Dandan Noodles |
| 葱油拌面 | cōng yóu bàn miàn | Scallion Oil Noodles |
| 拉面 | lā miàn | Hand-Pulled Noodles |
| 刀削面 | dāo xiāo miàn | Knife-Cut Noodles |
| 凉面 | liáng miàn | Cold Noodles |
| 阳春面 | yáng chūn miàn | Plain Noodles in Broth |
| 酸辣粉 | suān là fěn | Hot and Sour Noodles |
| 炒面 | chǎo miàn | Fried Noodles |
| 桂林米粉 | guì lín mǐ fěn | Guilin Rice Noodles |
| 过桥米线 | guò qiáo mǐ xiàn | Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles |
| 云南米线 | yún nán mǐ xiàn | Yunnan Rice Noodles |
| 麻辣烫 | má là tàng | Spicy and Numbing Soup Noodles |
| 三鲜面 | sān xiān miàn | Three Delicacies Noodles |
Phrases for Ordering Food in Chinese
Now that you know how to say quite a few food words in Chinese, let’s learn how to order them in a restaurant.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 点菜 | diǎn cài | To order food |
| 菜单 | cài dān | Menu |
| 推荐 | tuī jiàn | Recommendation |
| 招牌菜 | zhāo pái cài | Signature dish |
| 不辣 | bù là | Not spicy |
| 微辣 | wēi là | Mildly spicy |
| 加辣 | jiā là | Extra spicy |
| 我想点… | wǒ xiǎng diǎn… | I would like to order... |
| 请给我… | qǐng gěi wǒ… | Please give me... |
| 外带 | wài dài | Takeout |
| 堂食 | táng shí | Dine-in |
| 结账 | jié zhàng | To pay the bill |
| 支付宝 | zhī fù bǎo | Alipay |
| 微信支付 | wēi xìn zhī fù | WeChat Pay |
| 我有食物过敏 | wǒ yǒu shí wù guò mǐn | I have food allergies |
| 这道菜有多辣？ | zhè dào cài yǒu duō là? | How spicy is this dish? |
| 可以给我一份菜单吗？ | kě yǐ gěi wǒ yī fèn cài dān ma? | Can I have a menu, please? |
| 请打包 | qǐng dǎ bāo | Please pack this to go. |
| 请问可以刷卡吗？ | qǐng wèn kě yǐ shuā kǎ ma? | Can I pay by card? |
| 筷子 | kuài zi | Chopsticks |
There’s plenty more to learn when it comes to ordering food in Chinese, so I highly recommend checking out this guide next:
How to Order Food in Chinese: Essential Words and Phrases for Dining Out | FluentU Chinese Blog
Learn how to order food in Chinese with this thorough, step-by-step guide to Chinese restaurant paradise! Find out about key phrases for every step of restaurant dining,…
And there you have it—an in-depth list of Chinese food vocabulary. Some you probably see at every Chinese restaurant in America, while others you might have to venture to China to taste. You can also hear most of them in use naturally on FluentU. FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app. P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
I hope these dishes can expand your Chinese food palette!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
If you want to continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU.
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