FOOD / MENU DECODER
Read the menu. Order with confidence.
Most dish names are built from a cooking method + a main ingredient + a flavour. Learn these and you can guess most menus.
- 炒chǎostir-fried
- 蒸zhēngsteamed
- 煮zhǔboiled
- 炸zhádeep-fried
- 烤kǎoroasted / grilled
- 红烧hóng shāored-braised (soy & sugar)
- 凉拌liáng bàncold, dressed
- 干煸gān biāndry-fried
- 清蒸qīng zhēngplain steamed
- 糖醋táng cùsweet and sour
- 鸡jīchicken
- 鸭yāduck
- 牛niúbeef
- 猪zhūpork (also 肉 ròu = meat)
- 羊yánglamb / mutton
- 鱼yúfish
- 虾xiāshrimp
- 蟹xiècrab
- 豆腐dòu futofu
- 蛋dànegg
- 菜càivegetable / dish
- 面miànnoodles
- 饭fànrice / meal
- 粥zhōurice porridge
- 汤tāngsoup
- 辣làspicy
- 麻mánumbing
- 酸suānsour
- 甜tiánsweet
- 咸xiánsalty
- 素sùvegetarian
- 不要辣bú yào làno chilli, please
TRY IT
红烧牛肉面 = 红烧 red-braised + 牛肉 beef + 面 noodles. 清蒸鱼 = plain-steamed fish.