- Baozi
- Phrasebook
- Restaurants and food
Phrasebook
Restaurants and food
From getting a table to paying the bill, with the phrases for spice, allergies and diets.
The Latin line is pinyin: it shows how to say the phrase. If you are not understood, show the characters.
- A table for two 两位 liǎng wèi
- What do you recommend? 有什么推荐的？ yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?
- I'd like this one 我要这个 wǒ yào zhège
- Not spicy, please 不要辣 bú yào là
- Mildly spicy 微辣 wēi là
- No coriander, please 不要香菜 bú yào xiāngcài
- I'm vegetarian 我吃素 wǒ chī sù
- I don't eat pork 我不吃猪肉 wǒ bù chī zhūròu
- I'm allergic to peanuts 我对花生过敏 wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn
- A bottle of water, please 请给我一瓶水 qǐng gěi wǒ yì píng shuǐ
- Do you have it cold? 有冰的吗？ yǒu bīng de ma?
- Do you have a fork? 有叉子吗？ yǒu chāzi ma?
- It's delicious 很好吃 hěn hǎochī
- The bill, please 买单 mǎidān
- Can I take it away? 可以打包吗？ kěyǐ dǎbāo ma?
Good to know
- In many restaurants you order by scanning the QR code on the table (扫码点餐): the menu opens in Alipay or WeChat, with photos, and you pay in the same place.
- 微辣 “mildly spicy” in Sichuan or Hunan can still be very hot for a visitor. If you don't eat spicy food, say 不要辣.
- Water and tea are often served hot or warm. Ask 有冰的吗？ if you want a cold drink.
- Tipping is not expected in China. 买单 asks for the bill; in many places you pay at the counter.
- For a serious allergy, write it down in Chinese and show it each time you order: “我对花生过敏” is a peanut allergy.
Download this topic (PDF)
Save it to your phone before the trip: it opens without the internet, and it prints on A4 or A5.