Ordering in a Restaurant (Chinese)
A practical vocabulary list for dining in Chinese: getting a table, reading the menu, asking for recommendations, ordering food and drinks, and paying the bill. Suitable for beginner to intermediate learners who want to feel confident ordering at restaurants.
- 餐厅 cāntīng — dining hall; dining room; restaurant
- 点菜 diǎncài — to order dishes (in a restaurant)
- 菜单 càidān — menu (list of dishes available at a restaurant); CL: 份, 張|张
- 服务员 fúwùyuán — waiter; waitress; server (in a restaurant)
- 结账 jiézhàng — to settle accounts; to pay the bill
- 买单 mǎidān — to pay the restaurant bill
- 推荐 tuījiàn — to recommend (someone or something)
- 味道 wèidao — flavor; taste (as in food or drink)
- 口味 kǒuwèi — a person's preferences; tastes (in food); flavor
- 辣 là — hot; spicy; pungent (causing a stinging/burning sensation)
- 素食 sùshí — vegetarian food; vegetarian cuisine
- 肉 ròu — meat; flesh (animal)
- 牛肉 niúròu — beef
- 海鲜 hǎixiān — seafood
- 饮料 yǐnliào — drink; beverage
- 水 shuǐ — water; liquid; body of water
- 茶 chá — tea; tea plant
- 啤酒 píjiǔ — beer (loanword)
- 米饭 mǐfàn — (cooked) rice
- 面条 miàntiáo — noodles
- 汤 tāng — soup; hot or boiling water; medicinal decoction; liquid in which something has been boiled
- 桌子 zhuōzi — table; desk
- 预订 yùdìng — to place an order; to book (ahead)
- 等位 děngwèi — equipotential (physics)
- 小吃 xiǎochī — street food; small snack or light meal sold by vendors or in small shops
- 甜点 tiándiǎn — dessert; sweet course served after a meal
- 价格 jiàgé — price
- 便宜 biànyí — to act at one's own discretion; to take the most convenient course of action; to benefit someone
- 贵 guì — expensive; costly
- 杯 bēi — cup; drinking vessel; trophy cup
- 碗 wǎn — bowl; bowl-shaped container; (measure word) bowl (as a classifier: 隻|只[zhi1], 個|个[ge4])
- 筷子 kuàizi — chopsticks
- 勺子 sháozi — spoon; ladle
- 叉子 chāzi — fork (eating utensil)
- 打包 dǎbāo — to wrap; to pack (put items into a bag or parcel)
- 外卖 wàimài — takeout; takeout meal; food ordered to be delivered
- 熟 shú — ripe; mature (fruit, crops); ready
- 生 shēng — to be born
- 清淡 qīngdàn — light (of food); not greasy or strongly flavored
- 咸 xián — all; everyone; each; widespread; harmonious (literary/archaic)
- 好吃 hǎochī — tasty; delicious
- 上菜 shàngcài — to serve food; to bring dishes to the table
- 包间 bāojiān — private room (in a restaurant, or for karaoke etc); parlor; booth; compartment
- 菜系 càixì — cuisine; regional style of cooking
- 麻烦 máfan — inconvenient; troublesome; annoying
- 马上 mǎshàng — at once; right away; immediately
- 账单 zhàngdān — bill; invoice; statement of charges