We all love food unless we’ve just eaten too much.
But after pondering what we’ve just done to our bodies and perhaps a quick trip to the bathroom, we all start loving food again.
Although it’s hard to believe we have anything in common these days, the Chinese really love food, too.
In a pathetic attempt to bring us all closer together (and the fact this is a Mandarin learning blog), I have decided to put together a mega-super-bumper collection of food-related vocabulary in Mandarin Chinese.
As this post includes quite a lot of vocabulary, you can save yourself some time and use the hyperlinks below to find what you really need.
Rice | Wheat | Fruit & Vegetables | Meat | Seafood | Western Dishes | Desserts | Chinese Specials | Condiments | Flavour | Alcoholic Drinks | Non-Alcoholic Drinks | Cutlery
Rice
English Chinese Pinyin Brown rice 糙米 cāomǐ Fried rice 炒饭 chǎofàn Long-grained rice 籼米 xiānmǐ Rice (white, plain) 米饭 mǐfàn Rice flour 米粉 mǐfěn Rice flour noodles 米线 mǐxiàn Steamed rice 蒸米饭 zhēng mǐfàn
Wheat
Bread 面包 miànbāo Cake 蛋糕 dàngāo Cookies/Biscuits 饼干 bǐnggān Muffins mǎ fēn Noodles 面条 miàntiáo Pancakes 煎饼 jiānbing Pastry 酥皮 sū pí Sourdough 面肥 miànféi Spaghetti/Pasta 意大利面 yìdàlì miàn Toast 吐司 tǔ sī Wheat Flour 小麦粉 xiǎomàifěn Wholewheat 全麦 quán mài
Fruits and Vegetables
Instead of making a table for this, I shall give you a link to 147 Fruits and Vegetables in Mandarin Chinese .
Meat
Bacon 培根 péigēn Beef 牛肉 niúròu Chicken 鸡肉 jīròu Chicken leg 鸡腿 jītuǐ Chicken nuggets 鸡块 jī kuài Chicken wing 鸡翅膀 jī chìbǎng Dog meat 狗肉 gǒuròu Donkey meat 驴肉 lǘ ròu Goose 鹅肉 é ròu Ham 火腿 huǒtuǐ Hot dog 热狗 règǒu Meat 肉 ròu Mutton 羊肉 yángròu Pork 猪肉 zhūròu Rabbit 兔肉 tù ròu Ribs 排骨 páigǔ Sausage 香肠 xiāngcháng Turkey 火鸡 huǒ jī
Seafood
Bass 鳕鱼 xuě yú Catfish 鳟鱼 zūn yú Cod 鱿鱼 yóu yú Clams 蛤蟹 há xiè Crab 螃蟹 pángxiè Cuttlefish 墨鱼 mòyú Fish 鱼 yú Lobster 龙虾 lóngxiā Octopus 章鱼 zhāngyú Oyster 牡蛎 mǔlì Salmon 三文鱼 sānwènyú Sardine 沙丁鱼 shādīngyú Scallop 扇贝肉 shànbèi ròu Seaweed 海藻 hǎizǎo Shrimp 虾 xiā Squid 鱿鱼 yóuyú Tuna 吐纳鱼 tǔ nà yú Trout 鳟鱼 zūn yú
Western Dishes and Restaurants
Burger 汉堡 hànbǎo Burger King 汉堡王 hànbǎowáng Cereal 麦片粥 màipiàn zhōu Cheese 芝士 zhīshì Cheeseburger 芝士汉堡 zhīshì hànbǎo Chips/Crisps 薯片 shǔ piàn Croissant 牛角包 niújiǎo bāo Quiche 乳蛋饼 rǔ dàn bǐng Lasagna 千层面 qiān céngmiàn McDonald’s 麦当劳 màidāngláo Oatmeal 燕麦粥 yànmài zhōu Omelette 煎蛋卷 jiān dàn juǎn KFC 肯德基 Kěndéjī Paella 西班牙海鲜饭 xībānyá hǎixiān fàn Potato Fries/Chips 薯条 shǔ tiáo Pizza 比萨 bǐsà Risotto 焗饭 jú fàn Salad 沙拉 shālā Subway 赛百味 sài bǎiwèi Yoghurt 酸奶 suānnǎi
Desserts
Apple pie 苹果派 píngguǒ pài Cake 蛋糕 dàngāo Candy/Sweets 糖果 tángguǒ Cheesecake 芝士蛋糕 zhīshì dàngāo Cookies 曲奇饼 qū qí bǐng Custard 奶黄 nǎi huáng Donut 甜甜圈 tián tián quān Fruit salad 水果沙拉 shuǐguǒ shālā Ice cream 冰激凌 bīngjīlíng Jello/Jelly 果冻 guǒdòng Meringue 蛋白糖 dànbái táng Muffin 玛芬 mǎ fēn Pie 派 pài Pudding 布丁 bùdīng Pumpkin pie 南瓜派 nánguā pài Sticky Toffee Pudding 英式椰棗太妃蛋糕 yīng shì yē zǎo tài fēi dàngāo
Popular Chinese Desserts
Almond Jelly 杏仁冻 xìng rén dòng Deep-Fried Durian 榴莲酥 liú lián sū Dragon’s Beard Candy 龙须酥 lóng xū sū Egg Tarts 蛋挞 dàn tà Grass Jelly 烧仙草 shāo xiān cǎo Pumpkin Pancake 南瓜饼 nán guā bǐng Red Bean Bun 豆沙包 dòu shā bāo Sweet Egg Bun 奶黄包 nǎi huáng bāo Tanghulu (fruit on a stick) 糖葫芦 táng hú lu Tangyuan 汤圆 tāng yuán
Popular Authentic Chinese Dishes
Beijing Duck 北京烤鸭 běijīng kǎoyā Biang Biang Mian 油泼扯面 yóu pō chě miàn Chow Mein (stir-fried noodles) 炒面 chǎomiàn Chuan’r (food on skewers) 串儿 chuàn er Congee/Porridge 粥 zhōu Dim Sum 点心 diǎnxīn Dumplings 饺子 jiǎozi Hong Shao Rou (red braised pork belly) 红烧猪肉 hóngshāo zhūròu Hot Pot 火锅 huǒguō Lanzhou Beef Noodles 兰州拉面 lánzhōu lāmiàn Malatang 麻辣烫 málà tàng Ma Po Tofu 麻婆豆腐 má pó dòufu Plain Steamed Bun 馒头 mántou Spring Rolls 春卷 chūnjuǎn Steamed Vermicelli Rolls 肠粉 cháng fěn Stuffed Steamed Bun 包子 bāozi Sweet and Sour Pork 咕咾肉 gū lǎo ròu Yangzhou Fried Rice 扬州炒饭 yángzhōu chǎofàn Wontons 馄饨 húntún
Spices/Seasoning/Condiments
Black Pepper 黑胡椒 hēihújiāo Cassia (Chinese cinnamon) 肉桂 ròuguì Chilli？Hot Pepper 辣椒 làjiāo Cloves 丁香 dīngxiāng Cumin 孜然 zī rán Fennel Seeds 小茴香 xiǎohuíxiāng Garlic 大蒜 dàsuàn Ginger 姜 jiāng Green Onions, Scallions 葱 cōng Mayonnaise 蛋黄酱 dànhuáng jiàng Nutmeg 肉豆蔻 ròu dòukòu Paprika 红辣椒粉 hóng làjiāo fěn Sesame Seed Oil 芝麻油 zhīmayóu Sichuan Peppercorn 花椒 huājiāo Star Anise 八角 bājiǎo Tomato Ketchup 蕃茄酱 fānqié jiàng Turmeric 姜黄 jiānghuáng Vinegar 醋 cù
Alcoholic Drinks
I’m an alcoholic so this section has a lot to offer. I’ve decided to divide it up into smaller sections to help you find what you’re looking for.
General Alcohol Terminology
A bottle 一瓶 yī píng A cup/glass 一杯 yībēi A can 一听 yī tīng Bar 酒吧 jiǔbā Cheers! 干杯！ gānbēi! Cocktail 鸡尾酒 jīwěijiǔ Spirits 烈性酒 lièxìng jiǔ
Beer Types
Ale Beer (Craft Beer) 艾尔啤酒 ěr píjiǔ Dark/Black Beer (stout, porter, or dark ale) 黑啤 hēi pí IPA (Lit. ‘India Light-Coloured Ale Beer’) 印度淡色艾尔啤酒 yìndù dànsè ài ěr píjiǔ Red Beer (red ale) 红啤 hóng pí White Beer (usually a wheat beer) 白啤 bái pí Yellow Beer (lager or similar) 黄啤 huáng pí
Chinese Beer Brands
Harbin Beer 哈尔滨啤酒 hā’ěrbīn píjiǔ Pearl River Beer 珠江啤酒 zhūjiāng píjiǔ Snow Beer 雪花啤酒 xuěhuā píjiǔ Tsingtao Beer 青岛啤酒 qīngdǎo píjiǔ Yanjing Beer 燕京啤酒 yàn jīng píjiǔ
International Beer Brands
Asahi 朝日 zhāo rì Budweiser 百威 bǎi wēi Carlsberg 嘉士伯 jiā shì bó Corona 科罗娜 kē luó nà Grolsch 高仕 gāo shì Heineken 喜力 xǐ lì San Miguel 生力 shēng lì Tiger 虎牌 hǔ pái
Wine
Champagne 香槟酒 xiāngbīnjiǔ Prosecco 普罗塞科 pǔluō sāi kē Red Wine 红葡萄酒 hóng pútáojiǔ Rosé 玫瑰酒 méiguī jiǔ Sparkling Wine 气泡酒 qìpào jiǔ White Wine 白葡萄酒 bái pútáojiǔ
Spirits
烈性酒 lièxìng jiǔ = Spirits or hard liquor
Baijiu 白酒 báijiǔ Brandy 白兰地 báilándì Gin 金酒 jīn jiǔ Rum 兰姆酒 lán mǔ jiǔ Tequila 龙舌兰酒 lóng shé lán jiǔ Vodka 伏特加 fútèjiā Whisky 威士忌 wēishìjì
Cocktails
Amaretto Sour 杏仁酸 xìngrén suān Bloody Mary 血腥玛丽 xuè xīng mǎ lì Cosmo 大都会 dà dōu huì Espresso Martini 浓缩咖啡马天尼 nóngsuō kāfēi mǎ tiān ní Irish Coffee 爱尔兰咖啡 ài’ěrlán kāfēi Long Island Iced Tea 长岛冰茶 cháng dǎo bīng chá Mai Tai 美态 měi tài Margarita 玛格丽塔酒 mǎ gé lì tǎ jiǔ Martini 马提尼 mǎ tí ní Mimosa 含羞草 hánxiū cǎo Mojito 莫吉托 mò jí tuō Moscow Mule 莫斯科骡子 mòsīkē luózi Old Fashioned 古典酒 gǔdiǎn jiǔ Pina Colada 椰林飘香 yē línpiāoxiāng Singapore Sling 新加坡司令 xīnjiāpō sīlìng Strawberry Daquiri 草莓戴吉利酒 cǎo méi dài jí lì jiǔ Tequila Sunrise 龙舌兰日出 lóng shé lán rì chū
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Apple Juice 苹果汁 píngguǒ zhī Coffee 咖啡 kāfēi Coca Cola 可乐 kělè Fanta 芬达 fēn dá Ginger Beer 姜汁啤酒 jiāng zhī píjiǔ Juice 果汁 guǒzhī Milk 牛奶 niúnǎi Orange Juice 橙汁 chéngzhī Soda Water 苏打水 sūdǎ shuǐ Soy Milk 豆奶 dòunǎi Sprite 雪碧 xuěbì Tea 茶 chá Water 水 shuǐ
Tea and Coffee
For a more detailed list of tea vocabulary, check out my article Chinese Tea | Types of Tea, Chinese Vocab + Phrases, and More!
Coffee
Americano 美式 měishì Breve 布雷卫 bùléi wèi Brown Sugar 红糖 hóngtáng Cappuccino 卡布奇诺 kǎbùqínuò Espresso 浓缩咖啡 nóngsuō kāfēi Espresso con Panna 康宝蓝 kāng bǎolán Espresso Macchiato 浓缩玛奇朵 nóngsuō mǎ qí duǒ Flat White 淡奶咖啡 dàn nǎi kāfēi Hot Coffee 热咖啡 rè kāfēi Hot Water 热水 rè shuǐ Iced Coffee 冰咖啡 bīng kāfēi Latte 拿铁 ná tiě Milk 牛奶 niúnǎi Mocha 摩卡 mókǎ Refill 续杯 xùbēi Sugar 糖 táng
Cutlery
Bowl 碗 wǎn Chopsticks 筷子 kuàizi Fork 叉子 chāzi Knife 刀 dāo Napkin 餐巾 cānjīn Plate 盘 pán Spoon 勺子 sháozi Straw 吸管 xīguǎn Toothpick 牙签 yáqiān
Further Reading
