The Most Useful Questions For Dining at a Chinese Restaurant

If you have the chance to visit China in the future, what you wouldn’t like to miss is trying some authentic Chinese food. In consideration of the fact that Chinese food is very different from European cuisine, it’s necessary to have a clear idea of what you are expecting in order to have an enjoyable dining experience. In this article, we would like to teach you how to ask five useful questions that are related to dining at a Chinese restaurant.

Chinese Questions For Dining at a Chinese Restaurant

1. Is this dish spicy?

这个菜辣吗?
Zhè gè cài là ma?
Is this dish spicy?

A main problem that many foreigners are faced with when they live in China is that they can’t stand spicy food. Nevertheless, “spiciness” is the main flavor of many dishes offered in Chinese restaurants. Therefore, if you desperately want to avoid falling into a “spicy trap”, what you can ask the waiter or waitress is “这个菜辣吗?” (zhè gè cài là ma?), which means “Is this dish spicy?”. There are quite a few “non-spicy” Chinese dishes that would also delight your taste buds.

2. What is your special?

你们的特色菜是什么?
Nǐmen de tèsècài shì shénme?
What is your special?

Many Chinese restaurants offer exquisite specials, which are usually the “trump cards” that can help win customers’ hearts. In China, price is not the only criteria people take into account to evaluate specials, which usually incorporate high-quality ingredients and impeccable culinary skills. The literal meaning of “特色菜” (tèsècài) is “special dish”.

3. Are these dishes enough for two people?

这些菜两个人吃够吗?
Zhèxiē cài liǎng gè rén chī gòu ma?
Are these dishes enough for two people?

Another factor that you need to consider when eating at a Chinese restaurant is the number of dishes you order. A phenomenon that often surprises foreigners is that Chinese people have a tendency to order a large number of dishes without thinking if they would be able to finish them. The reason behind it is that Chinese people are always curious about different types of dishes, and it’s more important for them to “try” various dishes. However, this type of “extravagance” is often condemned in western countries.

4. Can I have a fork, please?

可以给我一个叉子吗?
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yī gè chāzi ma?
Can I have a fork, please?

Chinese people use chopsticks to eat. However, some foreigners find it hard to master the use of chopsticks in that they’ve never used them before in their own countries. Fortunately, you can always ask for a fork in most Chinese restaurants if you don’t like using chopsticks.

Chinese Phrases For Dining at a Chinese Restaurant

5. I don’t eat meat

我不吃肉。
Wǒ bù chī ròu.
I don’t eat meat.

Chinese cuisine is abundant in meat dishes, and a large number of meat dishes can be seen in almost all Chinese restaurants. If you are a vegetarian, it would be a good idea to clarify that to the waiter or waitress beforehand and ask them to recommend some dishes. In China, there is a huge variety of vegetables that are considered to be ideal ingredients for different types of dishes.

Tableware

1. Chopsticks

筷子
kuàizi
chopsticks

一双筷子
yī shuāng kuàizi
a pair of chopsticks

2. Fork

叉子
chāzi
fork

一个叉子
yī gè chāzi
a fork

3. Spoon

勺子
sháozi
spoon

一个勺子
yī gè sháozi
a spoon

4. Knife

刀
dāo
knife

一把刀
yī bǎ dāo
a knife

Famous Chinese Dishes

红烧肉
hóngshāoròu
braised pork in brown sauce

麻婆豆腐
mápó dòufu
mapo tofu

鱼香肉丝
yúxiāng ròusī
fish-flavored shredded pork

宫保鸡丁
Gōngbǎo jīdīng
Kung Pao chicken

北京烤鸭
Běijīng kǎoyā
Beijing roast duck

酸菜鱼
suāncài yú
sauerkraut fish

We hope these phrases and questions will be useful and help you next time you’re going to a Chinese restaurant. To find out more interesting phrases and questions in Chinese, check out one of our blog posts 5 Small Talk Phrases in Chinese