Imagine sitting in a restaurant in Shanghai, the menu entirely in Chinese, and your server doesn’t speak a word of English. What would you do? Knowing some basic Chinese restaurant phrases and vocabulary is a total lifesaver in situations just like this. In this post, we’ll dive into essential Chinese restaurant phrases and show you exactly how to use them with practical examples. This knowledge is crucial for anyone traveling, working, or living in a Chinese-speaking environment!
What is “Restaurant” in Chinese?
In Mandarin Chinese, there are a few ways to refer to a restaurant, each with slightly different connotations:
- 餐厅 (cāntīng): This is the most common and neutral way to say “restaurant.” It’s used for most types of dining establishments or eateries.
- 饭店 (fàndiàn): This also means “restaurant,” but it’s sometimes used to refer to a hotel (one that has a restaurant inside) or a larger, more formal restaurant.
- 酒楼 (jiǔlóu): This typically refers to a more traditional and often luxurious Chinese restaurant, frequently specializing in Cantonese or dim sum.
Must-Know Chinese Restaurant Phrases
Dining out is a huge part of daily life and travel. To order food, communicate with your server, or simply understand the menu, you need to arm yourself with the right vocabulary. Below is a comprehensive list of words related to dining and the restaurant setting that will significantly boost your confidence.
Restaurant Utensils and Items Vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 桌子 | zhuōzi | Table |
| 椅子 | yǐzi | Chair |
| 菜单 | càidān | Menu |
| 厨房 | chúfáng | Kitchen |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān | Restroom |
| 餐具 | cānjù | Tableware / Utensils |
| 盘子 | pánzi | Plate |
| 碗 | wǎn | Bowl |
| 杯子 | bēizi | Cup / Glass |
| 刀子 | dāozi | Knife |
| 叉子 | chāzi | Fork |
| 勺子 | sháozi | Spoon |
| 筷子 | kuàizi | Chopsticks |
| 餐巾纸 | cānjīnzhǐ | Napkin |
| 桌布 | zhuōbù | Tablecloth |
| 调味品 | tiáowèipǐn | Seasonings |
| 原料 | yuánliào | Ingredients |
| 盐 | yán | Salt |
| 胡椒 | hújiāo | Pepper |
| 酱油 | jiàngyóu | Soy sauce |
| 醋 | cù | Vinegar |
| 菜刀 | càidāo | Kitchen knife |
| 砧板 | zhēnbǎn | Cutting board |
| 围裙 | wéiqún | Apron |
| 锅 | guō | Pot / Pan |
| 烤箱 | kǎoxiāng | Oven |
| 冰箱 | bīngxiāng | Refrigerator |
| 水壶 | shuǐhú | Kettle / Water jug |
| 托盘 | tuōpán | Tray |
| 空调 | kōngtiáo | Air conditioner |
| 暖气 | nuǎnqì | Heater |
| 酒杯 | jiǔbēi | Wine glass |
| 茶杯 | chábēi | Teacup |
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 门口 | ménkǒu | Entrance |
| 窗户 | chuānghu | Window |
| 墙壁 | qiángbì | Wall |
| 天花板 | tiānhuābǎn | Ceiling |
| 地板 | dìbǎn | Floor |
| 垃圾桶 | lājītǒng | Trash bin |
| 洗碗机 | xǐwǎnjī | Dishwasher |
| 油烟机 | yóuyānjī | Ventilation hood |
| 纸袋 | zhǐdài | Paper bag |
| 停车位 | tíngchēwèi | Parking space |
| Wi-Fi 密码 | Wi-Fi mìmǎ | Wi-Fi password |
| 菜品 | càipǐn | Dish / Food item |
| 牙签 | yáqiān | Toothpick |
| 湿巾 | shījīn | Wet tissue |
| 餐桌布 | cānzhuōbù | Tablecloth |
| 冰桶 | bīngtǒng | Ice bucket |
| 吸管 | xīguǎn | Straw |
| 饮料机 | yǐnliàojī | Beverage machine |
| 咖啡机 | kāfēijī | Coffee machine |
| 开瓶器 | kāipíngqì | Bottle opener |
| 窗帘 | chuānglián | Curtain |
| 剩菜 | shèngcài | Leftovers |
| 打包盒 | dǎbāo hé | Takeout box |
| 收据 | shōujù | Receipt / Bill |
Chinese Restaurant Phrases: Food & Dishes
To confidently order food or talk about cuisine in Chinese, you need to master essential vocabulary related to common dishes. Below, you’ll find how to say the names of popular foods in Chinese. Learning these Chinese restaurant phrases will make it easier for you to order meals and communicate naturally in everyday dining situations.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | Rice |
| 炒饭 | chǎofàn | Fried rice |
| 炒面 | chǎomiàn | Fried noodles |
| 面条 | miàntiáo | Noodles |
| 包子 | bāozi | Steamed bun |
| 饺子 | jiǎozi | Dumplings |
| 馒头 | mántou | Steamed bread (Mantou) |
| 春卷 | chūnjuǎn | Spring rolls |
| 烧卖 | shāomài | Shumai (dim sum dumpling) |
| 寿司 | shòusī | Sushi |
| 鸡肉 | jīròu | Chicken |
| 烤鸭 | kǎoyā | Roast duck |
| 红烧肉 | hóngshāo ròu | Braised pork belly |
| 牛排 | niúpái | Beef steak |
| 羊肉串 | yángròu chuàn | Lamb skewers |
| 鱼香肉丝 | yúxiāng ròusī | Fish-flavored shredded pork |
| 宫保鸡丁 | gōngbǎo jīdīng | Kung Pao chicken |
| 火锅 | huǒguō | Hot pot |
| 粥 | zhōu | Congee / Porridge |
| 汤面 | tāngmiàn | Noodle soup |
| 酸辣汤 | suānlà tāng | Hot and sour soup |
| 排骨汤 | páigǔ tāng | Pork rib soup |
| 青菜 | qīngcài | Green vegetables |
| 炸鸡 | zhá jī | Fried chicken |
| 烤肉 | kǎoròu | Barbecue / Roasted meat |
| 清蒸鱼 | qīngzhēng yú | Steamed fish |
| 点心 | diǎnxīn | Dim sum / Desserts |
| 蛋糕 | dàngāo | Cake |
| 冰淇淋 | bīngqílín | Ice cream |
| 沙拉 | shālā | Salad |
| 水果 | shuǐguǒ | Fruit |
See also: Food Vocabulary in Chinese for Beginners
Chinese Restaurant Phrases: Describing Food Flavors
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 好吃 | hǎochī | Delicious / Tasty |
| 难吃 | nánchī | Bad-tasting / Unpleasant |
| 香 | xiāng | Fragrant / Appetizing |
| 新鲜 | xīnxiān | Fresh |
| 甜 | tián | Sweet |
| 苦 | kǔ | Bitter |
| 酸 | suān | Sour |
| 咸 | xián | Salty |
| 辣 | là | Spicy |
| 淡 | dàn | Light / Mild / Bland |
| 油腻 | yóunì | Greasy / Oily |
| 鲜美 | xiānměi | Savory / Delicious |
| 清淡 | qīngdàn | Light-flavored / Healthy |
| 香脆 | xiāngcuì | Crispy and fragrant |
| 松软 | sōngruǎn | Soft and fluffy |
| 酥脆 | sūcuì | Crunchy |
| 多汁 | duōzhī | Juicy |
| 干 | gān | Dry |
| 嚼劲 | jiáojìn | Chewy / Has bite |
| 软 | ruǎn | Soft |
| 硬 | yìng | Hard / Firm |
| 凉爽 | liángshuǎng | Refreshing / Cool (food & drinks) |
Chinese Restaurant Phrases: Drinks Vocabulary
In addition to food vocabulary, it is also important to learn Chinese vocabulary for drinks so you can communicate effectively with the staff.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 水 | shuǐ | Water |
| 冰水 | bīngshuǐ | Ice water / Cold water |
| 可乐 | kělè | Coke / Cola |
| 雪碧 | xuěbì | Sprite |
| 汽水 | qìshuǐ | Soft drink / Soda |
| 果汁 | guǒzhī | Fruit juice |
| 橙汁 | chéngzhī | Orange juice |
| 苹果汁 | píngguǒ zhī | Apple juice |
| 西瓜汁 | xīguā zhī | Watermelon juice |
| 芒果汁 | mángguǒ zhī | Mango juice |
| 柠檬水 | níngméng shuǐ | Lemon water / Lemonade |
| 椰汁 | yēzhī | Coconut juice |
| 奶茶 | nǎichá | Milk tea |
| 红茶 | hóngchá | Black tea |
| 绿茶 | lǜchá | Green tea |
| 乌龙茶 | wūlóngchá | Oolong tea |
| 菊花茶 | júhuā chá | Chrysanthemum tea |
| 普洱茶 | pǔ’ěr chá | Pu’er tea |
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | Coffee |
| 牛奶 | niúnǎi | Milk |
| 豆浆 | dòujiāng | Soy milk |
| 热巧克力 | rè qiǎokèlì | Hot chocolate |
| 啤酒 | píjiǔ | Beer |
| 酒 | jiǔ | Alcohol / Liquor |
| 红酒 | hóngjiǔ | Red wine |
| 白酒 | báijiǔ | Chinese white liquor (Baijiu) |
| 黄酒 | huángjiǔ | Chinese rice wine |
| 香槟 | xiāngbīn | Champagne |
| 鸡尾酒 | jīwěijiǔ | Cocktail |
Explore more: Chinese Vocabulary for Beverages
Chinese Restaurant Phrases: Job Positions
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 老板 | lǎobǎn | Boss / Owner |
| 经理 | jīnglǐ | Manager |
| 餐厅经理 | cāntīng jīnglǐ | Restaurant Manager |
| 厨师长 | chúshī zhǎng | Head Chef |
| 副厨师长 | fù chúshī zhǎng | Sous Chef (Deputy Head Chef) |
| 厨师 | chúshī | Chef / Cook |
| 助理厨师 | zhùlǐ chúshī | Assistant Chef |
| 服务员 | fúwùyuán | Waiter / Waitress |
| 迎宾员 | yíngbīn yuán | Host / Hostess |
| 收银员 | shōuyín yuán | Cashier |
| 调酒师 | tiáojiǔ shī | Bartender |
| 咖啡师 | kāfēi shī | Barista |
| 洗碗工 | xǐwǎn gōng | Dishwasher |
| 清洁工 | qīngjié gōng | Cleaner / Janitor |
| 外卖员 | wàimài yuán | Delivery staff |
Chinese Restaurant Phrases: Activities in a Restaurant
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 点菜 | diǎn cài | Order food |
| 下单 | xià dān | Place an order |
| 点饮料 | diǎn yǐnliào | Order drinks |
| 上菜 | shàng cài | Serve dishes |
| 端菜 | duān cài | Carry dishes |
| 倒水 | dào shuǐ | Pour water |
| 加菜 | jiācài | Order additional dishes |
| 清桌 | qīngzhuō | Clear the table |
| 结账 | jié zhàng | Pay the bill |
| 买单 | mǎi dān | Check, please (casual) |
| 开发票 | kāi fāpiào | Issue an invoice |
| 预订 | yùdìng | Make a reservation |
| 订位 | dìng wèi | Reserve a table |
| 订餐 | dìng cān | Pre-order food |
| 接待 | jiēdài | Receive guests |
| 迎宾 | yíngbīn | Welcome guests |
| 排队 | páiduì | Line up / Queue |
| 等位 | děng wèi | Wait for a table |
| 服务 | fúwù | Serve / Service |
| 推荐菜 | tuījiàn cài | Recommend dishes |
| 打包 | dǎbāo | Pack food to go |
| 投诉 | tóusù | Complain |
| 烹饪 | pēngrèn | Cook |
| 烤 | kǎo | Roast / Grill |
| 煮 | zhǔ | Boil |
| 蒸 | zhēng | Steam |
| 炒 | chǎo | Stir-fry |
| 切菜 | qiē cài | Cut vegetables / Slice |
| 洗菜 | xǐ cài | Wash vegetables |
Chinese Restaurant Phrases: Sample Sentences
When dining at a Chinese restaurant, knowing a few basic conversation phrases will make it easier to order food, communicate with the staff, and fully enjoy your meal. The simple phrases below will help you handle common situations with ease.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 请问，还有空位吗？ | Qǐngwèn, hái yǒu kòngwèi ma? | Excuse me, is there a free table? |
| 我想订一个位子。 | Wǒ xiǎng dìng yīgè wèizi. | I’d like to reserve a table. |
| 我订了七点半的位子。 | Wǒ dìngle qī diǎn bàn de wèizi. | I booked a table for 7:30. |
| 请给我菜单。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ càidān. | Please give me the menu. |
| 我想点这个套餐。 | Wǒ xiǎng diǎn zhège tàocān. | I’d like to order this set menu. |
| 这个是什么菜？ | Zhège shì shénme cài? | What is this dish? |
| 麻烦你再给我一双筷子。 | Máfan nǐ zài gěi wǒ yī shuāng kuàizi. | Could I have another pair of chopsticks? |
| 有什么特色菜吗？ | Yǒu shénme tèsècài ma? | Do you have any specialties? |
| 我的菜还没上。 | Wǒ de cài hái méi shàng. | My dish hasn’t been served yet. |
| 请给我一杯水。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ. | Please give me a glass of water. |
| 我们可以加菜吗？ | Wǒmen kěyǐ jiācài ma? | Can we order more dishes? |
| 再来一份这个。 | Zài lái yí fèn zhège. | Another portion of this, please. |
| 打包可以吗？ | Dǎbāo kěyǐ ma? | Can we take this to go? |
| 请问洗手间在哪里？ | Qǐngwèn xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? | Excuse me, where’s the restroom? |
| 一共多少钱？ | Yīgòng duōshǎo qián? | How much is it in total? |
| 请给我账单。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ zhàngdān. | Please give me the bill. |
| 可以刷卡吗？ | Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? | Can I pay by card? |
| 谢谢，再见！ | Xièxie, zàijiàn! | Thank you, goodbye! |
Conclusion
Through this article, you have gained a solid collection of essential vocabulary and practical conversation phrases related to Chinese restaurants. Learning by topic not only allows for faster memorization but also makes it easier to apply in real-life situations. We hope that the Chinese restaurant phrases and examples shared by Ni Hao Ma will serve as a valuable resource on your journey to mastering the Chinese language.
