Chinese cuisine Chinese vocabulary: Intermediate (HSK 4-6)

我们点了中餐。

Wǒmen diǎn le zhōngcān.

We've ordered Chinese food.

我以前从来没有尝过中餐。

Wǒ yǐqián cónglái méiyǒu chángguo zhōngcān.

I've never eaten Chinese food before.

我给你吃个馒头。

Wǒ gěi nǐ chī gè mántou.

I'll give you a mantou to eat.

昨天我买了两个馒头。

Zuótiān wǒ mǎile liǎng gè mántou.

Yesterday I bought two steamed buns.

你喝过白酒没有？

Nǐ hēguo báijiǔ méiyǒu?

Have you had baijiu before?

白酒红人面，黄金黑世心

báijiǔ hóng rénmiàn, huángjīn hēi shì xīn

white liquor reddens the face, yellow gold blackens the heart

请给我们来一只烤鸭。

Qǐng gěi wǒmen lái yìzhī kǎoyā.

Please bring us a roast duck.

这家店的烤鸭很有名。

Zhè jiā diàn de kǎoyā hěn yǒumíng.

This restaurant's roast duck is very famous.

中秋节我妈妈买了月饼。

Zhōngqiūjié wǒ māma mǎile yuèbǐng.

My mom bought mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

月饼是中国点心的一种。

Yuèbǐng shì Zhōngguó diǎnxin de yìzhǒng.

The mooncake is a kind of Chinese snack.

你想尝尝这儿的小吃吗？

Nǐ xiǎng cháng cháng zhèr de xiǎochī ma?

Would you like to try the snacks here?

这家店的小吃卖得很快。

Zhè jiā diàn de xiǎochī mài de hěn kuài.

The snacks at this shop sell out fast.

农民靠种茶叶脱贫了。

Nóngmín kào zhǒng cháyè tuōpínle.

The farmers escaped poverty by growing tea.

我们从印度进口茶叶。

Wǒmen cóng Yìndù jìnkǒu cháyè.

We import tea from India.

来，大家一起干杯！

Lái, dàjiā yìqǐ gānbēi!

Come on, everyone, cheers!

新年到了，我们干杯吧。

Xīnnián dàole, wǒmen gānbēi ba.

The New Year is here, so let's drink a toast.

我们日本人以米饭为主食。

Wǒmen Rìběn rén yǐ mǐfàn wèi zhǔshí.

We Japanese live on rice.

大部分日本人都以米饭为主食。

Dàbùfen Rìběn rén dōu yǐ mǐfàn wèi zhǔshí.

Most Japanese live on rice.

你爱吃辣的火锅吗？

Nǐ ài chī là de huǒguō ma?

Do you like spicy hotpot?

火锅里再加点青菜吧。

Huǒguō lǐ zài jiādiǎn qīngcài ba.

Let's add some more greens to the hotpot.

每个菜系的口味都不一样。

Měige càixì de kǒuwèi dōu bù yíyàng.

Every regional cuisine has its own flavor.

中国有很多菜系，你最爱哪一个？

Zhōngguó yǒu hěn duō càixì, nǐ zuì ài nǎ yí gè?

China has many regional cuisines. Which one do you like best?

你喜欢浙菜还是川菜？

Nǐ xǐhuan Zhècài háishi chuāncài?

Do you prefer Zhejiang cuisine or Sichuan cuisine?

晚上我们去吃川菜，好不好？

Wǎnshang wǒmen qù chī chuāncài, hǎobùhǎo?

Shall we go have Sichuan food tonight?

你吃过这家的粤菜吗？

Nǐ chīguo zhè jiā de yuècài ma?

Have you tried the Cantonese food at this place?

周末我们去吃粤菜，好不好？

Zhōumò wǒmen qù chī yuècài, hǎobùhǎo?

Shall we go eat Cantonese food this weekend?

这里的特色菜是什么？

Zhèlǐ de tèsè cài shì shénme?

What is the specialty food here?

我想尝尝当地的特色菜。

Wǒ xiǎng cháng cháng dāngdì de tèsè cài.

I'd like to try the local specialty dishes.

她只穿这个品牌的鞋。

Tā zhǐ chuān zhège pǐnpái de xié.

She only wears shoes from this brand.

你喜欢哪个品牌的手机？

Nǐ xǐhuan nǎge pǐnpái de shǒujī?

Which brand of phone do you like?

这盒乌龙茶是朋友从福建带来的。

Zhè hé wūlóngchá shì péngyou cóng Fújiàn dàilái de.

This box of oolong tea was brought from Fujian by a friend.

你喝花茶还是绿茶？

Nǐ hē huāchá háishi lǜchá?

Would you like scented tea or green tea?

这种花茶闻起来很香。

Zhèzhǒng huāchá wén qǐlai hěn xiāng.

This kind of scented tea smells wonderful.

今年的年夜饭在奶奶家吃。

Jīnnián de niányèfàn zài nǎinai jiā chī.

This year's reunion dinner will be at Grandma's house.

他赶回家，就是为了吃年夜饭。

Tā gǎn huíjiā, jiùshì wèile chī niányèfàn.

He rushed home just to have the reunion dinner.

北京烤鸭怎么吃最好？

Běijīngkǎoyā zěnme chī zuìhǎo?

What's the best way to eat Peking duck?

请再来一份北京烤鸭。

Qǐng zài lái yífèn běijīngkǎoyā.

Please bring us another order of Peking duck.

点心是苹果。

Diǎnxin shì píngguǒ.

Apples were served as the dessert.

吃点心是坏习惯。

Chī diǎnxin shì huài xíguàn.

Eating dim sims is a bad habit.

刀子嘴，豆腐心

dāozizuǐ, dòufu xīn

a knife for a mouth, a heart of tofu

豆腐嘴，刀子心

dòufu zuǐ, dāozi xīn

tofu mouth, knife heart

醉是醒时言

zuì shì xǐng shí yán

what is said drunk is what was said sober

他非常醉了。

Tā fēicháng zuìle.

He's really drunk.

油条泡汤，软了

yóutiáo pàotāng, ruǎnle

a fried dough stick soaked in soup: it has gone soft

早饭我想吃油条和豆浆。

Zǎofàn wǒ xiǎng chī yóutiáo hé dòujiāng.

For breakfast I'd like youtiao and soy milk.

早上我喝了一碗粥。

Zǎoshang wǒ hēle yì wǎn zhōu.

I had a bowl of congee this morning.

生病时，妈妈常给我煮粥。

Shēngbìng shí, māma cháng gěi wǒ zhǔ zhōu.

When I was sick, my mom often cooked congee for me.

妈妈煮的汤圆又软又甜。

Māma zhǔ de tāngyuán yòu ruǎn yòu tián.

The glutinous rice balls Mom cooked are soft and sweet.

小心，刚煮好的汤圆很烫。

Xiǎoxīn, gāng zhǔ hǎo de tāngyuán hěn tàng.

Careful, freshly cooked tangyuan are very hot.

粽子刚煮好，小心烫！

Zòngzi gāng zhǔ hǎo, xiǎoxīn tàng!

The zongzi just finished cooking, so be careful, they're hot!

你爱吃甜粽子还是咸的？

Nǐ ài chī tián zòngzi háishi Xián de?

Do you like sweet zongzi or savory ones?

我想吃鲁菜。

Wǒ xiǎng chī Lǔcài.

I'd like to eat some Shandong food.

这家饭馆的鲁菜做得很地道。

Zhè jiā fànguǎn de Lǔcài zuò de hěn dìdao.

This restaurant's Shandong cuisine is very authentic.

今天晚上吃苏菜好不好？

Jīntiān wǎnshang chī sūcài hǎobùhǎo?

How about having Jiangsu cuisine tonight?

苏菜口味清淡，有点儿甜。

Sūcài kǒuwèi qīngdàn, yǒudiǎnr tián.

Jiangsu cuisine is light in flavor, with a touch of sweetness.

湘菜我吃过。

Xiāngcài wǒ chīguo.

I've eaten Hunan food before.

湘菜很辣，我有点儿受不了。

Xiāngcài hěn là, wǒ yǒudiǎnr shòubùliǎo.

Hunan cuisine is very spicy, and I can hardly take it.

浙菜很讲究新鲜，味道也不重。

Zhècài hěn jiǎngjiu xīnxiān, wèidao yě bú zhòng.

Zhejiang cuisine values freshness, and its flavors aren't heavy.

福州的闽菜味道比较清淡。

Fúzhōu de mǐncài wèidao bǐjiào qīngdàn.

Fuzhou's Fujian cuisine tastes fairly light.

听说福州有很多好吃的闽菜。

Tīngshuō Fúzhōu yǒu hěn duō hǎochī de mǐncài.

I hear Fuzhou has lots of delicious Fujian cuisine.

邻居特别爱吃徽菜。

Línjū tèbié ài chī huīcài.

My neighbor especially loves eating Anhui cuisine.

你知道哪家的徽菜好吃吗？

Nǐ zhīdào nǎ jiā de huīcài hǎochī ma?

Do you know which place has good Anhui food?

你喜欢酸甜口味的菜吗？

Nǐ xǐhuan suāntián kǒuwèi de cài ma?

Do you like dishes with a sweet and sour flavor?

这道菜酸甜的，我很爱吃。

Zhè dào cài suāntián de, wǒ hěn ài chī.

This dish is sweet and sour, and I love it.

今天想吃清淡的食物呢。

Jīntiān xiǎng chī qīngdàn de shíwù ne.

Today I want to eat something light.

我早餐通常吃得很清淡。

Wǒ zǎocān tōngcháng chī de hěn qīngdàn.

I usually have a light breakfast.

他讲一口地道的俄语。

Tā jiǎng yìkǒu dìdao de Éyǔ.

He speaks Russian perfectly.

这样说是不是更加地道呢？

Zhèyàng shuō shìbúshì gèngjiā dìdao ne?

Is it more idiomatic if I say it like this?

明天的宴席几点开始？

Míngtiān de yànxí jǐdiǎn kāishǐ?

What time does tomorrow's banquet start?

宴席上有鱼，也有饺子。

Yànxí shàng yǒu yú, yě yǒu jiǎozi.

There was fish and also dumplings at the banquet.

混合米、蛋跟酱油。

Hùnhé mǐ, dàn gēn jiàngyóu.

Mix the rice and eggs with soy sauce.

白水冲酱油，越来越淡

báishuǐ chōng jiàngyóu, yuèláiyuè dàn

adding plain water to soy sauce: weaker and weaker

夏天天气热，我只想吃凉菜。

Xiàtiān tiānqì rè, wǒ zhǐ xiǎng chī liángcài.

It's hot in summer, and I only want to eat cold dishes.

先上两个凉菜，再慢慢上热菜。

Xiān shàng liǎng gè liángcài, zài mànmàn shàng rècài.

Bring out two cold dishes first, then serve the hot dishes slowly.