Make Your Way Around China With Simple Chinese
At a Hunan Restaurant
Lìshā: Tīngshuō zhè jiā de duòjiāoyútóu hěn zhèngzōng.
丽莎: 听说这家的剁椒鱼头很正宗。
Lisa: I’ve heard that this restaurant offers authentic Steamed Fish Head with Diced Hot Red Peppers.
Yôurén: Diân yí fèn duòjiāoyútóu ba.
友人: 点一份剁椒鱼头吧。
Friend: Let’s order Steamed Fish Head with Diced Hot Red Peppers.
Lìshā: Zhèlî càiliàng dà ma?
丽莎: 这里菜量大吗？
Lisa: How big are the portions here?
Fúwùshēng: Hěn dà.
服务生：很大。
Waiter: They’re generous.
Lìshā: Wâguànwēitāng là ma?
丽莎: 瓦罐煨汤辣吗？
Lisa: Is the Clay Pot Soup very spicy?
Fúwùshēng: Bú là, hěn zību.
服务生：不辣，很滋补。
Waiter: No, and it is very nutritious.
Lìshā: Lái yí guàn tujītāng ba.
丽莎: 来一罐土鸡汤吧。
Lisa: Then we’ll have a pot of farm-raised chicken soup.
Yôurén: Hâo, zánmen yě bubu shēntî.
友人: 好，咱们也补补身体。
Friend: Sounds good. We need something nutritious.
Fúwùshēng: Qîngwèn yôu jìkôu ma?
服务生：请问有忌口吗？
Waiter: Do you have any food allergies, anything you don’t eat?
Lìshā: Qîng shâo fang làjiāo.
丽莎: 请少放辣椒。
Lisa: Please don’t put too many hot peppers.
At a Yunnan Restaurant
Lìshā: Yúnnáncài de míngzì dōu hěn guài ya!
丽莎: 云南菜的名字都很怪呀！
Lisa: Yunnan dishes have such odd names!
Yôurén: Jiucàigānbajùnyútóu jiù méi tīngshuōguo.
友人: 韭菜干巴菌鱼头就没听说过。
Friend: Yeah, I’ve never heard of Fish Head with Diced Leeks and Cauliflower Mushrooms.
Lìshā: Wômen dì yī cì chī yúnnáncài, gěi diâner jiànyì ba.
丽莎: 我们第一次吃云南菜，给点儿建议吧。
Lisa: This is our first time at a Yunnan restaurant. Is there anything you recommend?
Fúwùshēng: Guòqiáomîxiàn hěn yôu tèsè.
服务生：过桥米线很有特色。
Waiter: Rice Noodles with Thinly Sliced Meat in Boiling Broth are our specialty.
Lìshā: Zhé’ěrgēn shì yì zhông shūcài ma?
丽莎: 折耳根是一种蔬菜吗？
Lisa: Is Zhe’er root a kind of vegetable?
Fúwùshēng: Shìde, tā yě jiào yúxīngcâo, yôu yìdiâner yúxīngwèi.
服务生：是的，它也叫鱼腥草，有一点儿鱼腥味。
Waiter: Yes, it is. It’s also known as fish mint, because it has a fishy taste.
Lìshā: Gè yào yí fèn chángchang xiān ba?
丽莎: 各要一份尝尝鲜吧？
Lisa: How about we order one of each?
Yôurén: Tīng nî de.
友人: 听你的。
Friend: You’re the boss.
Related expressions
Làjiāo
辣椒
Hot peppers
Zhèngzōng
正宗
Authentic
Shūcài
蔬菜
Vegetable
Tèsè
特色
Specialty
tips Hunan dishes are known for their generous amounts of oil and visually pleasing colors. Chili peppers and curing flavors are often used in the cuisine.
Because of Yunnan’s geographic location and many ethnic populations, its cuisine is very different from other provinces in China. The dishes are known for their exotic ingredients sourced from both land and water, and are celebrated for their freshness, delicacy and intricate balance of hot and sour flavors.
Source: Chinese 101 in Cartoons (For Eating Out) published by Sinolingua Co. Ltd.
Web: www.sinolingua.com.cn
To place order, please contact: [email protected], Tel: 0086-10-68997826