Chinese Phrases for Ordering Food in China
Eating out in China is cheap and fun, but menus are usually Chinese-only and many staff do not speak English. These phrases get you from the door to the bill. Pair them with our full annotator to read any menu item.
| When you want to say | 中文 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| I would like to order | 我想点餐 | wǒ xiǎng diǎn cān | I’d like to order, please |
| Do you have an English menu? | 有英文菜单吗 | yǒu yīng wén cài dān ma | Do you have an English menu? |
| Is this dish spicy? | 这个辣吗 | zhè gè là ma | Is this spicy? |
| Not spicy, please | 不要辣 | bù yào là | No spice, please |
| Mildly spicy | 微辣 | wēi là | A little spicy |
| I don’t eat pork | 我不吃猪肉 | wǒ bù chī zhū ròu | I don’t eat pork |
| A glass of water, please | 一杯水 | yī bēi shuǐ | One glass of water |
| Can I pay with WeChat? | 可以用微信支付吗 | kě yǐ yòng wēi xìn zhī fù ma | Can I pay with WeChat Pay? |
| The bill, please | 买单 | mǎi dān | The check, please |
| Pack it to go | 打包 | dǎ bāo | Wrap it up / doggy bag |
How a Chinese menu is actually organized
Most menus group dishes by type, not by course: 凉菜 (cold dishes), 热菜 (hot dishes), 汤 (soup), 主食 (staples like rice and noodles), and 饮料 (drinks). Many smaller restaurants show pictures with the Chinese name and price only, so the phrases in the table above are your fallback. Prices are usually per 份 (portion) or 例 (standard serving), and 时价 (market price) on seafood means you must ask before ordering.
Ordering is often contactless: scan the QR code on the table with WeChat or Alipay, pick dishes in the mini program, and the kitchen prints the ticket. If there is no code, wave down a server and say the dish names from the table. Asking 有英文菜单吗 (do you have an English menu) is worth one try, but assume the answer is no.
Splitting the bill without awkwardness
In China the bill is normally split several ways (AA, called 平摊 or AA制), and one person usually pays first then collects from the group on WeChat. Say 我们分开付 (we pay separately) only if you want your own bill. Tipping is not practiced anywhere in casual or mid-range dining, so leaving cash on the table just confuses the staff.
Try it yourself
Related guides
- University Dorms Guidedegreeinchina.com
- SIM Card and Bank Card Guidedegreeinchina.com
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to tip in China?
- No. Tipping is not expected in Chinese restaurants, and many places do not accept tips at all.
- What if the menu has no English?
- Open the Chinese Text Annotator on this page, paste the dish name, and it shows pinyin and a meaning for each word.
- How do I order if no one speaks English?
- Show the dishes you want on your phone, or point at what others are eating. 这个 (zhè gè, ‘this one’) works well.