A buffet of 222 yummy food names in Chinese to learn

Learning a new language will help you understand what’s important for different cultures, and few things are more important than food in Chinese culture.

If you’ve spent some time in China, you know that asking someone if they’ve eaten yet is a common way of saying hello in Chinese. That’s because food holds a central role in Chinese society, with meals always being a reason for socializing and spending quality time with your loved ones.

Indeed, mealtimes in China are a sacred time to take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. That’s why most Chinese restaurants have large round tables and serve dishes that are meant to be shared amongst your group. You should never rush a Chinese meal and instead focus on enjoying the company (and delicious food!).

And speaking of Chinese food, you’re probably wondering why it’s so important to learn about traditional Chinese dishes in Chinese. After all, who isn’t well-acquainted with Chinese food already? With millions of Chinese restaurants all over the world, everyone already knows dishes like orange chicken, Mongolian beef, and, of course, fortune cookies. Doesn’t that make everyone super familiar with Chinese food already?

Nope! If you’ve never been to China, you might be surprised to learn that many traditional Chinese dishes are quite uncommon in the Western world. Conversely, you’ll have trouble finding many of the dishes you’re used to ordering at your local Chinese restaurant back home when visiting China, so you’re going to want to learn some of the delicious and unique-to-China Chinese dishes.

Are you hungry yet? Let’s dig in!

The most common basic food names in Chinese

We’re going to cover over 200 food vocabulary words in Chinese in this blog, so we’ve broken them up into different groups to help you quickly find your favorite food items!

Fruits

If you love fresh fruits, then there’s no better place to go than China. In 2021, China was the world’s leading producer of fruit by quite a large margin. In fact, China produced more fruits than the next six largest fruit producers in the world put together! Besides apples, pears, and strawberries, you’ll also find many local fruits, like durian, mangosteen, and goji berries.

Vegetables

Chinese cuisine is extraordinary at bringing out the best notes and flavors from vegetables. That’s why you’ll find that many dishes involve an impressive combination of different vegetables, leaves, roots, and herbs to create a harmonious explosion of flavors. Here are some of the most popular vegetables in Chinese:

Meats

Vegetarians, look away! Although Chinese food can be incredibly veggie-forward, it also has many spectacular meat dishes. In particular, fried chicken has become extremely popular in China, with chains like KFC and local competitors found everywhere in China. Here’s all the Chinese meat vocabulary you should keep in mind next time you visit a Chinese restaurant.

Fish and seafood

With over nine thousand miles of coastline and two of the longest rivers in the world, it’s no surprise that Chinese cuisine involves a wide variety of seafood dishes. From fish to shrimp and many types of shellfish, Chinese cuisine can truly be a pescatarian’s dream! If you love seafood, try visiting Fujian province and Haikou Island — you’re sure to find the freshest seafood there!

Grains

It is said that one of the biggest distinctions between Northern and Southern China is what’s in people’s bowls — noodles or rice. Due to climatic differences, Southern Chinese cuisine is rice-heavy while Northern Chinese cuisine is noodle-heavy. However, you’ll have no trouble finding an excellent bowl of noodles or fried rice today no matter where you are, so don’t stress too much over this! Here are the most common types of grains in Chinese:

The must-know Chinese food name list - Traditional Chinese dishes

Now, if you’re a certified foodie, then you’ll definitely want to pay close attention to this section. Chinese food in China can be completely different from what you’re used to having back home, especially if there isn’t a big Chinese diaspora in your town. In fact, food varies quite significantly even within China, as there are eight major Chinese cuisines, each with its own distinct flavor profile.

Here are some standout traditional Chinese dishes that you have to make sure to try.

Names of Chinese dumplings

If you’ve noticed that dumplings are a staple of Chinese cuisine, you might be delighted to find out that it’s for a good reason. Although there are several types of lucky foods in Chinese, dumplings are some of the luckiest ones out there. That’s because their shape resembles an ancient form of Chinese money, which means they now symbolize wealth and prosperity. If you every want to celebrate Chinese New Year, make sure to make dumplings with your loved ones to guarantee a wealthy new year!

Here are eight of the most common types of dumplings in China:

Names of Chinese noodles

Anyone who’s a fan of Chinese cuisine is without a doubt dying to find out just how many types of noodles there are. And when you come to China, that curiosity will surely turn into a competition for how soon you can try them all. Be warned, though — you probably will never be able to try every single variety of noodles out there!

To get your taste buds going, here are just a few of the most common types of noodles in Chinese.

The must-know Western food names in Chinese

Of course, while Chinese food is the predominant cuisine in China, you’ll still be able to find many of your favorite Western foods. From salads to pizza to burgers, here are some of the top Western food names in Chinese:

Western restaurant names in China

Though it may sound counterintuitive, you must try some of these popular Western food chains when traveling through China. That’s because all of these restaurants have made significant changes to their menus to better suit Chinese consumers, meaning that you’re in for a completely different experience! Did you know that Pizza Hut in China isn’t a fast-food restaurant?

Common verbs about cooking in Chinese

As anyone who’s serious about food will confirm, eating it is only half the fun. If you’re looking to really understand Chinese cuisine, you’ll definitely want to take a few cooking lessons to gain some invaluable insights into one of the world’s oldest culinary traditions. Here are some essential food-related verbs in Chinese to get you started.

FAQs about Chinese food words

Food words in Chinese idioms

If you know a few ways to say hello in Chinese, then you already know how important food is in everyday life. If asking people if they’ve eaten yet (吃了吗?) is a common way of saying hello, then can you imagine just how many phrases and idioms out there revolve around food? Here are some of the top food idioms in Chinese.

The hardest food word in Chinese - Biang Biang Noodles

If you’ve ever wondered what the hardest Chinese character is, then you might be surprised to find out that it’s the name of a dish. Indeed, the infamous Chinese character for Biang Biang Noodles is so hard to write that the Chinese keyword input system can’t handle it! With 58 unique strokes in its traditional form, we don’t even blame machines for not wanting to come up with this absolute behemoth of a Chinese character!

So, how common is it actually in daily life? Biang Biang Noodles are very popular in Shaanxi cuisine. This means that you’ll see plenty of restaurants serving these noodles if you find yourself in Xi’an or anywhere else in the province. You can also find Shaanxi restaurants all over China, so you won’t have to travel all the way to Xi’an to see the character in action. Just keep in mind that many restaurants simply write “Biang Biang” instead of the character, precisely because it’s impossible to type it on a computer!

Feast on this new Chinese food vocabulary

There you have it, a food guide for the most ambitious foodies in any Chinese class! From fruits and veggies to scrumptious Chinese dishes, you now have over 200 Chinese food vocabulary words you can use on your next trip to the grocery store or when you discover your new favorite restaurant. You can even use them to try brand-new snacks from street vendors!

At Berlitz, we believe that the best way to learn a new language is by following your passions. And since food is the key to many people’s hearts, what better way to get passionate about learning Chinese than by learning about Chinese food? Whether you’re just starting to learn Mandarin or already have a few lessons under your belt, make sure to check out our Chinese blog to keep getting more and more amazed by this wonderful language.