Chapter 8

Dining Out and Shopping for Food

In This Chapter

Eating, Chinese style

Ordering and conversing in restaurants

Drinking up tea knowledge

Shopping for groceries

You may think you already know what Chinese food is all about, but if you suddenly find yourself a guest in a Chinese friend’s home or the guest of honor at a banquet for your company’s new branch in Shanghai, you may want to keep reading. This chapter not only helps you communicate when you’re hungry or thirsty, go grocery shopping, and order food in a restaurant but also gives you some useful tips on how to be both a wonderful guest and a gracious host when you have only one shot at making a good impression.

Feeling hungry yet? Allow me to whet your appetite by inviting you to take a closer look at world-renowned Chinese cuisine. No doubt you’re already familiar with a great many Chinese dishes, from chow mein and chop suey to sweet and sour pork to that delicious favorite of all Chinese fare, dim sum.

Exploring Chinese food and Chinese eating etiquette is a great way to discover Chinese culture. You can also use what you discover in this chapter to impress your date by ordering in Chinese the next time you eat out.

All About Meals

If you feel hungry when beginning this section, you should stop to chī 吃 (chir) (eat) fàn 饭 (飯) (fahn) (food). In fact, fàn always comes up when you talk about meals in China. Different meals throughout the day, for example, are called

zǎofàn 早饭 (早飯) (dzaow-fahn) (breakfast)

wǔfàn 午饭 (午飯) (woo-fahn) (lunch)

wǎnfàn 晚饭 (晚飯) (wahn-fahn) (dinner)

For centuries, Chinese people greeted each other not by saying Nǐ hǎo ma? 你好吗? (你好嗎?) (nee how ma?) (How are you?) but rather by saying Nǐ chīfàn le méiyǒu? 你吃饭了没有? (你 吃飯了沒有?) (nee chir-fahn luh mayo?) (Literally: “Have you eaten?”)

In China, fàn actually means some kind of grain or starch-based staple. You can have mǐfàn 米饭 (米飯) (mee-fahn) (rice), which can be chǎo fàn 炒饭 (炒飯) (chaow fahn) (fried white rice) or bái mǐfàn 白米饭 (白米飯) (bye mee-fahn) (boiled white rice); miàntiáo 面条 (面條) (myan-tyaow) (noodles); màntóu 馒头 (饅頭) (mahn-toe) (steamed bread); bāozi 包子 (baow-dzuh) (steamed buns); or jiǎozi 饺子 (餃子) (jyaow-dzuh) (dumplings). As you can see, you have many types of fàn to choose from.

Satisfying your hunger

If you’re hungry, you can say Wǒ hěn è. 我很饿. (我很餓.) (waw hun uh.) (I’m very hungry.) and wait for a friend to invite you for a bite to eat. If you’re thirsty, just say Wǒde kǒu hěn kě. 我的口很渴. (waw-duh ko hun kuh.) (Literally: My mouth is very dry.) to hear offers for all sorts of drinks. You may not get a chance to even utter these words, however, because Chinese rules of hospitality dictate offering food and drink to guests right off the bat.

You have a few subtle ways to get across the idea that you’re hungry without appearing too forward. You can say any of the following:

Nǐ è bú è? 你饿不饿? (你餓不餓?) (nee uh boo uh?) (Are you hungry?)

Nǐ è ma? 你饿吗? (你餓嗎?) (nee uh mah?) (Are you hungry?)

Nǐ hái méi chī wǎnfàn ba. 你还没吃晚饭吧. (你還沒吃晚飯吧.) (nee hi may chir wahn-fahn bah.) (I bet you haven’t had dinner yet.)

By checking to see whether the other person is hungry first, you display the prized Chinese sensibility of consideration for others, and you give yourself a chance to gracefully get out of announcing that you, in fact, are really the one who’s dying for some Chinese food. If you want, you can always come right out and say that you’re the one who’s hungry by substituting wǒ 我 (waw) (I) for nǐ 你 (nee) (you).

If you hear the sound ba 吧 (bah) at the end of a sentence, you can probably interpret it as I bet, as in Nǐ hái méi chī wǎnfàn ba. in the previous bulletted list, or as let’s, as in Wǒmen qù chīfàn ba. 我们去吃饭吧. (我們去吃飯吧.) (waw-men chyew chir-fahn bah.) (Let’s go have dinner.). One little utterance serves to soften the sound of making a request (or a command).

You can say something like Nǐ xiān hē jiǔ. 你先喝酒. (nee shyan huh jyoe.) (Drink wine first.), but you sound nicer and friendlier if you say Nǐ xiān hē jiǔ ba. 你先喝酒吧. (nee shyan huh jyoe bah.) (Better drink some wine first./Why not have some wine first?)

When an acquaintance invites you over for dinner, he may ask Nǐ yào chī fàn háishì yào chī miàn? 你要吃饭还是要吃面? (你要吃飯還是要吃麵?) (nee yaow chir fahn hi-shir yaow chir myan) (Do you want to eat rice or noodles?) Naturally, your host doesn’t just serve you a bowl of rice or noodles; he wants to know what basic staple to prepare before he adds the actual cài 菜 (tsye) (the various dishes that go with the rice or noodles).

The many varieties of cài have made China the envy of the culinary world. Centuries of subsistence-level existence have taught the Chinese not to waste one morsel of an animal, mineral, or vegetable when they can use the morsel as food. Chronic shortages of food at various points in Chinese history have lent credence to the saying “Necessity is the mother of invention.” The Chinese say it another way, however: They eat “anything with legs that’s not a table and anything with wings that’s not an airplane.” Either way, you get the idea.

---

 Do you prefer meat háishì fish?

When you can choose between more than one item on a Chinese menu, you can use the alternative question structure for interrogative expressions by placing the word háishì 还是 (還是) (hi-shir) (or) between the two choices. If you use the term or in affirmative sentences, however — such as when you say she’s arriving either today or tomorrow — you should use the word huò 或 (hwaw) or huò zhe 或者 (hwaw juh) instead.

---

Sitting down to eat and practicing proper table manners

After you’ve chosen what staple you want and it actually sits staring you in the face on the table, you probably want to know what utensils to use in order to eat the meal. Don’t be shy about asking for a good old fork and knife, even if you’re in a Chinese restaurant. The idea that Chinese people all eat with chopsticks is a myth anyway. Table 8-1 presents a handy list of utensils you need to know how to say at one point or another.

Table 8-1 Utensils

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
bēizi 杯子	bay-dzuh	cup
cānjīnzhǐ 餐巾纸 (餐巾紙)	tsahn-jeen-jir	napkin
chāzi 叉子	chah-dzuh	fork
dāozi 刀子	daow-dzuh	knife
pánzi 盘子 (盤子)	pahn-dzuh	plate
tiáogēng 调羹 (調羹)	tyaow-gung	spoon
wǎn 碗	wahn	bowl
yì shuāng kuàizi 一双筷子 (一雙筷子)	ee shwahng kwye-dzuh	a pair of chopsticks

When you receive an invitation to someone’s home, always remember to bring a small gift and to toast others before you take a drink yourself during the meal. The Chinese have no problem slurping their soup or belching during or after a meal, by the way, so don’t be surprised if you witness both at a perfectly formal gathering. And to remain polite and in good graces, you should always make an attempt to serve someone else before yourself when dining with others; otherwise, you run the risk of appearing rude and self-centered. (Check out Chapter 21 for a list of other etiquette considerations.)

Don’t hesitate to use some of these phrases at the table:

Duō chī yìdiǎr ba! 多吃一点儿吧! (多吃一點兒吧!) (dwaw chir ee-dyar bah!) (Have some more!)

Gānbēi! 干杯! (幹杯!) (gahn-bay!) (Bottoms up!)

Màn chī or màn màn chī! 慢吃 or 慢慢吃! (mahn chir! or mahn mahn chir!) (Bon appetite!) This phrase literally means Eat slowly., but it’s loosely translated as Take your time and enjoy your food.

Wǒ chībǎo le. 我吃饱了. (我吃飽了.) (waw chir-baow luh.) (I’m full.)

Zìjǐ lái. 自己来. (自己來.) (dzuh-jee lye.) (I’ll help myself.)

Whenever a dining partner begins to serve you food, as is the custom, you must always feign protest with a few mentions of Zìjǐ lái. so you don’t appear to assume that someone should be serving you. In the end, you should permit the person to follow proper etiquette by serving you portions from each dish if you’re the guest.

And whatever you do, don’t use a yáqiān 牙签 (牙籤) (yah-chyan) (toothpick) without covering your mouth. One of the ultimate dining faux pas is to make your teeth visible during toothpick use.

Getting to Know Chinese Cuisines

You may have already discovered that different regions of China specialize in different types of cuisine. Each province has its own specialties, cooking style, and favorite ingredients. Some corner the market on spicy food, and others showcase rather bland food. But no matter where you go, you’re sure to discover a new taste bud or two along the way.

Northern Chinese food, found in places such as Beijing, is famous for all sorts of meat dishes. You find plenty of beef, lamb, and duck (remember Peking Duck?). Garlic and scallions garnish the meat for good measure; otherwise, though, Northern cooking is bland because of the lack of excessive condiments. So don’t expect anything overtly salty, sweet, or spicy.

Shanghai dining, as well as that of the neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, represents Eastern cuisine. Because these places are close to the sea and boast many lakes, you can find an infinite variety of seafood in this part of China. Fresh vegetables, different kinds of bamboo, and plenty of soy sauce and sugar are also hallmarks of this region’s cuisine.

Food from Sichuan and Hunan provinces is considered Western Chinese cuisine. Western Chinese food is common in Chinese restaurants in the United States. Because this part of China is hot and humid, hot peppers and salt are commonly found here. (The food isn’t the only thing considered fiery in these parts; some famous revolutionaries, such as Mao Zedong, have hailed from this region of China.)

Southern Chinese cuisine comes from Guangdong (formerly known as Canton) province, as well as from Fujian and Taiwan. Like Shanghai cuisine, it offers plentiful amounts of seafood, fresh fruits, and vegetables. One of the most famous types of food from Guangdong that you’ve no doubt heard of is dim sum (deem sum), which in standard Mandarin is pronounced diǎn xīn 点心 (點心) (dyan sheen). You can read more about this fare in the later section “Dipping into some dim sum.”

Dining Out

Breaking bread with friends at home is great, but sometimes you want the Chinese dining experience out on the town. Taking on a menu in a foreign language can be daunting (and even that won’t help you find the restroom), so the following sections take you through all sorts of restaurant basics, from sorting through the food options (including checking out dim sum) to ordering, paying the bill, and yes, locating the facilities.

You ask for something politely by saying Qǐng nǐ gěi wǒ . . . ? 请你给我 . . . ? (請你給我 . . . ?) (cheeng nee gay waw . . . ?) (Would you mind please getting me a . . . ?). You can also say Máfan nǐ gěi wǒ . . . 麻烦你给我 . . . (麻煩你給我 . . .) (mah-fahn nee gay waw . . .) (May I trouble you to please get me a . . . ?).

Flip to Table 8-1 earlier in the chapter for a list of common utensils. Here are a couple of additional items you commonly encounter or need to ask for when dining out:

yíge rè máojīn 一个热毛巾 (一個熱毛巾) (ee-guh ruh maow-jeen) (a hot towel)

yíge shī máojīn 一个湿毛巾 (一個濕毛巾) (ee-guh shir maow-jeen) (a wet towel)

When in doubt, use the measure word ge 个 (個) (guh) in front of the noun you want to modify by a numeral or a specifier, such as zhè 这 (這) (jay) (this) or nà 那 (nah) (that). The word for a always begins with yī 一 (ee), meaning the number 1 in Chinese. In between yī and the noun is the measure word. For chopsticks, it’s shuāng 双 (雙) (shwahng), meaning pair; for napkin, it’s zhāng 张 (張) (jahng), used for anything with a flat surface (such as paper, a map, or even a bed); and a toothpick’s measuring word is gēn 棵 (gun), referring to anything resembling a stick, such as rope, a thread, or a blade of grass. Chinese has many different measure words, but ge (guh) is by far the most common.

Talkin’ the Talk

Audrey and William meet after work in New York and decide where to eat.

William:

Audrey, nǐ hǎo!

Audrey, nee how!

Audrey, hi!

Audrey:

Nǐ hǎo. Hǎo jiǔ méi jiàn.

nee how. how jyoe may jyan.

Hi there. Long time no see.

William:

Nǐ è bú è?

nee uh boo uh?

Are you hungry?

Audrey:

Wǒ hěn è. Nǐ ne?

waw hun uh. nee nuh?

Yes, very hungry. How about you?

William:

Wǒ yě hěn è.

waw yeah hun uh.

I’m also pretty hungry.

Audrey:

Wǒmen qù Zhōngguóchéng chī Zhōngguó cài, hǎo bù hǎo?

waw-men chyew joong-gwaw-chuhng chir joong-gwaw tsye, how boo how?

Let’s go to Chinatown and have Chinese food, okay?

William:

Hǎo. Nǐ zhīdào Zhōngguóchéng nǎ jiā cānguǎn hǎo ma?

how. nee jir-daow joong-waw-chuhng nah jya tsahn-gwahn how ma?

Okay. Do you know which restaurant in Chinatown is good?

Audrey:

Běijīng kǎo yā diàn hǎoxiàng bú cuò.

bay-jeeng cow ya dyan how-shyang boo tswaw.

The Peking Duck place seems very good.

William:

Hǎo jíle. Wǒmen zǒu ba.

how jee-luh. waw-men dzoe bah.

Great. Let’s go.

Nǐ hǎo 你好 (nee how), which appears in the nearby Talkin’ the Talk dialogue, can be translated as Hi., Hello., or How are you?.

Understanding what’s on the menu

Are you a vegetarian? If so, you want to order sùcài 素菜 (sue-tsye) (vegetable dishes). If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool carnivore, however, you should definitely keep your eye on the kind of hūncài 荤菜 (葷菜) (hwun-tsye) (meat or fish dishes) listed on the càidān 菜单 (菜單) (tsye-dahn) (menu). Unlike the rice or noodles you may order, which come in individual bowls for everyone at the table, the cài 菜 (tsye) (dishes) you order arrive on large plates, which you’re expected to share with others.

You should become familiar with the basic types of food on the menu in case you have only Chinese characters and pīnyīn Romanization to go on. Having this knowledge allows you to immediately know which section to focus on (or, likewise, to avoid).

Take meat, for example. In English, the words for pork, beef, and mutton have no hints of the words for the animals themselves, such as zhū 猪 (豬) (joo) (pig), niú 牛 (nyoe) (cow), or yáng 羊 (yahng) (lamb). Chinese is much simpler. Just combine the word for the animal and the word ròu 肉 (row), meaning meat, such as zhū ròu 猪肉 (豬肉) (joo row) (pork), niú ròu 牛肉 (nyoe row) (beef), or yáng ròu 羊肉 (yahng row) (mutton). Voilà! You have the dish.

Table 8-2 shows the typical elements of a Chinese menu.

Table 8-2 Typical Sections of a Chinese Menu

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
diǎnxīn 点心 (點心)	dyan-sheen	dessert
hǎixiān 海鲜 (海鮮)	hi-shyan	seafood dishes
jī lèi 鸡类 (雞類)	jee lay	poultry dishes
kāiwèicài 开胃菜 (開胃菜)	kye-way-tsye	appetizer
ròu lèi 肉类 (肉類)	row lay	meat dishes
sùcài 素菜	soo-tsye	vegetarian dishes
tāng 汤 (湯)	tahng	soup
yǐnliào 饮料 (飲料)	een-lyaow	drinks

Talkin’ the Talk

Ernest, Otto, and Cecilia meet at a restaurant in Shanghai after work, and a host greets them on the way in. (Track 10)

Host:

Jǐ wèi?

jee way?

How many are in your party?

Otto:

Sān wèi.

sahn way.

There are three of us.

The host shows them to their table. The three must now decide what to order for their meals.

Host:

Qǐng zuò zhèr. Zhè shì càidān.

cheeng dzwaw jar. jay shir tsye-dahn.

Please sit here. Here’s the menu.

Otto:

Nǐ yào chī fàn háishì yào chī miàn?

nee yaow chir fahn hi-shir yaow chir myan?

Do you want to eat rice or noodles?

Ernest:

Liǎngge dōu kěyǐ.

lyahng-guh doe kuh-yee.

Either one is fine.

Cecilia:

Wǒ hěn xǐhuān yāoguǒ jīdīng. Nǐmen ne?

waw hun she-hwan yaow-gwaw jee-deeng. nee-men nuh?

I love diced chicken with cashew nuts. How about you guys?

Ernest:

Duìbùqǐ, wǒ chī sù. Wǒmen néng bù néng diǎn yìdiǎr dòufu?

dway-boo-chee, waw chir soo. waw-mun nung boo nung dyan ee-dyar doe-foo?

Sorry, I’m a vegetarian. Can we order some tofu?

Cecilia:

Dāngrán kěyǐ.

dahng-rahn kuh-yee.

Of course we can.

Otto:

Bù guǎn zěnme yàng, wǒmen lái sān píng píjiǔ, hǎo bù hǎo?

boo gwahn dzummuh yahng, waw-mun lye san peeng pee-jyoe, how boo how?

No matter what, let’s get three bottles of beer, okay?

Ernest:

Hěn hǎo!

hun how!

Very good!

Vegetarian’s delight

If you’re a vegetarian, you may feel lost when looking at a menu filled with mostly pork (the staple meat of China), beef, and fish dishes. Not to worry. As long as you memorize a couple of the terms shown in Table 8-3, you won’t go hungry.

Table 8-3 Vegetables Commonly Found in Chinese Dishes

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
bōcài 菠菜	baw-tsye	spinach
dòufu 豆腐	doe-foo	bean curd
fānqié 番茄	fahn-chyeh	tomato
gāilán 芥兰 (芥蘭)	gye-lahn	Chinese broccoli
mógū 蘑菇	maw-goo	mushroom
qiézi 茄子	chyeh-dzuh	eggplant
qīngjiāo 青椒	cheeng-jyaow	green pepper
sìjídòu 四季豆	suh-jee-doe	string bean
tǔdòu 土豆	too-doe	potato
xīlánhuā 西兰花 (西蘭花)	she-lahn-hwah	broccoli
yáng báicài 洋白菜	yahng bye-tsye	cabbage
yùmǐ 玉米	yew-me	corn
zhúsǔn 竹笋 (竹筍)	joo-swoon	bamboo shoot

When you have a good understanding of the vegetables that go into Chinese dishes, you, oh proud vegetarian, can start to order specialized vegetarian dishes at all your favorite restaurants. Table 8-4 shows some vegetarian dishes good for a night on the town.

Table 8-4 Vegetarian Dishes

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
dànhuā tāng 蛋花汤 (蛋花湯)	dahn-hwah tahng	egg drop soup
gānbiān sìjìdòu 干煸四季豆 (乾煸四季豆)	gahn-byan suh-jee-doe	sautéed string beans
hóngshāo dòufu 红烧豆腐 (紅燒豆腐)	hoong-shaow doe-foo	braised bean curd in soy sauce
suān là tāng 酸辣汤 (酸辣湯)	swan lah tahng	hot-and-sour soup
yúxiāng qiézi 鱼香茄子 (魚香茄子)	yew-shyang chyeh-dzuh	spicy eggplant with garlic

You may be tempted to chī 吃 (chir) (eat) your soup in a Chinese restaurant, but you should actually hē 喝 (huh) (drink) it instead. If it tastes really good, you can say the soup is hěn hǎohē 很好喝 (hun how-huh) (very tasty), just like anything else you may have ordered to drink.

Some favorite Chinese dishes

You may be familiar with many of the following dishes if you’ve ever been in a Chinese restaurant:

Běijīng kǎo yā 北京烤鸭 (北京烤鴨) (bay-jeeng cow yah) (Peking roast duck)

chūnjuǎn 春卷 (春捲) (chwun-jwan) (spring roll)

dòufu gān 豆腐干 (豆腐乾) (doe-foo gahn) (dried beancurd)

gàilán niúròu 芥兰牛肉 (芥蘭牛肉) (guy-lahn nyoe-row) (beef with ­broccoli)

gōngbǎo jīdīng 宫保鸡丁 (宮保雞丁) (goong-baow jee-deeng) (diced chicken with hot peppers)

háoyóu niúròu 蚝油牛肉 (蠔油牛肉) (how-yo nyoe-row) (beef with oyster sauce)

húntūn tāng 馄饨汤 (餛飩湯) (hwun-dwun tahng) (wonton soup)

shuàn yángròu 涮羊肉 (shwahn yahng-row) (Mongolian hot pot)

tángcù yú 糖醋鱼 (糖醋魚) (tahng-tsoo yew) (sweet-and-sour fish)

yān huángguā 腌黄瓜 (醃黃瓜) (yan hwahng-gwah) (pickled cucumber)

---

 Chowing down on the Chinese New Year

On the eve of the Chinese lunar New Year, known as chú xī 除夕 (choo she), the Chinese eat a big niányèfàn 年夜饭 (年夜飯) (nyan-yeh-fahn) (New Year’s Eve dinner). The dinner almost always includes a whole cooked yú 鱼 (魚) (yew) (fish), because the word for fish rhymes with the word for abundance (yù), even though the written characters for the words look quite different. In some of the poorer parts of northern China, people often eat jiǎozi 饺子 (餃子) (jyaow-dzuh) (dumplings) rather than fish because their shape resembles traditional yuánbāo 元宝 (元寶) (ywan-baow) (gold ingots) used in ­pre-modern times by people of means. These people hope that the prosperity and abundance of such wealthy families will also come into their lives through the eating of the jiǎozi. Southerners often eat fā cài 发菜 (fah tsye) (a kind of stringy black vegetable), which rhymes with fā cái 发财 (發財) (fah tsye), although you ­pronounce the words in different tones. Fā cái means to get wealthy and prosper; in fact, the most common greeting on New Year’s day is Gōngxǐ fā cái! 恭喜发财! (恭喜發財!) (goong-she fah tsye) (Congratula­tions, and may you prosper!)

---

Sauces and seasonings

The Chinese use all kinds of seasonings and sauces to make their dishes so tasty. Check out Chinese Cooking For Dummies by Martin Yan (Wiley) for much more info. Here are just a few of the basics:

cù 醋 (tsoo) (vinegar)

jiǎng 姜 (jyahng) (ginger)

jiàngyóu 酱油 (醬油) (jyahng-yo) (soy sauce)

làyóu 辣油 (lah-yo) (hot sauce)

máyóu 麻油 (mah-yo) (sesame oil)

yán 盐 (鹽) (yan) (salt)

Even though Chinese food is so varied and great you could have it three meals a day forever, once in a while you might really find yourself hankering for a good old American hamburger or a stack of French fries. In fact, you may be surprised to find places like McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken in Asia when you least expect to. Table 8-5 lists some items you can order when you’re in need of some old fashioned comfort food, and Table 8-6 lists common beverages.

Table 8-5 Western Food

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
bǐsā bǐng 比萨饼 (比薩餅)	bee-sah beeng	pizza
hànbǎobāo 汉堡包 (漢堡包)	hahn-baow-baow	hamburger
káo tǔdòu 烤土豆	cow too-doe	baked potato
règǒu 热狗 (熱狗)	ruh-go	hot dog
sānmíngzhì 三明治	sahn-meeng-jir	sandwich
shālā jiàng 沙拉酱 (沙拉醬)	shah-lah jyahng	salad dressing
shālā zìzhùguì 沙拉自助柜 (沙拉自助櫃)	shah-lah dzuh-joo-gway	salad bar
tǔdòuní 土豆泥	too-doe-nee	mashed potatoes
yáng pái 羊排	yahng pye	lamb chops
yìdàlì shì miàntiáo 意大利式面条 (意大利式麵條)	ee-dah-lee shir myan-tyaow	spaghetti
zhà jī 炸鸡 (炸雞)	jah jee	fried chicken
zhà shǔtiáo 炸薯条 (炸薯條)	jah shoo-tyaow	French fries
zhà yángcōng quān 炸洋葱圈 (炸洋蔥圈)	jah yahng-tsoong chwan	onion rings
zhū pái 猪排 (豬排)	joo pye	pork chops

Table 8-6 Beverages

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
chá 茶	chah	tea
gān hóng pūtáojiǔ 干红葡萄酒 (干紅葡萄酒)	gahn hoong poo-taow-jyoe	dry red wine
guǒzhī 果汁	gwaw-jir	fruit juice
kāfēi 咖啡	kah-fay	coffee
kělè 可乐 (可樂)	kuh-luh	soda
kuāngquánshuǐ 矿泉水 (礦泉水)	kwahng-chwan-shway	mineral water
níngmén qìshuǐ 柠檬汽水 (檸檬汽水)	neeng-muhng chee-shway	lemonade
niúnǎi 牛奶	nyoe-nye	milk
píjiǔ 啤酒	pee-jyoe	beer

Placing an order and chatting with the wait staff

I bet you’re used to everyone ordering one dish for themselves, right? Well, in China, diners almost always share dishes by putting them on common platters smack in the middle of the table where everyone can pick and choose. You get used to ordering with the whole group in mind, not just yourself — just one more example of how the collective is always considered before the individual in Chinese culture.

Chinese table etiquette dictates that everyone decides together what to order. The two main categories you must decide on are the cài 菜 (tsye) (food dishes) and the tāng 汤 (湯) (tahng) (soup). Feel free to be the first one to ask Wǒmen yīnggāi jiào jǐge cài jǐge tāng? 我们应该叫几个菜几个汤? (我們應該叫幾個菜幾個湯?) (waw-men eeng-gye jyaow jee-guh tsye jee-guh tahng?) (How many dishes and how many soups should we order?) Ideally, one of each of the five major tastes should appear in the dishes you choose for your meal to be a “true” Chinese meal: suān 酸 (swan) (sour), tián 甜 (tyan) (sweet), kǔ 苦 (koo) (bitter), là 辣 (lah) (spicy), and xián 咸 (shyan) (salty).

I know it can be hard to choose what to eat from all the fantastic choices staring back at you from most any Chinese menu; after all, the Chinese perfected the art of cooking long before the French and Italians appeared on the scene. But when you finally hit on something you like, you have to figure out how to tell the waiter what you want to chī 吃 (chir) (eat), whether you like spicy food, if you want to avoid wèijīng 味精 (way-jeeng) (MSG), what kind of beer you want to hē 喝 (huh) (drink), and that you want to know what kind of náshǒu cài 拿手菜 (nah-show tsye) (house specialty) the restaurant has going today.

Here are some questions your waiter or waitress is likely to ask you:

Nǐmen yào hē diǎr shénme? 你们要喝点儿什么? (你們要喝點兒甚麼?) (nee-men yaow huh dyar shummuh?) (What would you like to drink?)

Nǐmen yào shénme cài? 你们要什么菜? (你們要甚麼菜?) (nee-men yaow shummuh tsye?) (What would you like to order? [Literally: What kind of food would you like?])

Yào jǐ píng píjiǔ? 要几瓶啤酒? (要幾瓶啤酒?) (yaow jee peeng pee-jyoe?) (How many bottles of beer do you want?)

When addressing waiters or waitresses, you can call them by the same name: fúwùyuán 服务员 (服務員) (foo-woo-ywan) (service personnel). In fact, he, she, and it all share the same Chinese word, too: tā 他/她/它 (tah). Isn’t that easy to remember? Here are some questions, requests, and statements that may come in handy:

Dà shīfu náshǒu cài shì shénme? 大师傅拿手菜是什么? (大師傅拿手菜是甚麼?) (dah shir-foo nah-show tsye shir shummuh?) (What’s the chef’s specialty?)

Nǐ gěi wǒmen jièshào cài, hǎo ma? 你给我们介绍菜, 好吗? (你給我們介紹菜, 好嗎?) (nee gay waw-men jyeh-shaow tsye how ma?) (Can you recommend some dishes?)

Nǐmen yǒu kuàngquán shuǐ ma? 你们有矿泉水吗? (你們有礦泉水嗎?) (nee-men yo kwahng-chwan shway mah?) (Do you have any mineral water?)

Qǐng bǎ yǐnliào sòng lái. 请把饮料送来. (請把飲料送來.) (cheeng bah yin-lyaow soong lye.) (Please bring our drinks.)

Qǐng bié fàng wèijīng, wǒ guòmǐn. 请别放味精, 我过敏. (請別放味精, 我過敏.) (cheeng byeh fahng way-jeeng, waw gwaw-meen.) (Please don’t use any MSG, I’m allergic.)

Qǐng cā zhuōzi. 请擦桌子. (請擦桌子.) (cheeng tsah jwaw-dzuh.) (Please wipe off the table.)

Qǐng gěi wǒ càidān. 请给我菜单. (請給我菜單.) (cheeng gay waw tsye-dahn.) (Please give me the menu.)

Wǒ bù chī zhūròu. 我不吃猪肉. (我不吃豬肉.) (waw boo chir joo-row.) (I don’t eat pork.)

Wǒ bù néng chī yǒu táng de cài. 我不能吃有糖的菜. (waw boo nuhng chir yo tahng duh tsye.) (I can’t eat anything made with sugar.)

Wǒ bú yào là de cài. 我不要辣的菜. (waw boo yaow lah duh tsye.) (I don’t want anything spicy.)

Wǒ bú yuànyì chī hǎishēn. 我不愿意吃海参. (我不願意吃海參.) (waw boo ywan-yee chir hi-shun) (I don’t want to try sea slugs.)

Wǒ méi diǎn zhèige. 我没点这个. (我没点這個.) (waw may dyan jay-guh.) (I didn’t order this.)

Wǒmen yào yíge suān là tāng. 我们要一个酸辣汤. (我們要一個酸辣湯.) (waw-men yaow ee-guh swan lah tahng.) (We’d like a hot-and-sour soup.)

Yú xīnxiān ma? 鱼新鲜吗? (魚新鮮嗎?) (yew shin-shyan mah?) (Is the fish fresh?)

Regular nouns in Chinese make no distinction between singular and plural. Whether you want to talk about one píngguǒ 苹果 (蘋果) (peeng-gwaw) (apple), two júzi 桔子 (jyew-dzuh) (oranges), or both píngguó hé júzi 苹果和桔子 (peeng gwaw huh jyew dzuh) (apples and oranges), the fruits always sound the same in Chinese. On the other hand, if you want to refer to human beings, you can always add the suffix men 们 (們) (mun). The word for I or me is wǒ 我 (waw), but we becomes wǒmen 我们 (我們) (waw-mun). The same goes for nǐ 你 (nee) (you) and tā 他/她/它 (tah) (he/she/it). Both of you or all of you becomes nǐmen 你们 (你們) (nee-mun) and both of them or all of them becomes tāmen 他们 他們) / 她们 (她們) / 它们 (它們) (tah-mun). If you want to refer to a specific number of apples, however, you don’t use men as a suffix. You can either say píngguǒ for apple (or apples) or liǎngge píngguǒ 两个苹果 (兩個蘋果) (lyahng-guh peeng-gwaw), meaning two apples. How do you like them apples?

Dipping into some dim sum

Dim sum is probably the most popular food of Chinese folks in the United States and of people in Guangdong Province and all over Hong Kong, where you can find it served for breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner. Vendors even sell dim sum snacks in subway stations.

The dish’s main claim to fame is that it takes the shape of mini portions, and it’s often served with tea to help cut through the oil and grease afterwards. You have to signal the waiters when you want a dish of whatever is on the dim sum cart they push in the restaurant, however, or they just pass on by. Dim sum restaurants are typically crowded and noisy, which only adds to the fun.

Part of the allure of dim sum is that you get to sample a whole range of different tastes while you catch up with old friends. Dim sum meals can last for hours, which is why most Chinese people choose the weekends to have dim sum. No problem lingering on a Saturday or Sunday.

Because dim sum portions are so small, your waiter often tallys the total by the number of plates left on your table. You can tell the waiter you want a specific kind of dim sum by saying Qǐng lái yì dié _____. 请来一碟 _____. (請來一碟 _____.) (cheeng lye ee dyeh _______.) (Please give me a plate of _____.). Fill in the blank with one of the tasty choices I list in Table 8-7.

Table 8-7 Common Dim Sum Dishes

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
chūnjuǎn 春卷 (春捲)	chwun-jwan	spring rolls
dàntǎ 蛋挞 (蛋撻)	dahn-tah	egg tarts
dòushā bāo 豆沙包	doe-shah baow	sweet bean buns
guō tiē 锅贴 (鍋貼)	gwaw tyeh	fried pork dumplings
luóbō gāo 萝卜糕 (蘿蔔糕)	law-baw gaow	turnip cake
niàng qīngjiāo 酿青椒 (釀青椒)	nyahng cheeng-jyaow	stuffed peppers
niúròu wán 牛肉丸	nyoe-row wahn	beef balls
xiā jiǎo 虾饺 (蝦餃)	shyah jyaow	shrimp dumplings
xiǎolóng bāo 小笼包 (小籠包)	shyaow-loong baow	steamed pork buns
xiā wán 虾丸 (蝦丸)	shyah wahn	shrimp balls
yùjiǎo 竽饺 (芋餃)	yew-jyaow	deep fried taro root

Have you ever used the particle guò 过 (過) (gwaw)? If you want to ask whether someone has ever done something, use this word directly after the verb to get your point across:

Nǐ qù guò Měiguó méiyǒu? 你去过美国没有？(你去過美國沒有?) (nee chew gwaw may-gwaw mayo?) (Have you ever been to America?)

Nǐ chī guò Yìdàlì fàn ma? 你吃过意大利饭吗? (你吃過意大利飯嗎?) (nee chir gwaw ee-dah-lee fahn ma?) (Have you ever eaten Italian food?)

Finding the restrooms

After you have a bite to eat, you may be in need of a restroom. The need may be dire if you’re smack in the middle of a 12-course banquet in Beijing and already have a couple of glasses of máotái 茅台 (maow-tye), the stiffest of all Chinese drinks, under your belt.

Now all you have to do is garner the energy to ask Where’s the restroom?: Cèsuǒ zài nǎr? 厕所在哪儿? (廁所在哪兒?) (tsuh-swaw dzye nar?) if you’re in mainland China or Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ? 厕所在哪里? (廁所在哪理?) (tsuh-swaw dzye nah-lee?) if you’re in Taiwan. You can also ask Nǎlǐ kěyǐ xǐ shǒu? 哪里可以洗手? (哪裡可以洗手?) (nah-lee kuh-yee she show?) (Where can I wash my hands?)

If you’re in mainland China, don’t forget to take some toilet paper with you before you leave the hotel, because many public restrooms don’t supply it there. In most cases, the pictures on the bathroom doors are self-explanatory, but you may also see 男, the pīnyīn for nán (nahn) (male) and 女, the pīnyīn for nǚ (nyew) (female) before the word cèsuǒ. Those are the words you want to pay attention to above all else.

You can also find the word cèsuǒ in the term for graffiti: cèsuǒ wénxué 厕所文学 (廁所文學) (tsuh-swaw one-shweh) (Literally: bathroom literature). How apropos.

Finishing your meal and paying the bill

After you’re through sampling all possible permutations of Chinese cuisine (or French or Italian, for that matter), you won’t be able to just slink away unnoticed out the front door and into the sunset. Time to pay the bill, my friend. Hopefully it was worth the expense. Here are some phrases you should know when the time comes:

Bāokuò fúwùfèi. 包括服务费. (包括服務費.) (baow-kwaw foo-woo-fay.) (The tip is included.)

fēnkāi suàn 分开算 (分開算) (fun-kye swahn) (to go Dutch)

jiézhàng 结账 (結賬) (jyeh-jahng) (to pay the bill)

Qǐng jiézhàng. 请结账. (請結賬.) (cheeng jyeh-jahng.) (The check, please.)

Qǐng kāi shōujù. 请开收据. (請開收據.) (cheeng kye show-jyew.) (Please give me the receipt.)

Wǒ kěyǐ yòng xìnyòng kǎ ma? 我可以用信用卡吗? (我可以用信用卡嗎?) (waw kuh-yee yoong sheen-yoong kah mah?) (May I use a credit card?)

Wǒ qǐng kè. 我请客. (我請客.) (waw cheeng kuh.) (It’s on me.)

Zhàngdān yǒu cuò. 账单有错. (賬單有錯.) (jahng-dahn yo tswaw.) (The bill is incorrect.)

All the Tea in China

You encounter about as many different kinds of tea as you do Chinese dialects. Hundreds, in fact. To make ordering or buying this beverage easier, however, you really need to know only the most common kinds of tea:

Lǜ chá 绿茶 (綠茶) (lyew chah) (Green tea): Green tea is the oldest of all the teas in China, with many unfermented subvarieties. The most famous kind of Green tea is called lóngjǐng chá 龙井茶 (龍井茶) (loong-jeeng chah), meaning Dragon Well tea. You can find it near the famous West Lake region in Hangzhou, but people in the south generally prefer this kind of tea.

Hóng chá 红茶 (紅茶) (hoong chah) (Black tea): Even though hóng means red in Chinese, you translate this phrase as Black tea instead. Unlike Green tea, Black teas are fermented; they’re enjoyed primarily by people in Fujian province.

Wūlóng chá 乌龙茶 (烏龍茶) (oo­-loong chah) (Black Dragon tea): This kind of tea is semi-fermented. It’s a favorite in Guangdong and Fujian provinces in the South, and in Taiwan.

Mòlì huā chá 茉莉花茶 (茉莉花茶) (maw-lee hwah chah) (Jasmine): This kind of tea is made up of a combination of Black, Green, and Wūlóng teas in addition to some fragrant flowers such as jasmine or magnolia thrown in for good measure. Most northerners are partial to Jasmine tea, probably because the north is cold and this type of tea raises the body’s ­temperature.

Tea is always offered to guests the minute they enter a Chinese home. The hosts aren’t just being polite; the offering of tea shows respect to the guest and presents a way to share something that all parties can enjoy together. It may be considered rude not to at least take a sip. Chinese custom says that a host only fills the teacup to 70 percent of its capacity. The other 30 percent is supposed to contain friendship and affection. Isn’t that a nice concept?

You often use the adjective hǎo 好 (how) (good) with a verb to create an adjective that means good to. Here are a few examples:

hǎochī 好吃 (how-chir) (tasty [Literally: good to eat])

hǎohē 好喝 (how-huh) (tasty [Literally: good to drink])

hǎokàn 好看 (how-kahn) (pretty, interesting [Literally: good to look at or watch]) This designation can apply to people or even movies.

hǎowán 好玩 (how-wahn) (fun, interesting [Literally: good to play])

---

 The Chinese night market

Night markets are great places to stroll, shop, eat, and otherwise hang out with family and friends. Vendors hawk their wares from clothes to xiǎo chī 小吃 (shyaow chir) (snacks [Literally: small eats) of every kind in noisy, crowded stalls in what can only be described as a carnival-like atmosphere. The most famous night market in Taiwan is in the Shìlín 士林 (shir-leen) district of Taipei, which closes well after midnight. In mainland China, don’t miss the Kāifēng yèshì 开封夜市 (開封夜市) (kye-fuhng yeh-shir) (Kaifeng night market), in northern China’s Henan province. At night, Kaifeng’s streets turn into veritable restaurants, with the specialty being northern-style dumplings.

---

Taking Your Chinese to Go

Restaurants are great, but once in a while you may want to mingle with the masses as people go about buying food for a home-cooked family dinner. Outdoor food markets abound in China and are great places to see how the locals shop and what they buy. And what better way to try out your Chinese? You can always point to what you want and discover the correct term for it from the vendor.

In addition to clothes, books, and kitchen utensils, outdoor markets may offer all sorts of food items:

Ròu 肉 (row) (meat): niú ròu 牛肉 (nyoe row) (beef), yáng ròu 羊肉 (yahng row) (lamb), or jī ròu 鸡肉 (雞肉) (jee row) (chicken)

Shuǐguǒ 水果 (shway-gwaw) (fruit): píngguǒ 苹果 (蘋果) (peeng-gwaw) (apples) or júzi 桔子 (jyew-dzuh) (oranges)

Yú 鱼 (魚) (yew) (fish): xiā 虾 (蝦) (shyah) (shrimp), pángxiè 螃蟹 (pahng-shyeh) (crab), lóngxiā 龙虾 (龍蝦) (loong-shyah) (lobster), or yóuyú 鱿鱼 (魷魚) (yo-yew) (squid)

Chinese people generally don’t eat any raw food. The idea of a raw salad bar is truly foreign to them. In fact, shēngcài 生菜 (shung-tsye) (lettuce) literally translates as raw food, and the Chinese generally consider it fit only for farm ­animals.

Making comparisons

When you want to compare people or objects, you generally put the word bǐ 比 (bee) (compared to) between two nouns, followed by an adjective: A bǐ B (adjective). This construction means A is more ____ than B.

Here are a few examples:

Píngguǒ bǐ júzi hǎochī. 苹果比桔子好吃. (蘋果比橘子好吃.) (peeng-gwaw bee jyew-dzuh how-chir.) (Apples are tastier than oranges.)

Tā bǐ nǐ niánqīng. 她比你年轻 (年輕). (tah bee nee nyan-cheeng.) (She’s younger than you.)

Zhèige fànguǎr bǐ nèige fànguǎr guì. 这个饭馆比那个饭馆贵. (這個飯館比那個飯館貴.) (jay-guh fahn-gwar bee nay-guh fahng-gwar gway.) (This restaurant is more expensive than that one.)

How much is that thousand-year-old egg?

When you’re ready to buy some foodstuffs, here are two simple ways to ask how much the products cost:

Duōshǎo qián? 多少钱? (多少錢?) (dwaw-shaow chyan?) (How much money is it?)

Jǐkuài qián? 几块钱? (幾塊錢?) (jee-kwye chyan?) (Literally: How many dollars does it cost?)

The only difference between the two questions is the implied amount of the cost. If you use the question word duōshǎo 多少 (dwaw-shaow), you want to inquire about something that’s most likely more than $10. If you use jǐ 几 (幾) (jee) in front of kuài 块 (塊) (kwye) (dollars), you assume the product costs less than $10. (You can also use jǐ in front of suì 岁 (歲) (sway) (years) when you want to know how old a child under 10 is.)

Talkin’ the Talk

At the local open-air market in Kaifeng, Margaret and Emmanuel eye some vegetables and discuss the price with the older man selling them in his stall. (Track 11)

Margaret:

Shīfu, qǐng wèn, nǐ yǒu méiyǒu bōcài?

shir-foo, cheeng one, nee yo mayo baw-tsye?

Sir, may I ask, do you have any spinach?

Shīfu:

Dāngrán. Yào jǐjīn?

dahng-rahn. yaow jee-jeen?

Of course. How many kilograms would you like?

Emmanuel:

Wǒmen mǎi sānjīn, hǎo bùhǎo?

waw-men my sahn-jeen, how boo-how?

Let’s get three kilograms, okay?

Margaret:

Hǎo. Sānjīn ba.

how. sahn-jeen bah.

Okay. It’ll be three kilograms then.

Shīfu:

Méi wèntǐ. Yìjīn sān kuài qián. Nèmme, yiígòng jiǔ kuài.

may one-tee. ee-jeen sahn kwye chyan. nummuh, ee-goong jyoe kwye.

No problem. It’s $3 a kilogram. So that will be $9 ­all together.

Emmanuel:

Děng yíxià. Bōcài bǐ gàilán guì duōle. Wǒmen mǎi gàilán ba.

dung ee-shyah. baw-tsye bee guy-lahn gway dwaw- luh. waw-mun my guy-lahn bah.

Wait a minute. Spinach is more expensive than Chinese broccoli. Let’s buy Chinese broccoli then.

Shīfu:

Hǎo. Gàilán liǎngkuài yìjīn. Hái yào sānjīn ma?

how. guy-lahn lyahng-kwye ee-jeen. hi yaow sahn-jeen mah?

Okay. Chinese broccoli is $2 a kilogram. Do you still want three kilograms?

Margaret:

Shì de.

shir duh.

Yes.

Shīfu:

Nà, sānjīn yígòng liù kuài.

nah, sahn-jeen ee-goong lyo kwye.

In that case, three kilograms will be $6.

Emmanuel:

Hǎo. Zhè shì liù kuài.

how. juh shir lyoe kwye.

Okay. Here’s $6.

Shīfu:

Xièxiè.

shyeh-shyeh.

Thank you.

Emmanuel:

Xièxiè. Zàijiàn.

shyeh-shyeh. dzye-jyan.

Thanks. Goodbye.

Shīfu:

Zàijiàn.

dzye-jyan.

Goodbye.

Shīfu 师傅 (師傅) (shir-foo) is a term used to indicate someone providing a service; it shows more respect due to age than the term fúwùyuán 服务员 (服務員) (foo-woo-ywan), which indicates any kind of attendant, does.

 Fun & Games

Identify these fruits and vegetables and write their Chinese names below. Check out Appendix D for the answers.

A. __________________________

B. __________________________

C. __________________________

D. __________________________

E. __________________________

F. __________________________

G. __________________________