How to Order Food in Chinese (and Bubble Tea)
To order food in Chinese, point and say 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège, I'll have this one). Ask 有什么推荐的？ (yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?, what do you recommend?), and say 买单 (mǎidān, the bill please) at the end. Below are 32 phrases in the order a meal goes, from saying how many to leaving.
Mandarin Phrases for Ordering Food and Bubble Tea
Teaches the Mandarin phrases you need to order food and bubble tea in mainland China, from QR code menus and spice levels to paying with WeChat or Alipay. Simplified characters with pinyin.
32 cards with audio. Read them all free on the deck page.
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Say how many
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 几位？ | jǐ wèi? | How many people? The host or server says this at the door. | |
| 两位。 | liǎng wèi. | Two of us. The usual answer to 几位？ (how many?). Swap 两 for your number: 三位, 四位. 两个人 also works. |
Scan the QR code menu
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 是扫码点餐吗？ | shì sǎomǎ diǎncān ma? | Do we order by scanning the code? Ask this when you see a QR code on the table. | |
| 扫一下桌上的二维码。 | sǎo yíxià zhuō shang de èrwéimǎ. | Scan the QR code on the table. The server says this. You order and often pay in WeChat or Alipay. | |
| 有纸质菜单吗？ | yǒu zhǐzhì càidān ma? | Do you have a paper menu? Useful if you cannot use the QR code. Some places have one, some do not. |
Order and ask for a recommendation
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 有什么推荐的？ | yǒu shénme tuījiàn de? | What do you recommend? Polite and common with any server. | |
| 我要这个。 | wǒ yào zhège. | I'll have this one. Say it while you point at the menu or a photo. | |
| 这个分量大吗？ | zhège fènliàng dà ma? | Is this a big portion? Many dishes are made to share, so it is worth asking. | |
| 我不吃肉。 | wǒ bù chī ròu. | I don't eat meat. Dishes may still use meat stock or lard, so add 我吃素 (wǒ chī sù, I'm vegetarian) if that matters to you. | |
| 来一碗米饭。 | lái yì wǎn mǐfàn. | A bowl of rice, please. Rice is often ordered on its own, not served with the dish. 来 is the casual way to order. | |
| 还要多久？ | hái yào duōjiǔ? | How much longer will it take? Ask when your food is slow. |
Set the spice level
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这个辣吗？ | zhège là ma? | Is this spicy? | |
| 微辣、中辣还是特辣？ | wēi là, zhōng là háishi tè là? | Mild, medium or extra hot? The server asks this. Some places say 重辣 (zhòng là) for the hottest level. | |
| 微辣。 | wēi là. | Mild spice. At Sichuan and Hunan restaurants, mild can still be quite hot. | |
| 不要辣，谢谢。 | bú yào là, xièxie. | No spice, please. Some dishes are made with chili and cannot be made without it. |
Bubble tea size, sugar and ice
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一杯奶茶，大杯。 | yì bēi nǎichá, dà bēi. | One milk tea, large. Most shops offer 中杯 (zhōng bēi, medium) and 大杯 (dà bēi, large). | |
| 半糖。 | bàn táng. | Half sugar. Staff may ask 甜度呢 (how sweet?). Levels vary by chain: 全糖 full, 七分糖 70%, 半糖 50%, 三分糖 30%, 无糖 none. | |
| 无糖。 | wú táng. | No sugar. Some chains call it 不另外加糖 (no added sugar). | |
| 少冰。 | shǎo bīng. | Less ice. Other levels: 正常冰 (normal ice), 去冰 (no ice), 常温 (room temperature), 热 (hot). | |
| 去冰。 | qù bīng. | No ice. The drink is still cold, just with the ice taken out. | |
| 要热的。 | yào rè de. | I'd like it hot. Staff may ask 冰的还是热的 (iced or hot?). Not every drink comes hot. | |
| 加珍珠。 | jiā zhēnzhū. | Add pearls (tapioca). Toppings are called 小料. Use 加 plus the topping to add one. | |
| 不加小料。 | bù jiā xiǎoliào. | No toppings. To drop one topping, say 不要 plus its name, like 不要椰果 (no coconut jelly). |
Takeaway or eat in
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 在这儿吃还是带走？ | zài zhèr chī háishi dàizǒu? | Eat here or take it away? The server or cashier asks this. | |
| 堂食。 | táng shí. | Eat in. The word staff and ordering apps use. You can also say 在这儿吃 (zài zhèr chī) or 在这里吃 (zài zhèlǐ chī); both are heard across China. | |
| 打包。 | dǎbāo. | To go, or please box it up. 带走 (dàizǒu) also means to go. 打包 is also how you ask to take leftovers home. | |
| 能给我一个袋子吗？ | néng gěi wǒ yí gè dàizi ma? | Can I have a bag? Shops often charge a little for plastic bags. |
Pay by phone
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 买单。 | mǎidān. | The bill, please. 结账 (jiézhàng) means the same. With QR ordering you may pay on your phone instead. | |
| 我用微信付。 | wǒ yòng Wēixìn fù. | I'll pay with WeChat. For Alipay, say 我用支付宝付 (wǒ yòng Zhīfùbǎo fù). | |
| 你扫我还是我扫你？ | nǐ sǎo wǒ háishi wǒ sǎo nǐ? | Will you scan my code, or shall I scan yours? The cashier asks. 你扫我: you scan the shop's QR code. 我扫你: you open your payment code and they scan it. |
Leave
| Mandarin | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谢谢，很好吃。 | xièxie, hěn hǎochī. | Thank you, it was delicious. A friendly thing to say as you leave. | |
| 慢走。 | mànzǒu. | Take care. Staff say this as you leave. A nod or 谢谢 is enough in reply. |
Frequently asked questions
Do restaurants in China still use paper menus?
Many now put a QR code on the table. You scan it with WeChat or Alipay and order on your phone. You can ask 有纸质菜单吗？ (yǒu zhǐzhì càidān ma?) for a paper menu. Some places have one, some do not.
Can foreigners pay with WeChat or Alipay?
Yes. Both apps accept many foreign bank cards, including Visa and Mastercard. Set one up before you travel. Keep some cash too, as a backup.
How do you order bubble tea in Chinese?
Say the drink and the size, then the sugar and the ice. For example: 一杯奶茶，大杯，半糖，少冰 (one milk tea, large, half sugar, less ice). The names for sugar levels vary by chain.
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