Some of us local Chinese and grizzled expat veterans of many a Mandarin class forget that a significant portion of the expat population recognizes so few Chinese characters that rocking up at a restaurant without an English menu can be a real challenge.

While this quickie guide won't give you access to the deeper, darker corners of every Chinese menu, it's a start to at least make sure you don't accidentally order the Spicy Lung Slices or Large Intestine Soup:

Food 食物 shí wù

Vegetables 蔬菜 shū cài

– Cabbage 白菜 Bái cài
– Scallion/Green onion 蔥 Cōng
– Onion 洋蔥 Yáng cōng
– Celery 芹菜 Qín cài
– Coriander 香菜 Xiāng cài
– Bamboo shoot 筍 Sǔn
– Mushroom 蘑菇 Mó gū
– Tomato 西紅柿/番茄 Xī hóng shì/ Fān qié
– Potato 土豆 Tǔ dòu
– Corn 玉米 Yù mǐ
– Eggplant 茄子 Qié zi
– Cucumber 黃瓜 Huáng guā
– Bean sprout 豆芽 Dòu yá
– Spinach 菠菜 Bō cài

Meat 肉 Ròu

– Pork 豬肉 Zhū ròu
– Beef 牛肉 Niú ròu
– Chicken 雞肉 Jī ròu
– Lamb 羊肉 Yáng ròu
– Ribs 排骨 Pái gǔ
– Pork belly 五花肉 Wǔ huā ròu
– Steak 牛排 Niú pái

Seafood 海鮮 Hǎi xiān

– Crab 螃蟹 Páng xiè
– Shrimp 蝦 Xiā
– Fish 魚 Yú
– Lobster 龍蝦 lóng xiā
– Spicy Crawfish 麻辣小龍蝦 Má là xiǎo lóng xiā

Regional dishes 地方菜 dì fāng cài

– Peking duck 北京烤鴨 Běi jīng kǎo yā
– Shanghai small steamed buns 上海小籠包 Shàng hǎi xiǎo lóng bāo
– Xi'an hamburger 西安肉夾饃 Xī'ān ròu jiā mó
– Sichuan hotpot 四川火鍋 Sì chuān huǒ guō
– Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles 蘭州拉面 Lán zhōu lā miàn
– Hangzhou braised pork belly 杭州東坡肉 Háng zhōu dōng pō ròu
– Changsha-style stinky tofu 長沙臭豆腐 Chǎng shā chòu dòu fu

Drinks 飲品 yǐn pǐn

– Tea 茶 Chá
– Red wine 紅酒 Hóng jiǔ
– White wine 白葡萄酒 Bái pú táo jiǔ
– Beer 啤酒 Pí jiǔ
– Juice 果汁 Guǒ zhī
– Ice water 冰水 Bīng shuǐ
– Coca-Cola 可樂 Kě lè
– Herbal tea 王老吉 Wáng lǎo jí

Key ordering phrases

Hi, what do you want to order?
你好，請問你點什么？
Nǐhǎo，qǐng wèn nǐ diǎn shén me？

I'd like to have ______.
我想要______。
Wǒ xiǎng yào_______

Hi waiter, I'm a vegetarian, can you recommend some vegan food to me?
你好，服務員，我是素食主義者，請問你能推薦我一些素食菜給我嗎？
Nǐ hǎo fú wù yuán, wǒ shì sù shí zhǔ yì zhě, qǐng wèn nǐ néng tuī jiàn yī xiē sù shí cài gěi wǒ ma?

I really like to eat steak!
我很喜歡吃牛排!
Wǒ hěn xǐ huan chī niú pái!

來源：The Beijinger
編輯：萬月英