There are more than 3,300 branches of KFC in China. Coca Cola can be found in every supermarket all around China. Chinese McDonald’s branches are always full. Chinese people really enjoy western food. But they genuinely prefer Chinese food. And who can blame them, they have it all: spicy, fresh, alcoholic, cooked, sweet, vegetarian, fried, aesthetic. From cheap street food to sophisticated gourmet dishes. Learning food vocabulary it’s essential for surviving in China. Here are 50 daily food words and phrases. Enjoy 🙂

Beverages – 饮料Yǐnliào

to drink – 喝 Hē

tea – 茶 Chá

coffee – 咖啡 Kāfēi

mineral water – 矿泉水 Kuàngquán shuǐ

juice – 果汁 Guǒzhī

Coca Cola – 可口可乐 Kěkǒukělè

beer -啤酒 Píjiǔ

wine – 红酒 Hóngjiǔ

Chinese wine – 白酒 Báijiǔ

soy milk – 豆浆 Dòujiāng

 

Sentences for example

你想喝茶还是咖啡？

Nǐ xiǎng hē chá háishì kāfēi?

Would you like tea or coffee?

 

为了好好营养一下身体，你每天都要喝豆浆。

Wèile hǎohǎo yíngyǎng yīxià shēntǐ, nǐ měitiān dū yào hē dòujiāng.

In order to nourish your body well, you should drink soy milk every day.

 

Condiments – 调味品 Tiáowèi pǐn

salt – 盐 Yán

sugar – 糖 Táng

ground pepper – 胡椒粉 Hújiāo fěn

ketchup – 番茄酱 Fānqié jiàng

soy sauce – 酱油 Jiàngyóu

 

Sentences for example

蘸酱油的寿司。

Zhàn jiàngyóu de shòusī.

Sushi dipped in soy sauce.

 

盐是人们日常生活中不可缺少的食品之一。

Yán shì rénmen rìcháng shēnghuó zhōng bùkě quēshǎo de shípǐn zhī yī.

Salt is one of the indispensable food in daily life.

 

Flavors – 味道Wèidào

sweet – 甜 Tián

salty – 咸 Xián

spicy – 辣 Là

bitter – 苦 Kǔ

sour – 酸 Suān

 

Sentences for example

天气太热，牛奶变酸了。

Tiānqì tài rè, niúnǎi biàn suānle.

The hot weather has soured the milk.

 

他最拿手的菜是一个甜甜蜜蜜的点心。

Tā zuì náshǒu de cài shì yīgè tián tiánmì mì de diǎnxīn.

His skilful dish is a special sweet desert.

 

Appetite & Satiety食欲和饱餐Shíyù hé bǎocān

to eat – 吃饭 Chīfàn

thirsty – 渴 Kě

hungry – 饿 È

appetite – 胃口 Wèikǒu

to eat enough, to be full – 吃饱了 Chī bǎole

eat and drink one’s fill – 吃饱喝足 Chī bǎo hē zú

can`t finish all the food – 吃不了 Chī bùliǎo

can’t eat any more – 吃不下 Chī bùxià

be drunk – 喝醉了 Hē zuìle

delicious – 好吃 Hǎochī

 

Sentences for example

虽然我饿极了， 我还吃不了这个辣菜。

Suīrán wǒ è jíle, wǒ hái chī bùliǎo zhège là cài.

Although I’m extremely hungry, I still cannot finish this spicy dish.

 

对炸薯条没有胃口。

Duì zhà shǔ tiáo méiyǒu wèikǒu.

There is no appetite for French fries.

 

Fruits & Vegetables 水果和蔬菜Shuǐguǒ hé shūcài

lemon – 柠檬 Níngméng

mango – 芒果 Mángguǒ

garlic – 大蒜 Dàsuàn

apple – 苹果 Píngguǒ

banana – 香蕉 Xiāngjiāo

onion – 洋葱 Yángcōng

cucumber – 黄瓜 Huángguā

eggplant – 茄子 Qiézi

tomato – 番茄 Fānqié

tomato also known by the name 西红柿 Xīhóngshì

carrot – 胡萝卜 Húluóbo

pear – 梨 Lí

grape – 葡萄 Pútáo

orange – 橙子 Chéngzi

pomegranate – 石榴 Shíliú

potato – 土豆 Tǔdòu

in some region potato also known by the name 马铃薯 Mǎlíngshǔ and 洋芋 Yángyù

ginger – 姜 Jiāng

coconut – 椰子 Yēzi

peach – 桃子 Táozi

corn – 玉米 Yùmǐ

in some region corn also known by the name 包谷 Bāogǔ

pineapple – 菠萝 Bōluó

 

Sentences for example

天气寒冷，番茄苗都冻死了。

Tiānqì hánlěng, fānqié miáo dōu dòng sǐle.

The cold weather killed the tomato plants.

 

酸辣土豆丝是一道色香味的传统菜。

Suān là tǔdòu sī shì yīdào sè xiāngwèi de chuántǒng cài .

“Suanla Tudousi” [hot spicy potato threads] is a colorful, appetizing and tasteful traditional dish.