| Eating out is one of the greatest joys of living in China, but for language learners, opening a full Chinese menu can feel like staring at a wall of unknown characters. The good news: you don’t need to memorise thousands of characters to order well. Most menus follow a standard structure, and learning just a handful of key words will let you navigate almost any restaurant with ease. Almost every restaurant menu is divided into the same core sections. Once you can recognise the section headings, you’ll know exactly what kind of food you’re looking at.  1. 凉菜 (Liángcài) — Cold Appetisers These are small, cold dishes served first, similar to starters. They are usually fresh, crisp and often vinegary. They come out quickly, so they’re perfect to order while you wait for hot dishes. Common picks: 凉拌黄瓜 (liángbàn huángguā) — smashed cucumber salad with garlic and vinegar 酱牛肉 (jiàng niúròu) — sliced braised beef in soy sauce 凉拌木耳 (liángbàn mù’ěr) — cold wood ear mushroom salad 2. 热菜 (Rècài) — Hot Main Dishes This is the largest section of the menu, with all the cooked main dishes. Inside this section, menus usually split into smaller categories: 肉类 (ròulèi) — meat dishes, 素菜 (sùcài) — vegetable dishes, and 海鲜 (hǎixiān) — seafood. Common picks: 宫保鸡丁 (gōngbǎo jīdīng) — kung pao chicken with peanuts 番茄炒蛋 (fānqié chǎodàn) — tomato and egg stir-fry 鱼香肉丝 (yúxiāng ròusī) — fish-fragrant shredded pork 3. 主食 (Zhǔshí) — Staple Carbs These are the filling starchy dishes that you eat alongside the main dishes. Chinese meals are always shared, so you usually order one or two staples for the whole table. Common picks: 米饭 (mǐfàn) — steamed white rice 蛋炒饭 (dàn chǎofàn) — egg fried rice 饺子 (jiǎozi) — boiled dumplings 牛肉面 (niúròu miàn) — beef noodles 4. 汤 (Tāng) — Soups In Chinese dining culture, soup is usually served at the end of the meal, not the beginning. Most are light and savoury. Common picks: 番茄蛋汤 (fānqié dàn tāng) — tomato and egg soup 紫菜蛋汤 (zǐcài dàn tāng) — seaweed and egg soup Pro Ordering Tips Look for a little 辣 (là) icon next to dishes — that means spicy. Two or three peppers mean extra spicy. 招牌菜 (zhāopái cài) means “chef’s special” — these are usually the restaurant’s best and most popular dishes. If you see 例 (lì) next to a soup or dish, it means “serving for one person.” |
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