The purpose of the Restaurant Module (RST) is to acquaint you with Chinese cuisine and eating customs and to provide you with the linguistic skills you need to be able to order food in a restaurant or to dine at home.

When you have finished this module, you should be able to: Name four foods or dishes suitable as a snack or as an in-between meal. Name four dishes in Chinese you might order for dinner. Name 5 types of meat, fish or fowl. Translate the names of 10 Chinese dishes (either soups, main courses, or desserts) into English. List the food which accompanies various main courses: rice, noodles, pancakes, steamed bread, flower rolls. Order a Western-style breakfast. Order one of the "fixed meals" offered in small restaurants. Order Mongolian Barbecue or Mongolian Hot Pot. Discuss with a friend what to order for a snack. Ask for a menu and for help in reading it. Discuss with the waiter or waitress what the various dishes are. Ask for suggestions in ordering the meal. Comment on the meal: how the dishes were made, which were most pleasing, and when you’ve had enough. Ask for the check and ask to have the tip figured into the total. Call to make reservations for a dinner party. Discuss the menu and cost of the dinner. List the different types of courses which go to make up a banquet: cold dishes, main courses, soups, and desserts. Partake in a formal banquet: toasting friends, wishing them well, and responding to the host's hospitality.

chī: “to eat”. The verb “to eat” is often expressed using a general object compound, chī fàn, instead of the simple verb chī. Nǐ chī fàn le ma? 你吃饭了马？ Have you eaten? Wǒ hái méi chī fàn. 我还没吃饭。 I haven't eaten yet. suíbiàn 随便: This word meaning “as you please”, or more literally “following convenience”, has a variety of uses. Nǐ suíbiàn mǎi ba. 你随便买吧。 Buy what you want. Nǐ qù bu qu? Suí nǐde biàn ba. 你去不去？随你的便吧。 Are you going? Do what you like. guōtiē 锅贴: This has been translated here as “fried dumpling”, but actually a guōtiē differs from a dumpling in several respects. We usually think of a dumpling as a solid lump of leavened dough dropped in soup to cook. A guōtiē, however, is made of thin, unleavened dough, which serves as a wrapper for a filling. This filling may be Chinese cabbage, port, beef, lamb, or any combination, thereof. Secondly, a guōtiē is not dropped in soup, but is steamed and fried, so that the bottom is crisp and the top is soft. bāozi 包子: This is a round of steamed bread filled with salty stuffing (cabbage, pork, beef, shrimp, etc.) or sweet stuffing (red bean puree, walnuts, almonds, etc.). The steamed bread is made from a raised dough and forms a thick bun, somewhat similar in concept to a hamburger. suān là tāng 酸辣汤: A thick spicy soup made of pork, white bean curd, “red bean curd” (actually dried chicken or pork blood), dried tiger lily flowers, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and egg. liǎngwǎn... 两碗酸。。。: The word for “bowl”, wǎn 碗, is used as a counter here.

A conversation in a small restaurant.

Hái yào jige bāozi, zěnmeyàng?: The toneless syllable ji- means “a few” or “several”. It may be difficult to distinguish between jige. “a few”, from jǐge, “how many” in rapid speech. Usually there will be other clues such as intonation and context to help you distinguish them. This is discussed again in Unit 3 of the Directions Module. Bú yào diǎn tài duō le.: The phrase bú yào is used to mean “don't” in sentences expressing a command. You'll learn more about this in the Transportation Module. The marker le for new situation is used here to reinforce the idea of “excessive”. Whenever a speaker says something is excessive, he is actually saying that it has BECOME excessive. Nǐmen diǎn dian shénme?: The first word diǎn is the verb “to order”. The second word diǎn (from yìdiǎn, “a little”) means “some”. Èrshige guōtiē, sìge bāozi: You can tell from the amount ordered that the guōtiē are more or less bite-sized, while the bāozi are larger.

A conversation between an American student and a Chinese friend in front of a small restaurant.

xiǎochìdiàn: This is a small place where you can grab something to eat. (Xiǎochī means “snack”.) If you are in a city in China, you are probably not far from one. A xiǎochīdiàn is often run by one or two people. It may be arranged so that the cooking area faces the street, in which case you'll probably walk through the kitchen as you head for a table. Putting the kitchen at the front, facing the street, makes for better ventilation and allows people on the street to see and smell what is being cooked. Inside you are likely to find small tables without tablecloths, and stools. There is generally no menu, but some of the dishes may be written on a blackboard or on red pieces of paper which are hung on the wall. Since the xiǎochīdiàn is often a small operation, it may only offer a few things or it may specialize in serving one type of food, such as noodles or dumplings. The word xiǎo in xiǎochīdiàn, refers not to the size of the establishment, but to the types of food offered. Tāmen dōu yǒu shénme?: The word dōu in this sentence refers to the object, not the subject. In other words, the sentence is translated as “What all do they have?” in this context. In another conversation the same sentence might mean “What do they all have?”. This type of question with dōu expects an answer with more than one item mentioned. The dōu may be thought to refer to the object in the answer. Nǐ dōu mǎi shénme le? What all did you buy? Wǒ mǎile shíge bāozi, sānjīn píngguo, liùpíng qìshuǐ. I bought ten bāozi, three catties of apples, six bottles of soda. But notice that in the answer dōu is NOT used even though the object is plural in number or a series of items.

zhēng jiǎo: These are crescent-shaped dumplings filled with cabbage and meat which are steam cooked. The steaming is done by-placing the dumplings in a bamboo basket, which is one layer in a stack of bamboo baskets called a zhēng lóng, and then placing the whole stack over a container of boiling water. gěi wo lái ...: The verb lái here means not “to come” but “to bring” since it is followed by a noun. The word gěi is the prepositional verb “for”. yìlóng zhēng jiǎo: Steamed dumplings are sold by the basket and served in the basket that they are steamed in. The word for one tier of such baskets is used as a counter, -lòng (yìlòng, liànglòng. etc.). tāng miàn: This is the name for a class of dishes made of noodles and soup. Unlike the Western idea of soup with some noodles, tāng miàn is basically noodles with some soup added. Because Northern China is a wheat growing area, noodles are a staple in the diet of that region. A bowl of noodles can be used to make a side dish for a large meal, or, with a little soup and meat added, can be a meal in itself. Noodles are commonly made in six-to-ten-foot lengths in China, and are regarded as a symbol of longevity. chǎo miàn: One of the verbs translated “to fry” is chǎo. It is also sometimes translated as “stir fry”. The Chinese language has several verbs meaning “to fry”. Chǎo means to fry in a little oil, stirring rapidly and constantly, not unlike sautéing. niúròu miàn: This dish consists of noodles in soup with pieces of beef. The word for “beef” is niúròu, literally “cow”, niú and “meat”, ròu. In the names of Chinese dishes, the thing the dish is primarily composed of, in this case noodles, is at the end of the phrase. Those words coming before describe the additional foods with which the dish is prepared or the style in which it is prepared. jiǎozi: A crescent-shaped dumpling, made of white dough and stuffed with a mixture of meat and scallions or mixed vegetables. Jiǎozi may be served steamed, zhēng jiǎo or boiled, shuǐ jiǎo. It is said that Marco Polo took the idea of these dumplings back to Italy inspiring the creation of ravioli. ròusī miàn: This is noodles in soup with shreds of pork and vegetables. Actually, the word ròu means simply “meat”, not “pork”. But the basic meat of China has always been pork, and therefore ròu on a menu refers to pork unless otherwise specified. shénmede: This word, used after a series of nouns, means “and so on” or “etcetera”. Qìshuǐ, píjiǔ, shénmede dōu děi mǎi. We need to buy soda, beer, and so on.

A conversation between a waiter and a customer at a small eatery.

duōshaoge: The word duōshao may be used either with or without a counter. sānxiān: This word occurs in the names of rice dishes, noodle dishes and soups. It can be roughly translated as “three delicacies”, more literally, “three fresh”. It means that the dish is made with two different meats, such as chicken and pork, and a seafood, such as shrimp, in addition to the vegetables.

A conversation at another small eatery.

chǎo jīdàn: This is literally translated as “fried eggs”. Since chǎo means “to stir fry”, however, it actually refers to scrambled eggs. kǎo miànbāo: “Toast”. This phrase is the verb kǎo “to roast” and the word for “bread”, miànbāo. Qǐng zài lái...: Here again you see the verb lái used to mean “bring”. The word zài is the adverb “again”. Literally translated, this phrase means something like “Please again bring...”. This is the standard way to ask someone to bring more of something. shāobing: This is a baked roll with layers of dough and covered with sesame seeds. It comes in two shapes, one oblong and the other round like an English muffin, only not as thick. It is usually eaten at breakfast. liǎnggēn yóutiáo: This is a long, twisted, puffy roll which is deep-fried. It resembles a cruller, but it is not sweet. Literally, the name means “oil stick”. It is usually eaten at breakfast, along with dòujiāng and perhaps a shǎobing. The counter for long, thin objects, like yóutiáo is -gēn. dòujiāng: This is a liquid produced when bean curd, dòufu, is made from soybeans. It is white, resembling milk, and high in protein. It may be flavored so that it is sweet or salty. It is sometimes called soybean milk. tiánde/xiānde: Many foods in China such as bāozi and dòujiāng come in two sorts: tiánde and xiānde. Although the Chinese categorize foods as either salty or sweet, this does not mean that food which is labeled “salty” is terribly salty. Sometimes the label “salty” simply means “not sweet”.

A conversation at the Peking Hotel.

Breakfast at the Peking Hotel: The Peking Hotel is said to have the best Western style food in the city. While they serve both Western and Chinese style lunches and dinners, they are not always prepared to serve certain kinds of Chinese breakfast foods, such as shāobing and yóutiáo. If you would like to eat these typical Chinese breakfast foods you should ask in advance. xīfàn: This is another breakfast food. It is a white porridge made of rice and water. In the northern parts of China it is eaten along with salted pickles, ham, salted vegetables, salted eggs or peanuts. mántou: “Steamed bread”. While the word miànbāo refers to Western style bread, mántou refers to a Chinese version of bread, a large steamed roll made of white dough. It is heavy and moist with no crust.

kèfàn: This refers to a type of meal in which soup, a main dish, rice and tea are all served for one price. Much of the meal is prepared ahead of time, which makes it quick, convenient and inexpensive for the customer. It is referred to here as a “fixed meal”. Other translations are “fixed dinner”, “blue plate special” and “combination plate”. Kèfàn jiù yǒu yìzhǒng ma?: When you ask this question, the person you are speaking to might think you are asking about the different price categories that kèfàn is available in. Restaurants which offer kèfàn often have an inexpensive, a moderate and a top-of-the-line kèfàn each day. cài: This is the word for any dish which is not soup, rice or noodles. yòng: Like the word gěi, “to give”, the word yòng can act as either a full verb or a prepositional verb. As a full verb, it means “to use”. As a prepositional verb, it means “with”. Here are some examples of both usages. Nǐ kéyi yòng wǒde diànshàn. You can use my electric fan. Tā yòng kuàizi chī fàn. He eats with chopsticks. jī: While often the word for a type of meat, such as “beef”, niúròu, contains the syllable ròu, “meat”, the word for chicken does not. xiàcì: The words for “last time”, “this time” and “next time” are formed according to the same principle as you've learned for other time words, like “last week” and “last month”. shàngcì last time shàngge xīngqī last week shàngge yuè last month zhècì this time zhège xīngqī this week zhège yuè this month xiàcì next time xiàge xīngqī next week xiàge yuè next month

A conversation between an American woman and a Chinese friend, who are out to eat on their lunch hour.

Nà: At the beginning of the sentence, nà means “then” or “well then”. Yǒu sān-sìzhǒng: “three or four kinds”. Two consecutive numbers may be used together to give the idea of an approximate figure. The exception to this rule is that 10 and multiples of 10 can not combine with the number coming immediately before or after them. You will learn this in more detail in the Transportation Module. Hǎo. Nǐ yào yíge qīngjiāo niúròu.: While at an informal meal each person at the table may choose one of the dishes, everyone at a Chinese meal eats from all the dishes, which are put in the center of the table.

A conversation in a small restaurant.

Hǎo bu hǎochī?: The compound hǎochī, “to be tasty”, can be broken apart to form a question. Kèfàn dōu yǒu shénme yàngde cài?: The adverb dōu in this sentence refers to the plural subject kèfàn, “fixed dinners”.

xiārén: This word refers to small shrimp without shells. dòufu: “Bean curd”. This is a soft white substance made from soybeans, with the consistency of jello or custard. It has only a faint taste, but is rich in protein and minerals. It is a staple found all over the Orient and may be found in everyday food as well as festive foods. bú cuò: This phrase is used for “not bad”, in the sense of “pretty good”, “pretty well”, “all right”. Bié kèqi: Because this phrase is one of the most basic phrases in the system of Chinese customs and manner, it is difficult to translate. Here, it may be translated as “Don't be formal.” or “Don't stand on ceremony.” But it should be viewed in context to determine its full meaning. bǎo: This is an adjectival verb meaning “to be satisfied”, literally “to be full”. Nǐ duō chī yìdiǎn: Notice the word order of this sentence. The word duō is used as an adverb, and therefore precedes the verb chī. The word yìdiǎn is used as the object of the action and therefore follows the verb. Wǒ zài chī: The word zài can be used as a marker of ongoing action. You’ll learn more about this in the Meeting Module.

Nī zài diǎn yíge ba.: The word zài here means “additionally” or “more”. Wǒ xiǎng tài duō le, Bú yào cài le ba.; Here are two examples of the marker le for new situations. In the first sentence it is necessary to use le to indicate that the food order has now become too much. In the second sentence, it is necessary to use the marker le to indicate that the meat and vegetable is not wanted anymore.

At another small restaurant.

Zài lai yíge tāng, zěnmeyàng?: Here you see another example of the word zài. meaning “additionally” or “more”. Nǐ xiǎng bu xiang chī dian tiǎnde dōngxi?: The Chinese are not accustomed to eating desserts as are some other cultures. While they have invented some rather delicious desserts, these are usually served only at more formal dinners. At a modest meal or in a xiǎochīdiàn, the only dessert available is probably fruit.

zhīdao: The verb “to know”, zhīdao is a state verb and therefore can be negated, only with the syllable bù. Wǒ zuótian bù zhīdao tā zài nār. Yesterday I didn’t know where he was. Notice also that the verb “to know, zhīdao, has a neutral tone on the last syllable. But when it is negated, the verb “to know” has tones on all syllables, bù zhīdào. Nǐ jiàode tài duō le.: “You've ordered too much.” A more literal translation might be “What you’ve ordered is too much. The phrase Nǐ jiàode is a modifying phrase with the modified noun (perhaps “food” or “dishes”) deleted. Mápó dòufu: This is a peppery hot dish made of bean curd, finely chopped beef or pork and hot bean paste. This dish is typical of the Szechuan style of cooking, which is noted for hot spicy dishes. yúxiāng qiézi: This name literally means “fragrant-fish eggplant”. However, there is no fish used in the preparation of the dish. It is made with scallions, ginger, garlic, hot bean paste, vinegar and soy sauce. Yúxiāng refers to a famous Szechuan manner of preparation which was originally used to make fish dishes, but was later applied to other foods, such as pork, beef, and eggplant. jīdīng: Earlier you saw the word jīpiān, “chicken slices”, now you see the word jīdīng, which means “chicken cubes” or “diced chicken. Both are commonly used in the names of dishes. gōngbǎo jīdīng: This is a famous dish which originated in Szechuan. It is made with diced chicken, bamboo shoots, scallions, red peppers, soy sauce, and garlic. xiārén guōba tāng: This is a shrimp and tomato soup into which squares of dried crispy rice are dropped. These squares of rice bear some resemblance to “rice crisps”. They are the crisp browned part of the rice left at the bottom of the pot. As the crispy rice squares are poured into the hot soup, a sizzling, crackling sound is given off. básī píngguo: This is a dessert made of apple slices Which are covered with a light batter and deep fried. The fried apples are then dipped in a hot mixture of sugar-syrup and sesame seeds. The apples are coated much in the same way taffy apples are. These hot sugar-coated apples are then dropped into a bowl of ice water, which hardens the sugar syrup covering into a crisp candy coating. The result is a dessert which combines a number of textures and tastes. The name for this dessert is translated many ways: “spun taffy apples”, “caramel apple fritters”, “pulled silk apples”. Bananas can also be prepared in this way.

A conversation between two Chinese friends who are out to dinner in a Szechwan restaurant.

Dinner in a Szechuan Restaurant; China has a rich and varied tradition of cooking, due to the size of the country, the many different foods available, and the long history of its culture. The numerous styles of cooking may be grouped into the following schools: The Northern School (Jīng cài), The Sichuan School (Chuān Cài), The Húnán School (Xiāng Cài), The Shànghǎi School (Hù Cài). The Fújiàn School (Mǐn Cài), The Canton School (Yuè Cài), each with its own distinct style and famous dishes. It is common to find restaurants representing most of these schools of cooking in many cities in China. Dāngrán hái yào yíge tāng: The speaker says “Naturally we'll also want a soup.” because soup is a part of every Chinese meal, from the simplest lunch to the most elaborate dinner. The reason for this is that, unless toasts are being drunk, the Chinese do not drink beverages along with their meal. The soup, which is served at the end of the meal, is the main liquid of the meal. sháor (sháozi)/tiáogēng: The word sháor is used more in Peking, while tiáogēng is used in other parts of the country, too.

kāndedǒng: This is a compound verb of result meaning “can read and understand (it)”. Its negative counterpart is kànbudǒng, “can’t read and understand (it)”. See Meeting Module. Reference Notes for Unit 1 for a discussion of compound verbs of result. Tā xiěde zì, wǒ kānbudǒng. I can't read (understand) his writing. Huánghuā Yú: The Seiaena Schelegelì is translated here as “yellow fish”. It is sometimes referred to in Chinese as huáng yú. In English, it is also called croaker, drum fish, or China Bass. Since the huánghuā yú is a fish native to China, any American fish name given to it, such as croaker, is at best only a rough equivalent. Hóngshāo Yú: The “red-cooked” style of cooking involves stewing the meat, or in this case, the fish, in soy sauce, sherry and water. It is called “red-cooked” because of the reddish-brown color the soy sauce gives the dish. Cōngbào Niúròu: Beef with Spring Onions. Literally, this means “spring onions-fried beef”. Bào is another method of cooking. It is similar to chǎo “sauté”, but uses less oil and highest heat. Zhàci Ròusī Tāng: Although translated here as “Szechuan Hot Pickled Cabbage,” zhàci is properly made from mustard green roots preserved with salt and hot pepper. It can be used to flavor foods or it can be eaten by itself. mǐfǎn: This word refers to cooked rice. It can also refer to rice dishes, such as chǎo fàn. huājuǎr: Flower-rolls are made of steamed bread, which has been shaped into layers resembling petals. suàn yíxià zhàng: The verb suàn means “to figure, to calculate”. Suàn zhàng means “to figure accounts”, “to calculate the bill”. Here the word yíxià follows the verb. The use of yíxià after a verb has an effect similar to reduplicating the verb, that is it makes the action more casual. zài hēibǎnshang xiězhe ne: -Zhe is the marker of DURATION of actions and states. It indicates that an action or state lasted for an amount of time. The marker ne, on the other hand, marks ONGOING (and therefore present) actions or states. In this expression the marker -zhe tells us that at some time the dishes CONTINUE in the state of being written on the blackboard, and the marker ne tells us that state is GOING ON now. -Zhe is used in sentences to describe activities which last over a period of time, whether that time is past, present or future. A verb plus -zhe in Chinese often corresponds to the “-ing” form of the verb in English. Zǒuzhe qù kéyi ma? Can you get there by walking? Wǒmen zuòzhe shuō huà, hǎo bu hao? Let's sit awhile and talk, okay? Míngtian wǎnshang, wǒmen shi zuòzhe chī, háishi zhànzhe chī? Tomorrow night will it be a sit-down dinner or will we eat standing up? Tā hái bìngzhe ne. He is still sick. gōngnóngbíng: This expression is a conglomeration of the words for “worker”, gōngren, “farmer”, nóngmín, and “soldier”, bìng. Notice that the first syllable (or only syllable) of each is used to make this abbreviated form. chīdelái: This is a compound verb of result with the syllable -de- inserted between the action verb and the ending verb. This pattern is used to express the meaning “able to ____”. Usually the second verb of the compound expresses the specific result of the action, but here the verb lái expresses only the general idea of result. (The verb lái in this position has been called a “dummy result ending”. Qù can also be used this way.) Although no specific result is expressed here, the pattern is still used because it expresses the idea of “can” or “able to”. Měiguo cài, wǒ zuòdelúi; Zhōngguo cài, wǒ zuòbulái. I can cook American food, I can't cook Chinese food. Měiguo cài, wǒ huì zuò; Zhōngguo cài, wǒ bú huì zuò. I can cook American food, I can't cook Chinese food.

Three American women, who have spent the morning sightseeing, enter a cafeteria in a park. It is lunchtime and there are many people. As the women get in line to order, an attendant in the cafeteria comes up to them.

Notice that in this situation the cafeteria attendant does not let the foreigners stand in line for their food. Instead he waits on them getting them special food when possible. The Chinese feel that foreigners are their guests and should be treated accordingly. Wǒ bù dōu kàndedǒng: Notice that the American woman chooses a rather indirect way of letting the Chinese attendant know that she cannot read. In the lines following, the attendant answers back simply suggesting some of the more tasty dishes, a courteous and face-saving response. Huì yòng, kěshi yòngde bú tài hǎo: This is another courteous response. Here the American lets it be known that they can handle chopsticks, but does so modestly. Chīdelái ba?: Literally, “Was it edible?” or “Could you eat it?”

Three friends enter a restaurant in downtown Taipei at lunchtime. A waiter comes up to them.

Wǒmen gāng cóng Mèiguo lái: In this sentence and the ones which follow the American modestly explains their situation and then asks for help. The waiter replies in a friendly and polite manner.

yǒumíng: “To be famous”, literally, “to have a name”, is always negated with méi. Kǎo Yángròu: This is Mongolian Barbecued Lamb. It is thin slices of lamb dipped in a sauce of soy sauce, scallions, Chinese parsley, sugar, and sherry, and other condiments you can mix to your own taste, then grilled quickly over high heat. This meal is prepared at specialty restaurants which usually serve little else. Shuàn Yángròu: This meal requires that a pot with a source of heat beneath it (huǒguō, literally “fire pot”) be placed in the middle of the table. Usually the pot is shaped in a ring with a chimney containing the heat source in the center. Each guest cooks his meat and vegetables in the boiling water of the fire pot, often with four or five people simultaneously keeping track of their food as it is cooking. After his meat is cooked he then dips it into various sauces and eats it. By the end of the meal, the water in the pot has become a highly flavored soup. Fěnsī (see below) and vegetables are then dropped into it, and it is eaten. chúle...yǐwài: This pattern is used to express the idea “except for...”, “besides...”, or “aside from...”. The second part, yǐwài, is sometimes omitted. Wǒ chúle mǎi yìběn shū, hái yào mǎi yìběn zázhì. In addition to buying one book, I also want to buy one magazine. fěnsī: These are called “cellophane noodles” because their appearance is clear and glass-like. They are made from pea-starch and are sometimes called pea-starch noodles. zuóliào: This refers to various sauces used to dip the lamb in, and therefore translates as “condiment”. In other contexts, zuóliào can mean “ingredient”. shuōde wǒ dōu è le: Here you see a verb, shuō, the syllable de, and the result of the action of talking (wǒ dōu è le.) A literal translation of the expression might be “Talk to (the point that) I'm already hungry.” The marker de carries the meaning “to the point of”, “to the extent that” in this expression. xiāng cài: A coarse, leafy, strong tasting type of parsley.

This conversation takes place in late spring in Peking. A foreign student talks with a few of his Chinese classmates.

This conversation takes place in winter in Taipei. A foreign student and some of his Chinese classmates are in a northern Chinese restaurant, waiting for the food to come.

běifāng cài: The syllable -fāng means “place” or “region”. It is added to direction words to form the name of a place. Běifāng cài refers to Northern Chinese cuisine. Nánfāng cài refers to cuisine south of the Yangtze river, including the Shanghai school of cooking and the Cantonese school of cooking.

báobǐng: These are thin, wheat cakes, usually rolled out and cooked in pairs that are separated before use. They resemble thin, French crepes in appearance. They are eaten with dishes instead of rice. Mùxu Ròu: This is a pork dish cooked with egg. It is eaten with báobǐng. A spoonful of Mùxu Ròu is placed in the middle of a báobǐng. Then it is rolled up and eaten. sùcài: This is a vegetable dish made with no meat sauces or flavorings at all, and is therefore correctly called a vegetarian vegetable dish. Although sùcài are made without the use of meat sauces or meat flavorings, they are often artfully seasoned and formed in such a way that they resemble meat very closely. xiāng: This is the adjectival verb “to be fragrant”. Zhège sùcài hěn xiāng., could also be translated as “This vegetarian vegetable dish has a good aroma”. The verb xiāng is often used when talking about food to refer to dishes with garlic or ginger.

Miss Wang invites an American couple, Mr. and Mrs. White to her apartment for dinner. They are just sitting down to dinner.

dìng yìzhuō xí; “To arrange a formal dinner”, more literally “to make arrangements for a one table banquet”. The counter for xí, “a feast or banquet”, is -zhuō, “table”. duōshao qiánde biāozhǔn: “What price level”. Biāozhún literally means “standard”. Duōshao qiánde biāozhǔn could also be translated more literally as “a standard costing how much”, where duōshao qián “how much does it cost?” modifies biāozhǔn, “standard'.” You will also hear duōshao qián biāozhǔnde, with the marker de placed at the end of the phrase. In this case the whole phrase “what price level” modifies the noun jiǔxí, “banquet”, which has been left out of the sentence because it is understood. kè: This word for guest is interchangeable with kèren. duōbàn: “Most of...”. Duōbàn is a noun and is used in the subject position. Tāmen duōbàn dōu bú qù. Most of them are not going. Duōbàn shi niàn Zhōngwén ne. Most of them are studying Chinese. ràng wǒmen pěi...: “Have us select...”, or more literally “allow us to select...”. The verb pěi means “to match”. Dishes are matched to make a formal menu in Chinese. lěngpán: “Cold dishes” or appetizers start off the menu in a formal Chinese dinner. Four cold dishes followed by six to eight main courses, a soup and a dessert is one type of menu arrangement used for formal dinners. Four cold dishes, four sautéed dishes and four main dishes, soup and dessert in another type of formal menu. Cold dishes are usually prepared so as to be pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. Cold cooked meats and vegetables are arranged in colorful designs. jiǔ: Literally, this means “liquor”. It is a term referring to any kind of alcoholic beverage from light beers and wine to hard liquor. Éméi Cāntīng: This is the name of a restaurant offering Szechuan style cuisine. Omei (Émái) is the name of a mountain range running through Szechuan.

A conversation on the telephone.

Nǐ yào duōshao qián biāozhǔnde?: In restaurants in Peking, dinners for a group of people can be arranged on a price per person basis. The restaurants often have several standard priced menus to choose from. Yíge dà lěngpán: One large cold platter instead of several smaller cold dishes may be used in making up the menu for a dinner. One large cold platter, eight main courses, a soup and a dessert is another type of menu for a dinner. 12. Hóngshāo Yúchì Red-cooked Shark's Fin 13. Xiāngsū Yā Fragrant Crispy Duck 14. Gānshāo Míngxiā Dry-cooked Jumbo Shrimp Szechuan Style 15. Fùguì Jī Beggar's Chicken 16. Tángcù Yú Sweet and Sour Fish 17. Mìzhī Huǒtuǐ Ham in Honey Sauce 18. Dōnggua Zhōng Winter Melon Soup served in the Carved Melon Shell 19. Bābǎo Fàn Eight Jewel Rice 20. Xìngrén Dòufu Almond Pudding

Hóngshāo Yúchì: Shark’s Fin is considered a delicacy by the Chinese because it is rare, nutritious and has a smooth, chewy texture when cooked. Some people think that it is best prepared in the red-cooked style. Xiāngsū Yā: Fragrant Crispy Duck is marinated and steamed with onions, wine, ginger, pepper and anise, then deep fried quickly for a crispy result. This method of preparing duck is an example of southern style cooking. Fùguì Jī: “Beggar’s Chicken” is a whole chicken wrapped in wet clay, then roasted until very tender. It is said that this method of preparation was first used by beggars. Originally this dish was called Jiǎohua Jī, literally “Beggar's Chicken”; but as the dish became popular among the upper class, the name changed to Fùguì Jī, literally “Riches and Honor Chicken”. Dōnggua Zhōng: Winter melon, mushrooms, and ham go into this soup. On festive occasions the melon shell is carved with decorations, such as dragons, and used as a bowl for serving the soup. This is a Cantonese specialty. Xìngrěn Dòufu: This is translated here as “Almond Pudding”. Because Xìngrén Dòufu, with its light consistency, is somewhere between a pudding and a gelatin, “Almond Gelatin” would also be a fitting translation of the name. Bābǎo Fàn: “Eight Jewel Rice”. This is sweet sticky rice (nòmǐ) with preserved fruits. The rice is shaped into a mound and decorated with some of the preserved fruit.

An American woman calls a restaurant in Táiběi.

zhǔkè: At a Chinese banquet the guest of honor sits farthest away from the door, the inner-most place in the room. The host sits nearest the door, on the serving side of the table. Bié jǐn gěi wo jiǎn cài: This expression is often used at dinner parties. It is good hospitality for the host or hostess to serve the guests individually from time to time, picking out tender morsels for them. Fellow guests may also do this for the guest of honor. gān yìbēi: Drink a glass”, literally “dry a glass” (meaning “o make the glass dry by emptying it”). Since wine cups are small, the usual toast is Gān bēi!. “Bottoms up!” For people who don't like to drink too much, the phrase Suíyì, “As you like”, will serve as a reply indicating that the whole cup need not be emptied. See the note on suíyì below. Zuì jī: “Drunken Chicken”. The name of this dish comes from the way in which it is prepared. The verb zuì “to get drunk”, refers to the fact that the chicken is marinated in wine at least over-night. This dish originates with the Shanghai school of cooking. It is served cold. Wǒ bú huì hē jiǔ. Dàjiā dōu suíyì ba.: Chinese drinking etiquette requires that if someone doesn’t want to participate in the full range of drinking activities, he should so indicate early on.

Most of the entertaining at a Chinese dinner party takes place at the dinner table, although there is some tea drinking and chatting both before and after the meal in other rooms. The dinner is served at a leisurely pace so that each dish may be savored and talked about. A good dish is appreciated for its appearance as much as its taste, texture and aroma. As each dish is eaten, toasts will be made. The host will start off by toasting the guest of honor and then other guests as a group. As the evening progresses he will toast each guest in turn and each guest will probably propose a toast of his own in honor of the host. A strongly flavored liquor (gāoliang jiǔ). a milder rice wine (huáng jiǔ). or beer may be served. Guests usually drink only when toasting. If you'd like to take a drink of something you either propose a toast or catch someone's eye and silently toast each other. mànmār chī: In sentences expressing commands or requests, an adjectival verb describing manner precedes the main verb. Kuài yìdiǎr kāi! Drive a little faster! Kuài lái! Come here quickly! In the sentence, mànmār chī, the adjectival verb coming before the main verb, màn, is reduplicated with the second syllable changing to a high tone. This also happens in a few other instances. Kuàikuārde chī! Quickly eat! Hǎohāode zuò! Do it well!

jìng: This is the verb “to offer (something) respectfully”. It is used here ceremonially in the phrase “offer her a glass” meaning “to toast her”. juǎnqilai: This compound verb is made of juǎn. “to roll”, qǐ, “to rise, go or come up”, and lái “to come”. Both Peking Duck and Mùxu Ròu are eaten rolled up in pancakes. Xūn Jī: For this dish, chicken is smoked in a vapor from burning tea leaves. This example of Peking cuisine is served as a cold dish or a hot dish. Zhá Xiāqiú: Zhá is the verb “to deep fry”. This is a Shanghai dish of shredded shrimp shaped into balls and then deep fried. jiàng: “Paste”. The paste which is eaten with Peking Duck is tiánmiànjiàng. “sweet bean paste”.

Wǒ zìjī lái: This is a polite way for a guest to respond when the host has been serving him specially. Xià yícì wǒmen kéyi zài lái zhèli chī Kǎo Yā.: The use of the phrase xià yícì makes it sound as if they are making definite plans about the next time they come to eat here, when in fact they are Just talking generally about some future time. In English, we use “sometime” rather than “next time”, as in “We'll have to get together again sometime.”