Language Lessons
In addition to lots of cooking, we will also spend a few minutes each day so you can learn a few basic phrases in Chinese that relate to food. This page contains the Chinese you will learn. It includes links to audio files prepared by Dr. Kinnison. We will also look at some menus from Chinese restaurants. This really isn't a lot of Chinese, but will give you the flavor of the language.
Learn to Speak Chinese
学说中文
(xué shuō zhōng wén)
Lesson One: Greeting Listen Now
| Hi | 你好! | nǐ hǎo |
| How are you? | 你好吗? | nǐ hǎo ma |
| I’m fine. Thank you. And you? | 我很好! 谢谢! 你呢? | wǒ hěn hǎo xiè xiè nǐ ne |
| I’m fine, too. Thank you. | 我 也 很 好, 谢谢! | wǒ yě hěn hǎo xiè xiè |
Lesson Two: Saying “Thank you” and “Goodbye” Listen Now
| Thank you！ | 谢谢! | xiè xiè |
| You are welcome. | 不客气! (不谢.) | bù kè qì ( bù xiè) |
| Goodbye! | 再见！ | zài jiàn |
| Goodbye! | 再见！ | zài jiàn |
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Lesson Three: Chinese numbers 1-10 Listen Now
| 1 | 一 | yī |
| 2 | 二 | èr |
| 3 | 三 | sān |
| 4 | 四 | sì |
| 5 | 五 | wǔ |
| 6 | 六 | liù |
| 7 | 七 | qī |
| 8 | 八 | bā |
| 9 | 九 | jiǔ |
| 10 | 十 | shí |
| 11 | 十一 | shí yī |
| 21 | 二十一 | èr shí yī |
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Lesson Four: Order food and drink Listen Now
| I’d like to have (or I want …. | 我(想)要 …. | wǒ xiǎng yào |
| I’d like to have a cup of water. | 我想要一杯水。 | wǒ xiǎng yào yī bēi shuǐ |
| I’d like to have a bottle of beer. | 我想要一 瓶 啤酒。 | wǒ xiǎng yào yī píng pí jiǔ |
| cup | 杯 | bēi |
| bottle | 瓶 | píng |
| ice water | 冰水 | bīng shuǐ |
| ice tea | 冰茶 | bīng chá |
| hot tea | 热茶 | rè chá |
| coffee | 咖啡 | kā fēi |
| Coke | 可乐 | kě lè |
| Coca-Cola | 可口可乐 | kě kǒu kě lè |
| Pepsi-Cola | 百事可乐 | bǎi shì kě lè |
| Sprite | 雪碧 | xuě bì |
| mineral water | 矿泉水 | kuàng quán shuǐ |
| soft drink; soda pop | 汽水 | qì shuǐ |
| beer | 啤酒 | pí jiǔ |
| Qingtao Beer | 青岛啤酒 | qīng dǎo pí jiǔ |
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Lesson Five: Please give me … Listen Now
| Please give me a pair of chopsticks. | 请 给 我 一双筷子。 | qǐng gěi wǒ yī shuāng kuài zǐ |
| a fork | 一个叉子 | chā zǐ |
| a knife | 一把刀 | dāo |
| a spoon | 一个勺子 | sháo zǐ |
| napkin | 餐巾纸 | cān jīn zhǐ |
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Lesson Six: I’m hungry Listen Now
| I’m hungry | 我饿了。 | wǒ è le |
| thirsty | 渴 | kě |
| full | 饱 | bǎo |
| sleepy | 困 | kùn |
| tired | 累 | lèi |
| hot | 热 | rè |
| cold | 冷 | lěng |
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Lesson Seven: Have you eaten? Listen Now
| Have you eaten? | 你吃了吗？ | nǐ chī le ma |
| Yes, I have. | 吃了。 | chī le |
| No, I haven’t. | 没吃。 | méi chī |
| Are you hungry?. | 你饿吗？ | |
| No, I’m not. | 不饿。 | |
| Yes, I am. | 饿。 | |
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Lesson Eight: This dish is delicious. Listen Now
| delicious | 很好吃 | hěn hǎo chī |
| not good | 不好吃/难吃 | bù hǎo chī nán chī |
| very bad | 很不好吃/很难吃 | hěn bù hǎo chī hěn nán chī |
| This soup is good. | 这个汤 好喝。 | zhè gè tāng hǎo hē |
| delicious | 很好喝 | hěn hǎohē |
| not good | 不好喝/难喝 | bù hǎo hē/ nán hē |
| very bad | 很不好喝/很难喝 | hěn bù hǎo hē hěn nán hē |
| delicious | 很好吃 | hěn hǎo chī |
| not good | 不好吃/难吃 | bù hǎo chī nán chī |
| very bad | 很不好吃/很难吃 | hěn bù hǎo chī hěn nán chī |
| This soup is good. | 这个汤 好喝。 | zhè gè tāng hǎo hē |
| delicious | 很好喝 | hěn hǎohē |
| not good | 不好喝/难喝 | bù hǎo hē/ nán hē |
| very bad | 很不好喝/很难喝 | hěn bù hǎo hē hěn nán hē |
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Lesson Nine: This dish is salty. Listen Now
| This dish is salty. | 这个菜 咸了。 | zhè gè cài xián le |
| This dish is too salty. | 这个菜 太咸了。 | zhè gè cài tài xián le |
| tasteless, bland | 淡 | dàn |
| sweet | 甜 | tián |
| bitter | 苦 | kǔ |
| sour | 酸 | suān |
| spicy | 辣 | là |
| greasy, oily | 腻/油 | nì /yóu |
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Lesson Ten: I like Chinese food. Listen Now
| I like (to eat) Chinese food. | 我喜欢 吃 中 国 饭。 | wǒ xǐhuān chī Zhōng guó fàn |
| I don’t like British food. | 我不喜欢 吃 英国 饭。 | wǒ xǐhuān chī Yīng guó fàn |
| chicken | 鸡(肉) | jī (ròu) |
| duck | 鸭 | |
| fish | 鱼 | yú |
| beef | 牛肉 | niú ròu |
| pork | 猪肉 | zhū ròu |
| egg | 鸡蛋 | jī dàn |
| shrimp | 虾 | xiā |
| crab | 螃蟹 | páng xiè |
| oyster | 蛤蛎 | gé lì |
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Lesson Eleven, Part 1: I don’t eat …. Listen Now
| I don’t eat Tofu. | 我不吃豆腐。 | wǒ bù chī jī (ròu) |
| a kind of black mushroom | 木耳 | mù ěr |
| mushroom | 蘑菇 | mó gū |
| cabbage | 元白菜 | yuán bái cài |
| Chinese cabbage, Napa | 长/大白菜 | cháng /dà bái cài |
| tomato | 西红柿 | xī hóng shì |
| cucumber | 黄瓜 | huáng guā |
| egg-plant | 茄子 | qié zǐ |
| carrot | 胡萝卜 | húluóbo |
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Lesson Eleven, Part 2: I don’t eat …. (ingredients in Chinese cooking) Listen Now
| onion | 洋葱 | yáng cōng |
| scallion | 葱 | cōng |
| garlic | 蒜 | suàn |
| ginger root | 姜 | jiāng |
| Chinese pepper | > 花椒 | huā jiāo |
| pepper | 胡椒 | hú jiāo |
| star anise | 大料/八角 | dà liào bā jiǎo |
| MSG | 味精 | wèi jīng |
| oil | 油 | yóu |
| salt | 盐 | yán |
| soy sauce | 酱油 | jiàng yóu |
| vinegar | 醋 | cù |
| sugar | 糖 | táng |
| rice | 米 | mǐ |
| flour | 面 | miàn |
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Lesson Twelve: Cooking techniques Listen Now
| sear | 煎 | jiān |
| deep fry | 炸 | Zhá |
| stir fry | 炒 | chǎo |
| stew | 炖 | dùn |
| roast (?) | 烧 | shāo |
| roast, bake | 烤 | kǎo |
| boil | 煮 | zhǔ |
| steam | 蒸 | zhēng |
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