Eating
How to order noodles in China, spice level included
Updated
To order noodles in China, name the noodles or point at the menu. Then answer two questions: how spicy, and what size bowl. For spice, there are three answers: 不要辣 (no chili), 要辣 (spicy) and 多放辣 (extra spicy). This page goes through ordering step by step, from the menu to paying.
What is a small noodle shop like?
A small noodle shop is a narrow room with a few tables, a kitchen at the back and a menu on the wall. Many are family-run. The menu lists each kind of noodles with its price, sometimes two prices for two bowl sizes.
A common order is 牛肉面 (beef noodle soup). The cook usually asks how spicy you want it, because chili goes in at the end. Each table often has chili oil and vinegar, so you can add more yourself.
Ordering works in one of two ways. In some shops, you order and pay at the counter first. In others, the owner comes to your table. Drinks are usually bottles and cans from a fridge.
Step by step
In the order they happen. The owner’s lines come from the noodle shop evening in the game.
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Say how spicy
The owner asks if you want it spicy. Pick one of three answers. How hot “spicy” is depends on the shop and the region.
- You will hear 牛肉面，要辣吗？ (niú ròu miàn, yào là ma?) Beef noodles. Want spicy?
- 不要辣 (bú yào là) No spicy
Say it for no chili. Use it when you are not sure.
- 要辣 (yào là) Want spicy
Say it for the shop’s normal amount of chili.
- 多放辣 (duō fàng là) More spicy
Say it for extra chili. 多放 (put in more).
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Choose the size
Many shops have two or three bowl sizes. A one-word answer is enough.
- You will hear 要大的还是中的？ (yào dà de hái shi zhōng de?) Want big or medium?
- 大 (dà) Large
Say it for the big bowl.
They may say 大的，好嘞！ (dà de, hǎo lei!) Large, got it! - 中 (zhōng) Medium
Say it for the medium bowl.
They may say 中的，好嘞！ (zhōng de, hǎo lei!) Medium, got it!
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Order a drink
The owner may ask if you want a drink. Say the number, then 杯 (cup), then the drink. Or say the drink you like.
- You will hear 要喝什么吗？ (yào hē shén me ma?) Want anything to drink?
- You will hear 什么？再说一遍。 (shén me? zài shuō yí biàn.) What? Say that again. (Shops are noisy. Say it again.)
- 一杯红茶 (yì bēi hóng chá) A cup of black tea
Say it for a black tea. Swap in 可乐 (cola) or 咖啡 (coffee).
They may say 好嘞，一杯红茶！ (hǎo lei, yì bēi hóng chá!) OK, a cup of black tea! - 我喜欢喝可乐 (wǒ xǐ huan hē kě lè) I like to drink cola
Another way to say what you want: “I like to drink cola.”
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The noodles arrive
The bowl comes with a short “enjoy”. Taste the soup before you add chili oil or vinegar.
- You will hear 面来了，慢用！ (miàn lái le, màn yòng!) The noodles are here. Enjoy! (慢用 (eat slowly) is a polite “enjoy your meal”.)
- 有点辣。 (yóu diǎn là.) A little spicy.
Say it if it is a little spicy.
- 太辣了！ (tài là le!) Too spicy!
Say it if it is too spicy. Next time, order 不要辣 (no chili).
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When the owner asks if it’s good
Owners of small shops often ask how the food is. A simple “tasty” makes them happy.
- You will hear 好吃吗？ (hǎo chī ma?) Is it tasty?
- 好吃 (hǎo chī) Tasty
Say it if it is good.
They may say 好吃就好！ (hǎo chī jiù hǎo!) If it's tasty, that's good! - 再来一碗 (zài lái yì wǎn) One more bowl
Say it for another bowl. 碗 (bowl).
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Pay and leave
If you did not pay when you ordered, pay at the counter on your way out by scanning the code.
- 多少钱？ (duō shao qián?) How much?
Ask it to find out what you owe.
- 谢谢 (xiè xie) Thank you
Say it as you leave.
They may say 不客气，慢走！ (bú kè qi, màn zǒu!) You're welcome. Take care! (慢走 (walk slowly) is how shop owners say goodbye.)
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The pinyin shows how the words are really said, as in the game.
Practical tips
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Not sure? Order no chili
You can always add chili oil from the table. You cannot take it out of the soup.
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Check how ordering works
If people queue at the counter and nobody takes orders at the tables, order and pay at the counter first.
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Point at the menu
If you cannot read the menu, point at someone’s bowl or at a line on the wall and say 这个 (this one).
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Carry tissues
Small shops may have a roll of toilet paper on the table, or nothing.
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No tip
Tipping is not expected in restaurants in China.
Where to practise it in the game
In Very Chinese Time in My Life, the noodle shop is the first evening: a small shop down a lane, run by a friendly older woman.
Ordering
She asks 牛肉面，要辣吗 (beef noodles, want it spicy). You choose 不要辣 (no chili), 要辣 (spicy) or 多放辣 (extra spicy). Your bowl comes with that much chili, and after the first bite you say 不辣 (not spicy), 有点辣 (a little spicy) or 太辣了 (too spicy). Then she asks big or medium.
The drink
You build 我喜欢喝 (I like to drink) one word at a time, pick black tea, coffee or cola, and say the whole sentence. She cannot hear you, so you say 一杯 (one cup) plus the drink. Order coffee and she goes out to buy one, amazed that anyone drinks coffee with beef noodles.
Is it good?
She asks 好吃吗 (is it good) while you eat. Say no and she looks crushed. Then you can say 其实很好吃 (actually, it’s very tasty) to cheer her up. Later, she asks where you have been and suggests a park for tomorrow.
Questions
How do you say “not spicy” in Chinese?
Say 不要辣 (no chili). It is the usual answer when a cook asks 要辣吗 (do you want it spicy).
How do I ask for extra spicy in Chinese?
Say 多放辣 (extra spicy). It means “put in more chili”. For the shop’s normal amount, say 要辣 (spicy).
Do Chinese noodle shops have English menus?
Some do, mostly in big cities and near tourist areas. Many small noodle shops have a Chinese menu only. Pointing at the menu or at someone’s bowl and saying 这个 (this one) works anywhere.
What does 要大的还是中的 mean?
要大的还是中的 (big or medium) is the owner asking your bowl size. Answer 大 (big) or 中 (medium).
Do you tip in restaurants in China?
No. Tipping is not expected in restaurants, noodle shops or cafés in China. You pay the price on the menu.
Is food in China always spicy?
No. It depends on the region. Food from Sichuan and Hunan is known for chili. Food in many eastern coastal cities is milder and often a little sweet. Almost anywhere, you can ask for 不要辣 (no chili).