点菜 (diăn cài) Order Dishes

Beginner Level / 初级chūjí

Fú wù yuán: Xiānsheng, nínhăo, nín xūyào diăn shénme?
服务员：先生， 您好， 您需要点什么？
Waiter: Sir, can I help you please?

Gù kè: Wŏ  yào  yí fèn  niúpái.
顾客：我要一份牛排。
Customer: I’d like a steak.

Fú wù yuán: Hăo de, qĭng shāoděng.
服务员：好的，请稍等。
Waiter: Ok, wait for a moment, please.

:
牛排 niú pái： n steak

Intermediate Level / 中级zhōngjí

Fú wù yuán: Huān yíng guāng lín! Xiānsheng, qĭngwèn nín xūyào diăn shénme?
服务员：欢迎光临！先生，请问您需要点什么？
Waiter: Welcome! Sir, can I help you please?

Gù kè: Wŏ xiăng diăn yī xiē jiāchángcài, nĭmen zhè dōu yŏu shénme?
顾客：我想点一些家常菜，你们这都有什么？
Customer: Do you have home-style dishes here? I want to order some.

Fú wù yuán: Zhè shì càidān, qĭng nín kàn kàn.
服务员：这是菜单，请您看看。
Waiter: This is the menu, please have a look.

Gù kè: En, wŏ yào gōngbăojīdīng, yú xiāng ròu sī,  hái yŏu xīhóngshì chăo jīdàn. Cài lĭ    bú yào fàng
顾客：嗯，我要宫保鸡丁，鱼香肉丝，还有西红柿炒鸡蛋。菜里不要放
wèi jīng, shăo fàng làjiāo.
味精，少放辣椒。
Customer: Well, I want Kung pao chicken, Fish-flavored shredded pork and Scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Please don’t add MSG to the dish and have less hot pepper.

(Click here to learn about the origin of “宫保鸡丁gōng bǎo jī dīng?”)
Fú wù yuán: Hăo de, qĭng shāoděng.
服务员：好的，请稍等。
Waiter: Ok, wait for a minute, please.

家常菜 jiā cháng cài： n home-style dishes

(If you want to know more about Chinese food, take a look at this Chinese Mini-test.)

味精 wèi jīng： n MSG

辣椒 là jiāo： n chili, hot pepper (Where are the best places for spicy food in China?)

Gù kè: Fú wù yuán, diăn cài.
顾客：服务员，点菜。
Customer: Waiter, I want to order some dishes.

Fú wù yuán: Hăo de, xiān sheng. Qĭng wèn nín jĭ wèi?
服务员：好的，先生。 请问您几位？
Waiter: Yes, sir. For how many people, please?

Gù kè: Liăng wèi. Qĭng bă càidān gěi wŏ. èn, zhè ge măyĭshàngshù shì shénme cài?
顾客：两位。请把菜单给我。嗯，这个蚂蚁上树是什么菜？
Customer: Two. Menu please. Uh, what is this dish: Ants climbing trees?

Fú wù yuán: Tā de zhŭyào yuánliào shì ròumò hé fěntiáo, yīnwèi ròumò zài fěntiáo zhōngjiān,
服务员：它的主要原料是肉末和粉条，因为肉末在粉条中间，
kàn qĭlái jiù xiàng shì măyĭ zài páshù, suóyĭ jiù yŏu le zhè ge míng zi.
看起来就像是蚂蚁在爬树，所以就有了这个名字。
Waiter: It is mainly made from minced meat and vermicelli. The vermicelli with spicy minced pork looks like ants climbing trees. Thus the dish is named “Ants climbing trees.”

Gù kè: Tīng qĭlái hěn yŏu qù, wŏ jiù yào tā le; zài lái gè mápódòu fu, duō fàng diăn làjiāo.
顾客：听起来很有趣，我就要它了；再来个麻婆豆腐，多放点辣椒。
Lìng wài, zài yào yí gè qīng zhēng lúyú.
另外，再要一个清蒸鲈鱼。
Customer: It sounds interesting and we’ll take it. I also want Mapo Tofu (Stir-Fried Tofu in Hot Sauce) with enoughhot pepper. Besides, I want steamed perch with scallion and black beans.

Fú wù yuán: Hăo de, xiān shen. Zài lái yí gè wŏmen diàn lĭ de tèsècài – yùmĭgēng zěnmeyàng? Wŏ xiăng bĭjiào hé
服务员：好的，先生。再来一个我们店里的特色菜—玉米羹怎么样？我想比较合
xiānsheng nín de kŏuwèi.
先生 您的口味。
Waiter: Ok, sir, how about our specialty Thick corn soup? It must suit your taste.

Gù kè: Hăo, lái yí gè,  zài ná liăng píng píjiŭ.
顾客：好，来一个，再拿两瓶啤酒。
Customer: Ok. We’ll take it and please give us two bottles of beer.

Fú wù yuán: Hăo, èr wèi qĭng shāoděng, cài yí huì’r jiù shàng lái le.
服务员：好。二位请稍等，菜一会儿就上来了。
Waiter: Yes, sir. Please wait for a minute. The dishes will be served very soon.

:
原料 yuán liào： n raw material

肉末 ròu mò： n minced pork

口味 kŏu wèi： n taste

特色菜 tè sè cài： n specialty

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