GLOSSARY : 词汇表
báijiǔ : 白酒 : a punishingly strong clear spirit
bāozi : 包子 : a steamed, stuffed bun
bǐng : 饼 : flatbread, biscuit
cāntīng : 餐厅 : canteen, dining hall
chǎofàn : 炒饭 : fried rice
cǎoméi : 草莓 : strawberries
cǎoméizú : 草莓族 : the Strawberry Generation (those born in the 1980s), also Generation Y
cháo tiān jiāo : 朝天椒 : lit. heaven facing pepper, a cone-shaped, medium-hot chili pepper from Sichuan Province
chā shāo : 叉烧 : BBQ roasted pork, probably the single best way to eat pork in China, it is pretty Cantonese
chēnmiàn : 抻面 : refers to hand-pulled noodles
chòu dòufu : 臭豆腐 : stinky tofu, fermented tofu
cōng yóu bǐng : 葱油饼 : scallion pancakes
cù : 醋 : vinegar
culantro : an herb (from Mexico and South America) that tastes similar to cilantro
dāngrán : 当然 : of course, obviously, DUH
dàsuàn : 大蒜 : garlic
dòufu : 豆腐 : tofu, or bean curd
gānbēi : 干杯 : bottoms up, finish every drop in your glass, chug
gānshǔ : 甘薯 : sweet potatoes, found on most street corners in the fall and winter time
gōngbǎo jīdīng : 宫保鸡丁 : Kung pao chicken
guōtiē : 锅贴 : pan-fried dumplings, potstickers
hēi mǐ : 黑米 : black rice, or forbidden rice
huājiāo : 花轿 : Sichuan tongue-numbing pepper, not related to the black or chili peppers. Also known as “flower pepper”
huángguā : 黄瓜 : cucumbers
húdié sū : 蝴蝶酥 : lit. butterfly pastry; refers to the Chinese Hui Minority palmier pastry, also known as Elephant Ears
hún tún : 馄饨 : wontons
huǒguō : 火锅 : hot pot
huǒlóngguǒ : 火龙果 : dragon fruit
jiācháng dòufu : 家常豆腐 : home-style tofu
jiānbǐng : 煎饼 : crêpe-like breakfast wrap made with an egg, fresh green herbs, chili sauce, bean curd preserve, and yóutiáo
jiānduī : 煎堆 : literally, ‘fried pile’; refers to fried sesame balls
jiāng : 姜 : ginger
jiǎozi : 饺子 : dumpling
jīdàn bāo :鸡蛋包 : fried egg stuffed pancake
jīn : 斤 : unit of measurement (weight), in mainland China, the 斤 has been rounded to 500g
jiǔcài : 韭菜 : Chinese chives
kǎoyā : 烤鸭 : roast duck, delicious and succulent
kǎo fū : 烤麸 : Wheat Gluten, aka Sponge Tofu, best served with black fungus
kuàizi : 筷子 : chopsticks
làjiāo : 辣椒 : hot pepper, chili
lāmiàn : 拉面 : hand-pulled noodles
lǎowài : 老外 : foreigner, outsider
liángcài : 凉菜 : “cold dishes,” served as appetizers to meals in Shanghai
lóngxiā : 龙虾 : lobster, “dragon shrimp”
lù : 路 : street
luóbo gāo : 萝卜糕 : radish cakes (more commonly known as turnip cakes)
mǎidān : 买单 : dinner bill, check; to pay a bill
mántóu : 馒头 : steamed bun, sometimes eaten as is, or acts like a wrapper to a dumpling
máodòu : 毛豆 : young, or fresh soya bean (edamame)
mápó dòufu : 麻婆豆腐 : a spicy chili and bean based tofu dish from Sichuan Province, is commonly found on Shanghainese menus, too
mátuán : 麻团 : sesame rice dough, fried sesame balls
mǐfàn : 米饭 : cooked white rice
mó sū ròu xiāng : 馍酥肉香 : “delicious meat biscuits,” the Chinese sandwich
niúròu miàn : 牛肉面 : beef noodle soup, a classic Asian soup
phở : a Vietnamese beef noodle soup
píjiǔ : 啤酒 : beer
qiēmiàn : 切面 : refers to cut noodles, made from a machine (not hand pulled)
qiézi : 茄子 : eggplant, also the word that people use when having their pictures taken (like Cheese!)
shànghǎirén : 上海人 : Shanghailanders, people of this great city
shàoxīngjiǔ : 绍兴酒 : rice wine, produced in Shaoxing area in Zhejiang Province; made of sticky rice and wheat
shēngjiān mántóu : 生煎馒头 : small, pan-fried dumplings usually filled with pork and gelatin (to create a soup within the dumpling)
shuǐjiǎo : 水饺 : boiled dumplings
suān cài : 酸菜 : pickled Chinese cabbage, sauerkraut
tuánzi : 团子 : dumplings made of glutinous rice and usually filled with vegetables, symbolizes the reunion of a family or group of friends
wàiguórén : 外国人 : foreigner, not a Chinese national, i.e. me
wèijīng : 味精 : MSG, monosodium glutamate; a.k.a the Chinese Spice of Life
wú huā guǒ : 无花果 : Figs, literally means “fruit with no flower”
xiā : 虾 : shrimp, prawn
xiǎochī : 小吃 : snack, a meal that the Shanghainese cannot skip
xiǎolóngbāo : 小龙包 : “little steamed baskets”, Classic Shanghai soup dumpling
yáng ròu : 羊肉 : lamb, mutton
yáng ròu chuàr : 羊肉串 : lamb kebabs, typically grilled on the street or found in Uyghur restaurants, Or outside MAO at 2 a.m.
yóutiáo : 油条 : fried bread stick, sometimes referred to as a Chinese cruller
yú : 鱼 : fish
yuán : 元 : Chinese currency (RMB). $1 ≈ 6.5元
yuèbĭng : 月饼 : moon cakes, traditionally eat during Mid-Autumn Festival
zhāngyú xiǎo wánzi : 章鱼小丸子 : small octopus balls
zhōngqiū jié : 中秋节 : Mid-Autumn Festival; harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar (Fall Equinox)
zhōng shuǐ jiǎo : 水饺 : a Sichuan style dumpling, bathed in chili oil
zhūròu : 猪肉 : pork (though because it is so prevalent in China, pork is often just known as ròu – the meat)
