How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Chinese (2026)

Last year a British guy messaged me in a panic from a restaurant in Xi'an. He'd sat down, the waiter handed him a menu with no pictures and no English, and he'd frozen. He sent me a photo of the menu and asked: "What do I order?"

I couldn't read most of it either — it was handwritten specials in quick cursive. But I told him: "Point at something, smile, and say 这个 (zhè ge). It means 'this one.'"

He ordered lamb soup, hand-pulled noodles, and a cold beer. Cost him ¥38. He messaged back: "Best meal of my trip so far."

That's the thing about eating in China. You don't need to speak the language. You need a little confidence, a smartphone, and a willingness to eat things you can't identify.

Point at Things. Seriously.

The single most useful phrase in China is 这个 (zhè ge) — "this one." Point at a menu item, or at what someone at the next table is eating, or at a skewer on a street cart, and say it. That's it. You've ordered.

Paired with 那个 (nà ge) — "that one" — you can order anything in any restaurant in China.

For numbers, hold up fingers. One to ten is done with one hand in China, and it's intuitive. Three fingers for three bowls of noodles. Five fingers for five dumplings. Works everywhere.

Use Your Phone Camera

This is the cheat code most tourists don't know about.

Open your camera, hold it over the menu, then open Google Translate (or Baidu Translate, which works better in China since it doesn't need a VPN). Tap the camera icon. It will translate the menu in real time. It's not perfect — sometimes you get "exploding chicken" instead of "fried chicken" — but you'll understand enough to order.

Even better: take a photo of the menu before you sit down. Translate it at your leisure. Then walk in already knowing what you want. I do this myself sometimes when I'm in a hurry.

The One Thing to Learn in Chinese

If you only learn one phrase for your China trip, make it this:

不要辣 (bú yào là) — "no spice."

I say this as a Chongqing native who grew up eating food that would make most Westerners cry. Chinese food can be genuinely painful if you're not used to chili. And many restaurants, especially outside tourist areas, assume everyone wants it spicy.

Learn 不要辣. Say it clearly when you order. If you want a little spice but not too much, say 微辣 (wēi là) — "mild spice."

My Australian clients especially appreciate this one.

The Apps You Need

Dianping (大众点评) is the Chinese Yelp. It's in Chinese only, but the app has a visual interface — food photos, star ratings, price ranges — that's easy to navigate even without speaking. Download it before your trip. When you're standing on a street wondering where to eat, open it, look at what's nearby, and pick the one with the most photos of happy people eating.

For delivery, Meituan (美团) and Ele.me (饿了么) are the Uber Eats of China. They're also in Chinese, but the interface is image-heavy. If you're tired and want food brought to your hotel, these are your friends. Ask your hotel receptionist to help you set one up.

Restaurant Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners

A few things that catch my clients off guard:

No tipping. Don't do it. The staff will chase you down to give the money back.

Hot tea or hot water comes free at most restaurants. You don't need to order drinks. Just pour yourself a cup from the pot they bring.

If you see a bucket of hot water on the table, it's for rinsing your dishes and utensils. Not for drinking. Every first-time traveler I've brought to China has asked about this.

When the bill comes, there's no separate check. One person pays for the whole table, or you split it by sending money on WeChat. If you offer to pay your share in cash, regular restaurants can handle it.

My Favorite Restaurant Type for Beginners

Look for restaurants with a "display kitchen" — an open counter where you can see all the ingredients and cooked dishes laid out. You walk up, point at what you want, and they cook it fresh. Xi'an's Muslim Quarter is full of these. So are most food streets in every Chinese city.

No language needed. Just point.

I've been eating in China for 15 years and I still can't read most menus. If I can figure it out, so can you. When in doubt, point at something, say 这个, and enjoy the surprise.