I'm Buddhist
|
我是佛教徒
|
wŏ shì fójiàotú
|
This is because there is a stigma of
poverty attached to not eating meat and the Chinese believe that there are no
fortifying qualities in vegetables whatsoever. As foreigners, and thereby rich,
it is thought that we should be gorging ourselves with meat at every meal. The
Rough Guide does also caution that meat stock and meat fat are used in most
restaurants.
The disadvantage of eating as a
Buddhist appears to be that, as well as meat, Buddhist cooking often avoids any
strong flavours such as onions, ginger, garlic and other spices which are
considered stimulating.
I'm inclined to doubt that the flavours
will always be bland though as here in Chiang Mai there are quite a few Chinese
Buddhist restaurants all serving up delicious vegetarian dishes for very
reasonable prices.
I'm adding a few
other food and drink words from the Rough Guide below:
General
|
||
restaurant
|
餐厅
|
cāntīng
|
How much is that?
|
多少钱
|
dūoshăo qían?
|
I don’t eat (meat)
|
我不吃(肉)
|
wŏ bù chi (ròu)
|
I’m Buddhist / I’m vegetarian
|
我是佛教徒 / 我只吃素
|
wŏ shì fójiàotú / wŏ zhĭ chī sù
|
I
would like…
|
我想要…
|
wù
xiăng yào…
|
English
menu
|
英文菜单
|
yīngwén
càidān
|
chopsticks
|
筷子
|
kuàizi
|
knife
and fork
|
刀叉
|
dāochā
|
spoon
|
勺子
|
sháozi
|
waiter/waitress
|
服务员 / 小姐
|
fúwùyúan
/ xiăojiĕ
|
bill/cheque
|
买单
|
măidān
|
not spicy/no chilli please
|
请不要辣椒
|
qĭng búyào làjiāo
|
only a little spice/chilli
|
一点辣椒
|
yìdiān làjiāo
|
50 grams
|
两
|
liáng
|
250 grams
|
半斤
|
bànjīn
|
500 grams
|
斤
|
jīn
|
1 kilo
|
公斤
|
gōngjīn
|
Drinks
|
||
beer
|
啤酒
|
píjĭu
|
sweet fizzy drink
|
汽水
|
qìshuĭ
|
coffee
|
咖啡
|
kāfēi
|
milk
|
牛奶
|
niúnăi
|
(mineral) water
|
(矿泉)水
|
(kuàngquán) shuĭ
|
wine
|
葡萄酒
|
pútáojiǔ
|
spirits
|
白酒
|
báijiǔ
|
soya milk
|
豆浆
|
dòujiāng
|
yoghurt
|
酸奶
|
suānnăi
|
Teas
|
||
tea
|
茶
|
chá
|
black tea
|
红茶
|
hóng chá
|
chrysanthemum
|
菊花茶
|
júhūa chá
|
eight treasures
|
八宝茶
|
bābăo chá
|
green tea
|
绿茶
|
lü` chá
|
Iron Buddha
|
铁观音
|
tiĕguānyīn
|
jasmine
|
茉莉花茶
|
mòlìhuā chá
|
Pu’er
|
普洱茶
|
pu’er chá
|
Staple foods
|
||
aubergine
|
茄子
|
qiézi
|
bamboo shoots
|
笋尖
|
sǔnjīan
|
bean sprouts
|
豆芽
|
dòuyá
|
beans
|
豆
|
dòu
|
beef
|
牛肉
|
niúròu
|
bitter gourd
|
葫芦
|
húlu
|
black bean sauce
|
黑豆豉
|
hēidòuchĭ
|
bread
|
面包
|
miànbāo
|
carrot
|
胡萝卜
|
húluóbo
|
cashew nuts
|
腰果
|
yāoguŏ
|
cauliflower
|
菜花
|
càihuā
|
chicken
|
鸡
|
jī
|
chilli
|
辣椒
|
làjiāo
|
chocolate
|
巧克力
|
qiăokèlì
|
coriander (leaves)
|
香菜
|
xiāngcài
|
crab
|
蟹
|
xiè
|
cucumber
|
黄瓜
|
huángguā
|
dog
|
狗肉
|
gŏuròu
|
duck
|
鸭
|
yā
|
eel
|
鳝鱼
|
shànyú
|
eggs (fried)
|
煎鸡蛋
|
jiānjīdàn
|
fish
|
鱼
|
yú
|
frog
|
田鸡
|
tiánjī
|
garlic
|
大蒜
|
dàsuàn
|
ginger
|
姜
|
jiāng
|
green pepper
|
青椒
|
qīangjiāo
|
green vegetables
|
绿叶素菜
|
lü` yè sùcài
|
lamb
|
羊肉
|
yángròu
|
lotus root
|
莲心
|
liánxīn
|
MSG
|
味精
|
wèijīng
|
mushrooms
|
蘑菇
|
mógu
|
noodles
|
面条
|
miàntiáo
|
omelette
|
摊鸡蛋
|
tānjīdàn
|
onions
|
洋葱
|
yángcōng
|
oyster sauce
|
蚝油
|
háoyóu
|
pancake
|
摊饼
|
tānbĭng
|
peanut
|
花生
|
huāshēng
|
pork
|
猪肉
|
zhūròu
|
potato (stir-fried)
|
(炒)土豆
|
(chao) tǔdòu
|
prawns
|
虾
|
xiā
|
preserved egg
|
皮蛋
|
pídàn
|
rice, boiled
|
白饭
|
báifàn
|
rice, fried
|
炒饭
|
chăofàn
|
rice noodles
|
河粉
|
héfĕn
|
rice porridge (aka “congee”)
|
粥
|
zhōu
|
salt
|
盐
|
yán
|
sesame oil
|
芝麻油
|
zhīma yóu
|
Sichuan pepper
|
四川辣椒
|
sìchuān làijiao
|
snails
|
蜗牛
|
wōniú
|
snake
|
蛇肉
|
shéròu
|
soup
|
汤
|
tāng
|
soy sauce
|
酱油
|
jiàngyóu
|
squid
|
鱿鱼
|
yóuyú
|
star anise
|
茴香
|
huíxiāng
|
straw mushrooms
|
草菇
|
căogū
|
sugar
|
糖
|
táng
|
tofu
|
豆腐
|
dòufu
|
tomato
|
番茄
|
fānqié
|
vinegar
|
醋
|
cù
|
water chestnuts
|
马蹄
|
mătí
|
white radish
|
白萝卜
|
báiluóbo
|
wood ear fungus
|
木耳
|
mùĕr
|
yam
|
芋头
|
yùtóu
|
Cooking methods
|
||
boiled
|
煮
|
zhǔ
|
casseroled
|
焙
|
bèi
|
deep-fried
|
油煎
|
yóujiān
|
fried
|
炒
|
chăo
|
poached
|
白煮
|
báizhǔ
|
red-cooked (stewed in soy sauce)
|
红烧
|
hóngshāo
|
roast
|
烤
|
kăo
|
steamed
|
蒸
|
zhēng
|
stir-fried
|
清炒
|
qīngchăo
|
Vegetable dishes
|
||
aubergine with chilli and garlic
sauce
|
大蒜辣椒炒茄子
|
dàsuàn làjiāo chăoqiézo
|
aubergine with sesame sauce
|
拌茄子片
|
bànqiézipiàn
|
bean curd and spinach soup
|
菠菜豆腐汤
|
bōcài dòufu tāng
|
bean curd slivers
|
豆腐花
|
dòufuhuā
|
bean curd with chestnuts
|
马蹄豆腐
|
mătí dòufu
|
braised mountain fungus
|
炖香菇
|
dùnxiānggū
|
fried bean curd with vegetables
|
豆腐素菜
|
dòufu sùcài
|
fried bean sprouts
|
炒豆芽
|
chăodòuyá
|
Monks’ vegetarian dish (stir-fry of
mixed vegetables and fungi)
|
罗汉斋
|
luóhànzhāi
|
pressed bean curd with cabbage
|
卷心菜豆腐
|
juănxīncài dòufu
|
spicy braised aubergine
|
香茄子条
|
xiāngqiézitiáo
|
stir-fried bamboo shoots
|
炒冬笋
|
chăodōngsǔn
|
stir-fried mushrooms
|
炒鲜菇
|
chăoxian’gu
|
vegetable soup
|
蔬菜汤
|
sùcài tāng
|
spring rolls
|
春卷
|
chūnjuăn
|
Fruit
|
||
fruit
|
水果
|
shuĭguŏ
|
apple
|
苹果
|
píngguŏ
|
banana
|
香蕉
|
xiāngjiāo
|
durian
|
榴莲
|
liúlián
|
grape
|
葡萄
|
pútáo
|
honeydew melon
|
哈蜜瓜
|
hāmì guā
|
longan
|
龙眼
|
lóngyăn
|
lychee
|
荔枝
|
lìzhī
|
mandarin orange
|
橘子
|
júzi
|
mango
|
芒果
|
mángguŏ
|
orange
|
橙子
|
chéngzi
|
peach
|
桃子
|
táozi
|
pear
|
梨
|
lí
|
persimmon
|
柿子
|
shìzi
|
plum
|
李子
|
lĭzi
|
pomegranate
|
石榴
|
shíliu
|
pomelo
|
柚子
|
yòuzi
|
watermelon
|
西瓜
|
xīguā
|
Other resources:
http://veganbackpacker.com/blog/vegan-ordering-foreign-language-chinese/ Great phrases with humourous translations.
http://veganbackpacker.com/blog/vegan-ordering-foreign-language-chinese/ Great phrases with humourous translations.
