2049 Chinese

The 20K Word Road to
Mandarin Proficiency

Chapter 4.5: Street Food and Casual Dining

– Intermediate Level –

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The Situation

In the streets of Xi'an (Xī'ān, 西安), the ancient city known for its rich history and equally rich culinary scene, two travelers are amazed by the world of street food and casual dining. Their first encounter is with 串儿 (chuànr, skewers), a ubiquitous sight in Xi'an, offering everything from 羊肉串 (yáng ròu chuàn, lamb skewers) to more adventurous options. The aroma of 麻辣烫 (málàtàng, spicy hot pot) draws them next, a perfect blend of spice and warmth in a bowl. Not far away, the lure of 火锅 (huǒguō, hot pot) promises a communal dining experience, inviting them to cook and share a variety of ingredients in a steaming pot of broth.

Despite initial hesitation, they brave a taste of 臭豆腐 (chòu dòufu, stinky tofu) and discover a surprisingly pleasant flavor beneath its pungent aroma. 肉夹馍 (ròu jiā mó, pork burger) offers a comforting bite of juicy pork in crispy bread, a must-try street snack in Xi'an. The search for noodles leads them to 板面 (bǎnmiàn, hand-pulled noodles) and 刀削面 (dāoxiāomiàn, knife-shaved noodles), each dish showcasing the skill and tradition behind Chinese noodle-making.

Exploring further, they stumble upon 冒菜 (màocài, Sichuan-style vegetable and meat stew), 锅贴 (guōtiē, pot stickers), and 凉皮 (liángpí, cold skin noodles), reveling in the variety of textures and flavors. For something lighter, 馄饨 (húntún, wontons) and 麻花 (máhuā, twisted fried dough) offer delightful flavors, while 鸡蛋仔 (jīdàn zǎi, egg waffles) and 奶茶 (nǎichá, milk tea) provide a sweet respite.

The tart refreshment of 酸梅汤 (suān méi tāng, sour plum drink) quenches their thirst as they continue their culinary exploration. The discovery of 糯米鸡 (nuòmǐ jī, sticky rice with chicken) wrapped in leaves provides a satisfying snack, followed by a variety of 卤味 (lǔwèi, braised dishes) to tempt their palates.

Your trip wouldn't be complete without trying 芋圆 (yù yuán, taro balls), 生煎 (shēngjiān, pan-fried buns), 酸辣粉 (suānlà fěn), hot and sour rice noodles) and 土豆粉 (tǔdòu fěn, potato noodles), each dish a testament to Xi'an's rich culinary heritage. Before leaving, they indulge in 糍粑 (cíbā, sticky rice cake) and 盖浇饭 (gài jiāo fàn, rice with toppings), ending their day with deep satisfaction.


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The Sentences

串儿
北京烤串儿味道鲜美独特。
Běijīng kǎo chuàn er wèidào xiānměi dútè.
Peking kebabs are tasty and unique.
麻辣烫
麻辣烫是冬日里的暖心选择。
Málà tàng shì dōngrì lǐ de nuǎn xīn xuǎnzé.
Spicy hot pot is a warm choice in winter.
火锅
重庆火锅辣而不燥,麻而香。
Chóngqìng huǒguō là ér bú zào, má ér xiāng.
Chongqing hot pot is spicy but not dry, numbing but fragrant.
臭豆腐
虽然臭豆腐味道奇特,但吃起来很美味。
Suīrán chòu dòufu wèidào qítè, dàn chī qǐlái hěn měiwèi.
Although stinky tofu has a peculiar flavor, it is delicious to eat.
肉夹馍
肉夹馍是西安的著名小吃。
Ròu jiā mó shì xī’ān de zhùmíng xiǎochī.
Meat buns are a famous snack in Xi’an.
羊肉串
羊肉串是夜市中的热门美食。
Yángròu chuàn shì yèshì zhōng de rèmén měishí.
Mutton kebabs are a popular food in the night market.
板面
陕西板面劲道滑爽,深受欢迎。
Shǎnxī bǎn miàn jìn dào huá shuǎng, shēn shòu huānyíng.
Shaanxi Plate Noodles are strong and smooth and popular.
冒菜
冒菜是四川的特色小吃,味道鲜香。
Mào cài shì sìchuān de tèsè xiǎochī, wèidào xiān xiāng.
Risotto is a special snack of Sichuan with fresh flavor.
锅贴
锅贴外酥里嫩,是美味的早点。
Guōtiē wài sū lǐ nèn, shì měiwèi de zǎodiǎn.
Pot stickers are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making them a delicious breakfast.
凉皮
凉皮是陕西小吃的代表,清凉解暑。
Liángpí shì shǎnxī xiǎochī de dàibiǎo, qīngliáng jiě shǔ.
Cold skin is a representative of Shaanxi snacks, which is cool and relieves summer heat.
馄饨
早上吃一碗鲜香的馄饨很舒服。
Zǎoshang chī yì wǎn xiān xiāng de hún tun hěn shūfú.
A fresh bowl of ravioli is comforting in the morning.
麻花
天津麻花甜而松脆,颇具特色。
Tiānjīn máhuā tián ér sōng cuì, pǒjù tèsè.
Tianjin Sesame Flower is sweet and crunchy, quite unique.
鸡蛋仔
鸡蛋仔外脆内软,香甜可口。
Jīdànzǎi wài cuì nèi ruǎn, xiāngtián kěkǒu.
Eggs are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, sweet and savory.
奶茶
一杯奶茶能让下午茶时光更惬意。
Yìbēi nǎichá néng ràng xiàwǔ chá shíguāng gèng qièyì.
A cup of milk tea can make the afternoon tea time more cozy.
酸梅汤
酸梅汤解渴提神,夏天非常受欢迎。
Suānméitāng jiěkě tíshén, xiàtiān fēicháng shòu huānyíng.
Sour Plum Soup is very popular in summer as it quenches the thirst and refreshes the mind.
糯米鸡
糯米鸡香糯可口,是旅途中的美食。
Nuòmǐ jī xiāng nuò kěkǒu, shì lǚtú zhōng de měishí.
Sticky Rice Chicken is delicious and sticky, and is a good food for the journey.
卤味
卤味种类繁多,是下酒的好菜。
Lǔwèi zhǒnglèi fánduō, shì xià jiǔ de hǎo cài.
There are many kinds of lo mei, which is a good dish for drinking.
芋圆
芋圆口感软糯,常见于甜品中。
Yù yuán kǒugǎn ruǎn nuò, chángjiàn yú tiánpǐn zhōng.
Taro dumplings are soft and sticky and are commonly found in desserts.
生煎
生煎馒头底脆顶软,鲜美多汁。
Shēng jiān mántou dǐ cuì dǐng ruǎn, xiānměi duō zhī.
Pan-fried steamed buns are crispy at the bottom and soft at the top, and are juicy and delicious.
刀削面
刀削面的面条厚薄不一,口感独特。
Dāoxiāomiàn de miàntiáo hòubáo bù yī, kǒugǎn dútè.
Knife-shaved noodles have different thicknesses and unique flavors.
酸辣粉
酸辣粉酸辣爽口,是四川的特色小吃。
Suān là fěn suān là shuǎngkǒu, shì sìchuān de tèsè xiǎochī.
Hot and Sour Noodles are a Sichuan specialty.
土豆粉
土豆粉是云南小吃中的一种,口感滑嫩。
Tǔdòu fěn shì yúnnán xiǎochī zhōng de yì zhǒng, kǒugǎn huá nèn.
Potato Noodle is one of the Yunnan snacks with a smooth and tender texture.
糍粑
糍粑是湖南的传统美食,外焦里嫩。
Cíbā shì húnán de chuántǒng měishí, wài jiāo lǐ nèn.
Patty cake is a traditional Hunan food with a crispy outside and tender inside.
盖浇饭
盖浇饭方便实惠,是快餐中的常见菜式。
Gài jiāo fàn fāngbiàn shíhuì, shì kuàicān zhōng de chángjiàn cài shì.
Covered rice is convenient and affordable, and is a common dish in fast food.

 

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The Words

串儿
chuànr
skewer
麻辣烫
málàtàng
spicy hot pot
火锅
huǒguō
hot pot
臭豆腐
chòudòufu
stinky tofu
肉夹馍
ròujiāmó
Chinese hamburger
羊肉串
yángròuchuàn
lamb skewer
板面
bǎnmiàn
flat noodles
冒菜
màocài
spicy vegetable and meat stew
锅贴
guōtiē
potstickers
凉皮
liángpí
cold skin noodles
馄饨
húntun
wonton
麻花
máhuā
twisted dough sticks
鸡蛋仔
jīdàn zǎi
egg waffle
奶茶
nǎichá
milk tea
酸梅汤
suānméitāng
plum drink
糯米鸡
nuòmǐjī
sticky rice with chicken
卤味
lǔwèi
marinated food
芋圆
yùyuán
taro balls
生煎
shēngjiān
pan-fried bun
刀削面
dāoxiāomiàn
knife-shaved noodles
酸辣粉
suānlàfěn
hot and sour rice noodles
土豆粉
tǔdòufěn
potato noodles
糍粑
cíbā
glutinous rice cake
盖浇饭
gàijiāofàn
rice with toppings

 

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