Chinese Food Words You’ll Love to Learn (and Taste!)
Food is one of the most exciting parts of any language and Chinese cuisine is full of flavors, colors, and words that are easy for kids to remember. From noodles to dumplings, every dish has a story and a sound to explore!
Noodles, Dumplings, and More
Some of the most popular Chinese dishes also happen to be really fun to say in Mandarin:
- 面条 (miàn tiáo) – Noodles
- 饺子 (jiǎo zi) – Dumplings
- 米饭 (mǐ fàn) – Rice
- 汤 (tāng) – Soup
Kids can connect the words to meals they’ve tried—or pretend to cook them in a play kitchen!
Yummy Words That Stick
Food words are great for practice because they come with smells, tastes, and shapes. Try these too:
- 鸡蛋 (jī dàn) – Egg
- 水果 (shuǐ guǒ) – Fruit
- 糖 (táng) – Candy
Hearing, saying, and seeing these words at snack time makes learning effortless.
Dinolingo’s Chinese course includes food-themed videos, songs, and games for ages 2–14. Kids learn words like “饺子” and “面条” in fun contexts, helping them remember while they play.
Available on web, iOS, and Android, Dinolingo also includes printable resources like flashcards and coloring pages for offline learning.
Creative Activities to Try
Mandarin Menu Game
Create a pretend menu with Chinese food words. Kids can “order” dishes and say each one in Mandarin.
Food Art Fun
Draw or cut out pictures of Chinese foods. Label them with the Chinese word and practice saying each one out loud.
Food brings people together and in Mandarin, it brings words to life!
Source:
