Ways of cooking, seasonings and the things a cook reaches for.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
English says “fry” for three things that Chinese keeps apart: 炒 is quick stirring over a high heat, 煎 is frying something flat in a little oil, and 炸 is deep-frying. Many dish names are simply the method plus the ingredient — 炒饭, fried rice; 蒸鱼, steamed fish — so the cooking verbs alone let you read half a menu.
The words
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Verb (16)
炒to stir-fryVerb3
妈妈在厨房炒菜。Mum is in the kitchen, cooking.
The basic Chinese way of cooking; 炒菜 often just means “to cook”.
煮to boil; to cook in waterVerb3
鸡蛋要煮十分钟。The eggs need to boil for ten minutes.
蒸to steamVerb3
这条鱼我们蒸着吃。We are going to have this fish steamed.
烤to roast; to bake; to grillVerb3
奶奶给我们烤了一些面包。Grandma baked some bread for us.
炸to deep-fryVerb3
炸的东西好吃，可是不太健康。Fried food tastes good, but it isn’t very healthy.
With the fourth tone, 炸 means “to explode”.
煎to pan-fry; to fry in a little oilVerb3
早上我煎了两个鸡蛋。This morning I fried two eggs.
炖to stew; to simmerVerb3
这锅汤已经炖了两个小时。This pot of soup has been simmering for two hours.
烧to cook; to braise; to heat (water)Verb3
你先烧点儿水，我来泡茶。You boil some water first, and I’ll make the tea.
Also “to burn”; 红烧 is braising in soy sauce.
切to cut; to sliceVerb3
请把西红柿切成小块。Please cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
剥to peel (by hand)Verb3
他剥了一个橘子给我。He peeled an orange for me.
Read bō in a few written compounds.
拌to mix; to toss (a cold dish)Verb3
黄瓜加点儿醋拌一下就可以吃了。Toss the cucumber with a little vinegar and it’s ready to eat.
撒to sprinkle; to scatterVerb3
出锅前撒一点儿葱花。Sprinkle on a little chopped spring onion just before serving.
翻to turn overVerb3
鱼煎好一面以后，再翻过来。Once one side of the fish is done, turn it over.
加热to heat up; to warm upVerb3
牛奶有点儿凉，我帮你加热一下。The milk is a bit cold — I’ll warm it up for you.
解冻to thaw; to defrostVerb3
冻肉要先解冻再切。Frozen meat should be thawed before you cut it.
尝to taste; to try (food)Verb3
这个菜是我做的，你尝一下。I made this dish — have a taste.
Noun (21)
盐saltNoun3
汤里的盐放多了。Too much salt has gone into the soup.
糖sugar; sweetsNoun2
我喝咖啡不加糖。I take my coffee without sugar.
酱油soy sauceNoun3
做炒饭的时候，可以放一点儿酱油。When you make fried rice, you can add a little soy sauce.
醋vinegarNoun3
吃饺子的时候我喜欢蘸点儿醋。I like to dip my dumplings in a little vinegar.
吃醋, “to eat vinegar”, also means to be jealous.
油oilNoun2
这个菜放的油太多了。Too much oil has gone into this dish.
胡椒pepperNoun3
我在汤里加了一点儿胡椒。I added a little pepper to the soup.
味精MSG (a flavour enhancer)Noun3
我做菜从来不放味精。I never put MSG in my cooking.
葱spring onionNoun3
面条上放一点儿葱更香。A little spring onion on the noodles makes them smell even better.
姜gingerNoun3
做鱼的时候要放几片姜。When you cook fish, put in a few slices of ginger.
蒜garlicNoun3
我不太喜欢蒜的味儿。I don’t much like the smell of garlic.
On its own usually 大蒜.
辣椒chilli; hot pepperNoun3
四川菜里常常有很多辣椒。Sichuan dishes often contain a lot of chilli.
面粉flourNoun3
包饺子要先买面粉。To make dumplings, you first need to buy flour.
锅pot; pan; wokNoun3
锅里的水开了。The water in the pot is boiling.
Measure word: 口. Also a measure word itself: 一锅汤, a pot of soup.
刀knifeNoun3
这把刀很快，你用的时候小心点儿。This knife is very sharp, so be careful when you use it.
Measure word: 把. A sharp knife is 快, “fast”.
菜板chopping boardNoun3
切完肉以后，要把菜板洗干净。After cutting meat, wash the chopping board thoroughly.
烤箱ovenNoun3
蛋糕在烤箱里还要烤二十分钟。The cake needs another twenty minutes in the oven.
电饭锅rice cookerNoun3
米洗好了，放进电饭锅里煮吧。The rice is washed — put it in the rice cooker to cook.
菜谱recipe; cookbookNoun3
我是照着网上的菜谱做的。I made it following a recipe I found online.
做法way of making something; methodNoun3
这道菜的做法很简单。This dish is very simple to make.
Dishes are counted with 道.
小火low heatNoun3
汤开了以后改用小火。Once the soup boils, turn it down to a low heat.
High heat is 大火, which also means a big fire.
剩菜leftoversNoun3
昨天的剩菜放在冰箱里了。Yesterday’s leftovers are in the fridge.
Adjective (3)
熟cooked; done; ripeAdjective3
肉还没熟，再等五分钟。The meat isn’t done yet — wait another five minutes.
Often said shóu in everyday speech.
生raw; uncookedAdjective3
这种鱼可以生吃。This kind of fish can be eaten raw.
淡bland; not salty enough; weak (of tea)Adjective3
汤有点儿淡，再加点儿盐吧。The soup is a bit bland — add a little more salt.
