How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Chinese

To order food in China without speaking Chinese, point at the dish, say 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège), show the number with your fingers or say it, ask 多少钱 (duōshao qián), say 谢谢 (xièxie), and pay by QR code or small cash. This guide gives the phrases, the numbers one to five, how to read pinyin as an English speaker, how scan-to-order menus work, how to order at a night market or street stall, and how to pay as a visitor.

It is the written version of my Scratch & Roam video and 9 slides, filmed at a bun stall and at Sijing Night Market in Shanghai. The facts were checked against the sources at the bottom on 26 October 2026. Where sources disagree, or where I could not find one, I say so.

Quick answers

How do you order food in China without speaking Chinese?

Point at the dish, or at someone else's, and say 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège), I want this one. Show how many with fingers or a typed number, use a translator camera for menus, and pay with a QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay, or with small cash.

What is scan-to-order in China?

It is a menu you open by scanning a QR code on the table. You order and often pay from your own phone. According to The China Project, the menu opens in a restaurant's mini program or a food app, or asks you to follow the restaurant's WeChat account. Many need WeChat or Alipay, so set one up before you fly.

Can you pay with a foreign card at street food stalls in China?

Do not count on it. China Navigators says foreign credit cards work only at international hotel restaurants and some chains. A People's Bank of China guide says foreign cards can be linked to Alipay and WeChat Pay with a mobile number, which is the usual workaround. Cash also works, but small vendors may lack change.

How do you say takeaway in Chinese?

打包 (dǎbāo) is the standard word for packing up food to take away. It is a phrase I wrote from standard Mandarin, not copied from a guide, so check it in a translator app.

Is it rude to point at food in China?

Sources differ. China Navigators calls pointing at another table's dish universally understood. China Highlights says it is somewhat rude, though locals usually excuse foreigners. At a stall, pointing at the food for sale is normal.

How do you say I want, we want and can we have in Chinese?

我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège) is I want this one, 我们要这个 (wǒmen yào zhège) is we want this one, and 可以给我们这个吗？ (kěyǐ gěi wǒmen zhège ma?) is can we have this? The first pattern is in China Navigators. The other two are standard Mandarin that I wrote myself.

How do you count one to five in Chinese when ordering?

一二三四五 (yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ). When you count things, say 两 (liǎng) for two, then 个 (ge): 一个这个 is one of this, 两个那个 is two of that, 三个这个 is three of this.

How do you say please and thank you in Chinese?

请 (qǐng) is please, 谢谢 (xièxie) is thank you, and 麻烦你 (máfan nǐ) is a softer please. These are standard Mandarin that I wrote myself.

What do you say to ask for no spice in Chinese?

不要辣 (bù yào là), from China Navigators. China Highlights gives 我不要辣 for no chillies. For a full guide to spice levels, read the spice tolerance guide.

How to order, step by step

1
Load a translator camera before you fly
China Navigators calls Baidu Translate's camera mode the most accurate free tool for reading Chinese menus live, and says to download the offline Chinese pack before you travel. Hold the camera steady for 2 to 3 seconds, use your phone torch in a dim restaurant, and scan a long menu in sections. It says Google Translate's camera is less accurate for Chinese.
2
Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay at home
Scan-to-order menus and most stall QR codes run on one of these two apps, so set one up before the trip. See the payment section below for what the sources say about foreign cards.
3
Say what you want: I want, we want, can we have
Point at the dish and say 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège), I want this one. For a group, say 我们要这个 (wǒmen yào zhège), we want this one. To ask politely, say 可以给我们这个吗？ (kěyǐ gěi wǒmen zhège ma?), can we have this? China Navigators gives the first pattern with 那个 (nà gè), that one, and calls it universally understood. The other two are standard Mandarin that I wrote myself.
4
Count one to five, and say how many
一二三四五 (yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ) are one to five. For counting things, Mandarin uses 两 (liǎng) for two, not 二, and adds 个 (ge) after the number. So 一个这个 (yí ge zhège) is one of this, 两个那个 (liǎng ge nàge) is two of that, and 三个这个 (sān ge zhège) is three of this. China Highlights gives 一份 (yī fèn), one portion, and 一笼 (yī lóng), one tray of dumplings. I have not found a source for the hand signs for 6 to 10, so I do not teach them here.
5
Ask the price
多少钱？ (duōshao qián?) means how much? It is standard Mandarin that I wrote myself, not copied from a guide. Show it on your phone if you are unsure of the pronunciation.
6
Take it away with 打包
打包 (dǎbāo) means to pack up, which is what you say for takeaway. Also my own standard-Mandarin phrase, so check it in a translator app first.
7
Say please and thank you
请 (qǐng) is please, 谢谢 (xièxie) is thank you, and 麻烦你 (máfan nǐ) is a softer please that means sorry to trouble you. These are my own standard-Mandarin phrases. My note, not a source's: shop and stall staff often skip please, so a smile and 谢谢 do most of the work.
8
Pay by QR code, or with small cash
Scan the stall's QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay, or pay cash. Trip.com says small vendors often lack change, so carry ¥10, ¥20 and ¥50 notes and avoid ¥100.

Phrase cards

Nineteen phrases to point at, say or show on your phone

You do not need to pronounce these well. Show the characters, point, and use your fingers for numbers. The "say it like" column is my own rough English respelling, so treat it as a guide and not as exact.

Chinese	Pinyin	Say it like	Meaning	Where it is from
我要这个	wǒ yào zhège	waw yow jer-guh	I want this one	Mine. China Navigators gives the same pattern with 那个 (that one).
我们要这个	wǒmen yào zhège	waw-men yow jer-guh	We want this one	Mine, standard Mandarin.
可以给我们这个吗？	kěyǐ gěi wǒmen zhège ma?	kuh-yee gay waw-men jer-guh mah?	Can we have this?	Mine, standard Mandarin.
我要那个	wǒ yào nà gè	waw yow nah-guh	I want that one (point at someone else's dish)	China Navigators
一二三四五	yī èr sān sì wǔ	ee, are, sahn, sss-uh, woo	One to five	Mine, standard Mandarin.
两个	liǎng ge	lyahng guh	Two of (use 两, not 二, when counting things)	Mine, standard Mandarin.
一个这个 / 两个那个 / 三个这个	yí ge zhège / liǎng ge nàge / sān ge zhège	ee guh jer-guh / lyahng guh nah-guh / sahn guh jer-guh	One of this, two of that, three of this	Mine, standard Mandarin.
一份	yī fèn	ee fuhn	One portion	China Highlights
一笼	yī lóng	ee lohng	One tray (of dumplings)	China Highlights
多少钱？	duōshao qián?	dwaw-shaow chyen?	How much?	Mine, standard Mandarin.
打包	dǎbāo	dah-bow (as in bow-wow)	Takeaway, to go	Mine, standard Mandarin.
请	qǐng	cheeng	Please	Mine, standard Mandarin.
谢谢	xièxie	shyeh-shyeh	Thank you	Mine, standard Mandarin.
麻烦你	máfan nǐ	mah-fahn nee	Sorry to trouble you (a softer please)	Mine, standard Mandarin.
扫码点餐	sǎomǎ diǎncān	sow-mah dyen-tsahn	Scan the code to order	Mine, standard Mandarin.
不要辣	bù yào là	boo yow lah	No spice	China Navigators
不要猪肉	bù yào zhūròu	boo yow joo-roh	No pork	China Navigators
最受欢迎的是什么？	zuì shòu huānyíng de shì shénme?	dzway show hwahn-ying duh shur shum-muh?	What is most popular?	China Navigators
买单	mǎidān	my-dahn	The bill	China Navigators

Where a source is named, I copied the phrase from it. Where it says mine, it is standard Mandarin I wrote myself. Check any phrase in a translator app before you rely on it.

Counting

Numbers one to five, and how many

Point, then show the number with your fingers or say it.

一二三四五yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔOne to five (ee, are, sahn, sss-uh, woo)
一个这个yí ge zhègeOne of this
两个那个liǎng ge nàgeTwo of that
三个这个sān ge zhègeThree of this

When you count things, say 两 (liǎng) for two, not 二 (èr). The pattern is number, then 个 (ge), then the thing: 这个 is this one and 那个 is that one. This is standard Mandarin grammar that I wrote myself, not copied from a guide.

How to read it

How to read pinyin if you are English

Pinyin is Chinese written in English letters, but a few letters sound different from English, and the marks above the vowels are tones.

Letters that look different from English

q sounds like "ch": qián is "chyen".
x sounds like "sh": xièxie is "shyeh-shyeh".
zh sounds like "j": zhège is "jer-guh".
c sounds like "ts": cān is "tsahn".

Tone marks

ā is flat and high, like a sung note.
á is rising, like "huh?".
ǎ dips down then up.
à is short and sharp falling, like "no!".

These are my own simple English respellings, approximate on purpose. If you get a tone slightly wrong, pointing and a smile still work.

At a table

Scan-to-order menus

In many restaurants you do not get a paper menu. You scan a QR code on the table, order from your own phone, and pay there too.

How it works

The China Project (Siyuan Meng, 18 November 2021) says diners scan a code to see the menu, order from their phones and pay separately. The menu opens in the restaurant's own mini program or a food service app such as Meituan, or you are asked to follow the restaurant's WeChat account. China Navigators (23 March 2026) says it is common in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, that you scan the table sticker with WeChat, and that most items have photos.

The catch for visitors

The China Project notes that digital menus often require scanning through WeChat or Alipay, and says some people may be shut out. It does not say what a visitor without those apps should do. My advice, not a source's: set up one of the apps before you fly, and if it will not open, ask the staff for a paper menu or point at food.

Markets and street stalls

Night markets: point, count, pay

At a stall there is no menu to scan. You point at the food, say how many, and pay.

The night-market photos in this guide are from Sijing Night Market in Songjiang, Shanghai. The Shanghai government's English site (7 December 2023) gives the address as Sanxiang Square, No 2 Sibao Road, describes it as Shanghai's biggest open-air night market, and lists regional specialities such as sweet potato starch grilled rolls, oyster pancakes and Taiwan-style lemon tea. It does not give opening hours, so check before you go.

我要这个 / 我们要这个wǒ yào zhège / wǒmen yào zhègePoint at it
一份 / 一笼yī fèn / yī lóngOne portion or one tray
多少钱？duōshao qián?Ask the price
打包dǎbāoTakeaway

Two sources disagree on pointing at other diners' food. China Navigators calls it universally understood. China Highlights says it is somewhat rude, though locals usually excuse foreigners. At a stall, pointing at the food for sale is normal. At a restaurant table, be polite about it.

Paying

How to pay for street food and restaurant meals

📲

Alipay or WeChat PayWorks

China Navigators says both are accepted at almost all restaurants in Chinese cities. Trip.com calls Alipay the most reliable option for street food, scanning the printed code on the table or the vendor's own QR code.

Source: China Navigators; Trip.com

💳

Link a foreign card to the appWorks

A People's Bank of China payment guide (reported by China Briefing, March 2024) says foreign cards can be linked with just a mobile number, and that single-transaction limits rose from US$1,000 to US$5,000. Trip.com says tourist Alipay links Visa, Mastercard and JCB, and that WeChat Pay has stricter limits.

Source: China Briefing; Trip.com

💴

CashWorks

China Navigators says cash works everywhere. Trip.com says small vendors often lack change, so carry small notes. The PBOC guide says foreign cards can also take out RMB at ATMs showing the card's logo.

Source: China Navigators; Trip.com; China Briefing

💳

Relying on a foreign card at a stallDo not count on it

China Navigators says foreign credit cards work only at international hotel restaurants and some chains. Do not count on tapping a card at a market stall.

Source: China Navigators

Be careful

Allergies and dietary needs

The phrases for no spice and no pork are from China Navigators. If you have a serious allergy, a phrase is not enough: use a translator card written by a native speaker and ask at a sit-down restaurant, not a busy stall. This is travel advice, not medical advice.