Eating Habits & Diet in Chinese 饮食习惯
yǐnshí xíguàn
Eating habits in Chinese is 饮食习惯 (yǐn shí xí guàn).
Also searched for as: vegetarian, diet, eating habits, picky eater.
How do you like to eat? 15 essential eating habits words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
饮食习惯 (yǐn shí xí guàn) means eating habits, and these words help you describe your diet, preferences and restrictions. They're especially handy when someone hosts you for a meal and asks 你有什么忌口吗 (nǐ yǒu shén me jì kǒu ma), 'is there anything you don't eat?', or when you need to explain that you 吃素 (chī sù), eat vegetarian, or are 过敏 (guò mǐn), allergic, to something.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 饮食 | yǐn shí | diet; food and drink |
| 三餐 | sān cān | three meals a day |
| 挑食 | tiāo shí | to be a picky eater |
| 吃素 | chī sù | to be vegetarian |
| 忌口 | jì kǒu | foods you avoid |
| 过敏 | guò mǐn | allergic |
| 减肥 | jiǎn féi | to lose weight |
| 节食 | jié shí | to diet |
| 宵夜 | xiāo yè | late-night snack |
| 吃撑了 | chī chēng le | stuffed (ate too much) |
| 清淡 | qīng dàn | light (not oily or spicy) |
| 口味重 | kǒu wèi zhòng | strong flavours |
| 自己做饭 | zì jǐ zuò fàn | to cook for yourself |
| 叫外卖 | jiào wài mài | to order a takeaway |
| 不吃猪肉 | bù chī zhū ròu | to not eat pork |
Usage tips
- 挑食 (tiāo shí) is mildly critical and usually said about children; to explain politely that you avoid certain foods, use 忌口 (jì kǒu) or 我不吃… (wǒ bù chī…).
- 吃素 (chī sù) can mean vegetarian or vegan depending on the speaker, and some Buddhist vegetarians also avoid garlic and onions, so it's worth spelling out exactly what you don't eat.
- 吃撑了 (chī chēng le) is casual and a little comic, the kind of thing you say to friends after a big meal, and hosts usually take it as a compliment.
Common mistakes
- Saying 我在节食 for an ordinary 'I'm on a diet'; 节食 (jié shí) suggests strict food restriction, and the everyday phrase is 我在减肥 (wǒ zài jiǎn féi).
- Saying 我过敏花生 in English word order; the structure is 对…过敏, so say 我对花生过敏 (wǒ duì huā shēng guò mǐn).
Mini dialogue
- A今天我请客。你有什么忌口吗？Jīn tiān wǒ qǐng kè. Nǐ yǒu shén me jì kǒu ma?It's my treat today. Is there anything you don't eat?
- B我吃素，而且对花生过敏。Wǒ chī sù, ér qiě duì huā shēng guò mǐn.I'm vegetarian, and I'm allergic to peanuts.
- A没问题，我们点几个清淡的菜吧。Méi wèn tí, wǒ men diǎn jǐ gè qīng dàn de cài ba.No problem, let's order a few light dishes.
- B好啊，谢谢你！Hǎo a, xiè xie nǐ!Great, thank you!
Example sentences
- 健康的饮食很重要。A healthy diet is important.
- 一日三餐要按时吃。Eat your three meals at regular times.
- 这个孩子很挑食。This child is a fussy eater.
- 我吃素，不吃肉。I'm vegetarian, I don't eat meat.
- 你有什么忌口吗？Is there anything you don't eat?
- 我对花生过敏。I'm allergic to peanuts.
- 我在减肥，不吃晚饭。I'm on a diet, I'm skipping dinner.
- 节食对身体不好。Crash dieting is bad for you.
- 我们去吃宵夜吧！Let's go for a late-night snack!
- 我吃撑了，走不动了。I'm stuffed, I can't move.
- 我想吃点儿清淡的。I fancy something light.
- 他口味很重，爱吃咸的。He likes strong flavours, especially salty food.
- 自己做饭更健康。Cooking for yourself is healthier.
- 太累了，叫外卖吧。I'm too tired, let's order a takeaway.
- 我不吃猪肉。I don't eat pork.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Eating habits speaking island has 8 everyday questions about eating habits to prepare your own answers to.