Menu Literacy
Chinese Menu Literacy System
A Chinese menu becomes easier to read when each item is connected to its cuisine, technique, ingredient base, dietary risk, restaurant format, and pronunciation.
The system
| Layer | Question it answers | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Dish | What is this item? | Dish guides |
| Ingredient | What sauce, starch, spice, or preserved food is shaping the flavor? | Ingredient guides |
| Cuisine | Which regional or diaspora tradition is the dish part of? | Regional cuisines |
| Restaurant format | What kind of restaurant menu am I reading? | Restaurant format guides |
| Dietary signals | What hidden ingredients or preparation risks should I ask about? | Dietary ordering guides |
| Pronunciation | How do I say the dish, ingredient, or phrase? | Pronunciation and phrases |
| Geography | Where does the cuisine or restaurant tradition come from? | Cuisine geography |
Useful starting points
How to use the site
- Identify the restaurant format before interpreting individual dishes.
- Use the dish guide to understand the item, not only its literal translation.
- Check the ingredient guide for sauces, starches, spices, and preserved foods.
- Use the menu-risk box to decide what questions to ask.
- Use pronunciation controls only when they help communication.