China is famous for its diverse and delicious food — and being able to describe tastes in Chinese makes eating out so much more fun. Whether you’re trying street food, hotpot, or home-style dishes, these Mandarin flavor words will help you sound like a local.
Learn the most important taste vocabulary in Chinese with pinyin, examples, and translations — perfect for beginners and food lovers!
1. Sweet – 甜 (tián) 🍰
Example:
这块蛋糕很甜。
Zhè kuài dàngāo hěn tián.
“This piece of cake is very sweet.”
2. Salty / Savory – 咸 (xián) 🧂
Example:
这碗汤有点咸。
Zhè wǎn tāng yǒudiǎn xián.
“This bowl of soup is a bit salty.”
3. Umami / Fresh– 鲜 (xiān) 🍲
Example:
这碗汤很鲜。
Zhè wǎn tāng hěn xiān.
“This soup is very savory and full of umami.”
4. Spicy – 辣 (là) 🌶
Example:
四川火锅很辣。
Sìchuān huǒguō hěn là.
“Sichuan hotpot is very spicy.”
5. Bitter – 苦 (kǔ) ☕
Example:
这杯咖啡有点苦。
Zhè bēi kāfēi yǒudiǎn kǔ.
“This cup of coffee is a bit bitter.”
6. Sour – 酸 (suān) 🍋
Example:
柠檬水酸酸的，很好喝。
Níngméng shuǐ suān suān de, hěn hǎohē.
“The lemonade is sour and very tasty.”
7. Numb & Spicy – 麻辣 (málà) 🔥
A famous flavor from Sichuan cuisine — spicy + numbing.
Example:
麻辣小龙虾和啤酒太配了，真让人流口水！
Málà xiǎo lóngxiā hé píjiǔ tài pèi le, zhēn ràng rén liú kǒushuǐ!
“Spicy, numbing crayfish with beer is the perfect match — it makes your mouth water!”
8. Fragrant / Delicious – 香 (xiāng) 🍜
香 means both “fragrant” and “tasty.”
Example:
这碗牛肉面真香！
Zhè wǎn niúròu miàn zhēn xiāng!
“This bowl of beef noodles smells amazing and tastes great!”
⭐ Extra Useful Food Phrases in Chinese
很好吃！(Hěn hǎochī!)
It’s delicious!
太好吃了！(Tài hǎochī le!)
It’s so yummy!
味道不错。(Wèidào bùcuò.)
The flavor is good.
味道太重了。(Wèidào tài zhòng le!)
The flavor is too strong.
🍽 Final Thoughts: Describe Your Next Meal in Mandarin!
Now you know the most important Chinese flavor words to describe food like a local — sweet, salty, spicy, umami, and more.
Next time you try Chinese street food or sit down for a hotpot dinner, try using these words to practice your Mandarin!
If you want to learn practical, everyday Chinese for real-life situations — from restaurants to markets — SN Mandarin is here to help.
👉 Start learning Mandarin today and enjoy every bite of your China journey!
