One of the joys of Chinese food is the wide variety of flavours it can offer—yet not everybody likes the same tastes. There are those who like sweet; or sour; or sweet and sour; or bitter and so on. What do you like and can you talk about what flavours and tastes you prefer? Alternatively can you ask others what flavours they like?
In this Podcast, you will learn:
(i) How to ask about different flavours in food
(ii) To tell someone what flavours and tastes you like
Dialogue:
A husband and wife are eating at home:
（在家吃饭）
(zài jiā chī fàn)
(having dinner at home)
A:吃饭啦！
Chī fàn la!
Let’s eat!
B:（喝了一口）啊呀，这汤好辣！
(hē le yī kǒu) ā yà, zhè tāng hǎo là!
(takes a sip) This soup is too spicy!
A:那你尝尝这个，这个菜是酸甜的。
Nà nǐ cháng cháng zhè ge, zhè ge cài shì suān tián de.
Try this then. This dish is sweet and sour.
B:嗯，好吃！那个是什麽菜？
En, hǎo chī! Nà gè shì shén me cài?
Um, yummy! What is that dish?
A:那个是炒苦瓜。
Nà gè shì chǎo kǔ guā.
That is stir-fried bitter melon.
B:（吃了一口）啊，又咸又苦！
(chī le yī kǒu) à, yòu xián yòu kǔ!
(having a bite) Ah, it’s salty and bitter!
A：不好意思！我可能放盐放多了。
Bù hǎo yì si! Wǒ kě néng fàng yán fàng duō le.
I’m so sorry, I probably put too much salt into it.
Chinese words and phrases mentioned in this Podcast:
吃饭啦：let’s eat
喝：drink
汤：soup
辣：spicy
尝尝：taste/give this one a try
菜：dish
酸甜：sweet and sour
炒：stir fry/fried
苦瓜：bitter melon
苦瓜炒牛肉：stir-fried bitter melon with beef
咸：salty
苦：bitter
又：also
盐：salt
Cultural/Grammar note:
‘又……又’ is a combination of both ‘A and B’.
e.g. 这里又热又潮。
Zhè lǐ yòu rè yòu cháo.
Here is hot and humid.
我又累又饿。
Wǒ yòu lèi yòu è.
I am tired and hungry.