Chinese cooking glossary

30 terms every Chinese home cook needs — bilingual, quantified, with substitutions. Hover any term in a recipe for the same info.

Sauces & seasonings

中文	English	What it is	Swap
生抽shēng chōu	Light soy sauce	The everyday salty soy sauce used for seasoning. Thin, salty, and lighter in color than dark soy. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Any standard soy sauce (Kikkoman etc.) works 1:1 for cooking; taste before adding extra salt.
老抽lǎo chōu	Dark soy sauce	Thicker, darker, slightly sweet soy sauce used mainly for color (braises, fried rice). Less salty than light soy. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	No dark soy? Mix 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + few drops of molasses for color.
料酒 / 绍兴酒shào xīng jiǔ	Shaoxing cooking wine	Fermented rice wine from Shaoxing; adds depth and removes gamey notes from meat. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%).
蚝油háo yóu	Oyster sauce	Thick, savory-sweet sauce made from oyster extracts. Signature of Cantonese stir-fries. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Vegetarian: mushroom stir-fry sauce or hoisin + soy mix. Note: most contain gluten & shellfish.
郫县豆瓣酱pí xiàn dòu bàn jiàng	Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)	Fermented broad-bean & chili paste, the soul of Sichuan cooking (mapo tofu, twice-cooked pork). 1 tbsp ≈ 15 g	Gochujang + extra chili flakes is a decent stand-in (fidelity ~70%); flavor is sweeter.
海鲜酱hǎi xiān jiàng	Hoisin sauce	Sweet, thick barbecue-style sauce (soy, garlic, five-spice). Used in glazes and stir-fries. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	—
镇江香醋zhèn jiāng xiāng cù	Chinkiang (black) vinegar	Dark, malty, slightly sweet rice vinegar. Essential for dumpling dips and sweet-sour dishes. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Balsamic vinegar, thinned with a splash of water (fidelity ~75%).
米醋 / 白醋mǐ cù	Rice vinegar	Mild, gently sweet vinegar used in dressings and quick pickles. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Apple cider vinegar works 1:1 in most dressings.
香油 / 芝麻油xiāng yóu	Toasted sesame oil	Dark, nutty oil from toasted sesame. Used as a finishing flavor, not for frying. 1 tsp ≈ 5 ml	No substitute matches the aroma; skip rather than replace with neutral oil.
辣椒油 / 红油là jiāo yóu	Chili oil (red oil)	Chili-infused oil with crispy bits; heat + aroma in Sichuan dishes. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	DIY: warm oil poured over chili flakes + pinch of five-spice.

Spices

中文	English	What it is	Swap
花椒huā jiāo	Sichuan peppercorn	Citrusy, numbing spice (má) unique to Sichuan cooking. Not a 'peppercorn' in heat terms. 1 tsp ≈ 2 g	No true substitute for the numbing effect; add a little black pepper for warmth only.
八角bā jiǎo	Star anise	Licorice-scented spice used in braises and five-spice. 1 star ≈ 1 g	A pinch of five-spice powder can stand in for one star.
五香粉wǔ xiāng fěn	Five-spice powder	Blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, fennel. 1 tsp ≈ 2 g	DIY: equal parts cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel, Sichuan pepper.
白胡椒粉bái hú jiāo fěn	White pepper	Earthy, sharp pepper used in soups and stir-fries for depth without black flecks. 1 tsp ≈ 2 g	Black pepper 1:1 (slightly stronger, more floral).
干辣椒段gān là jiāo duàn	Dried chili / chili flakes	Dried red chilies, whole or crushed; more aroma than fresh heat. 1 dried chili ≈ 0.5 tsp flakes	—

Techniques

中文	English	What it is	Swap
镬气wok hēi	Wok hei (breath of the wok)	The smoky, charred aroma from high-heat wok cooking. Hard to replicate on home stoves — don't stress it.	—
上浆 / 滑油shàng jiāng	Velveting (marinating in cornstarch)	Coating meat in cornstarch (often with egg white) before cooking so it stays silky and tender. ~1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water per 250 g meat	—
焯水 / 汆烫chāo shuǐ	Blanching	Briefly boiling vegetables or meat in water to set color, remove scum, or parcook. 30-90 seconds, then shock in cold water	—
过冷水guò lěng shuǐ	Shocking / quenching	Dunking blanched food in cold water to stop cooking and keep color bright.	—

Ingredients

中文	English	What it is	Swap
玉米淀粉yù mǐ diàn fěn	Cornstarch (cornflour UK)	Fine starch used to thicken sauces and velvet meat. Creates glossy finish. 1 tbsp ≈ 8 g	—
豆腐dòu fu	Tofu	Soybean curd; firm/silken varieties behave differently — use what the recipe says.	—
小葱 / 青葱xiǎo cōng	Scallions / green onions	The all-purpose garnish and aromatic base of countless dishes. 1 stalk ≈ 15 g	—
姜jiāng	Fresh ginger	Aromatic root that cuts richness and removes meat 'gamey' notes.	—
大蒜dà suàn	Garlic	Universal aromatic base; sliced, minced, or smashed for different intensity.	—
干香菇gān xiāng gū	Dried shiitake mushrooms	Rehydrated for deep umami; the soaking liquid is liquid gold for sauces. soak 20-30 min in warm water	—
小白菜 / 青菜xiǎo bái cài	Baby bok choy	A quick-cooking leafy green, the default vegetable of Chinese home cooking.	Substitute: Swiss chard, spinach, or broccoli florets.
大白菜dà bái cài	Napa cabbage	Sweet, juicy cabbage used in stir-fries, dumplings, and hot pot.	—

Measurements

中文	English	What it is	Swap
汤匙tāng chí	Tablespoon	US tablespoon = 15 ml. In Chinese recipes 1 汤匙 usually means 1 tablespoon. 1 tbsp = 15 ml = 3 tsp	—
茶匙chá chí	Teaspoon	US teaspoon = 5 ml. 1 tsp = 5 ml = 1/3 tbsp	—
适量 / 少许shì liàng	To taste / a pinch	The infamous vague measure. In HǎoWèi we always replace it with a concrete amount.	—