Telling Chinese people that you don't eat meat is often met with a look of confusion (一脸的莫名其妙 yī liǎn de mò míng qí miào), and maybe even shock. The saying that Chinese people will eat "anything with four legs except tables and anything that flies except airplanes" may have been inspired by Cantonese cuisine, but it remains true that in China anything is fair game at the dinner table.

Despite this, it is possible to thrive in China as a vegetarian or with food allergies, as long as you know what to look for and a few essential phrases. Chinese cuisine can be quite accommodating as it incorporates a lot of vegetables and tofu (豆腐 dò fu) – not only do they know how to cook tofu better than in the West but it's a great way to stay healthy thanks to its high protein (蛋白质 dàn bái zhì) content.

If you are invited to dinner (晚饭 wǎn fàn) at your Chinese friend's house, be prepared to answer questions about why you won't eat their mum's famous homemade meat dumplings (肉饺子 ròu jiǎo zi). If the thought of being interrogated over your eating habits and dietary requirements gives you an upset stomach (胃不舒服 wèi bù shū fu), here are some essential phrases for wriggling your way out of sampling chicken feet (鸡脚 jī jiǎo) and the like.

Chinese phrases for vegetarian/dietary requirements

我吃素。

wǒ chī sù

I am vegetarian.

我吃纯素。

wǒ chī chún sù

I am vegan.

我不吃肉／我不要肉。

wǒ bù chī ròu / wǒ bù yào ròu

I don't eat meat.

我不吃海鲜。

wǒ bù chī hǎi xiān

I don't eat seafood.

鸡蛋可以／不可以。

jī dàn kě yǐ / bù kě yǐ

Eggs are okay / not okay.

你有忌口吗?／对什么食物过敏吗?

nǐ yǒu jì kǒu ma? / duì shén me shí wù guò mǐn ma?

Is there anything you don't eat? / Do you have any allergies?

我对…鸡蛋／海鲜／ 花生／乳制品／麸质…忌口／过敏

wǒ duì … jī dàn / hǎi xiān / huā shēng / rǔ zhì pǐn / fū zhì … jì kǒu / guò mǐn

I am allergic to …eggs / seafood / peanuts / dairy / gluten.

你为什么不吃肉?

nǐ wèi shén me bù chī ròu?

Why don't you eat meat?

因为…我关心动物／对身体很好／对环境很好／更便宜。

yīn wèi … wǒ guān xīn dòng wù / duì shēn tǐ hěn hǎo / duì huán jìng hěn hǎo / gèng pián yi

Because I care about animals / it is healthy / it is good for the environment / it is cheaper.

Explaining the concept of vegetarianism in China may be tricky, but trying to order food with your specific dietary requirements can be even harder in a restaurant and in Chinese! Even after ordering a dish without meat (没有肉 méi yǒu ròu), it is still possible to end up with some surprise chicken floating in your noodles because the restaurant owner doesn't understand or they simply think chicken doesn't count as meat (肉 ròu) (true story). And just because a dish on the menu contains the character for vegetables (菜 cài) doesn't mean it is vegetarian-friendly.

Similarly, if you have food allergies, you should always ask as clearly as possible what ingredients are in the dish you want. Even asking about the type of oil the dishes are cooked in may be necessary, as Chinese restaurants like to use peanut, sesame, or a mixture, plus they usually cook everything in the same wok. Chinese restaurants are becoming more aware of food allergies, particularly when faced with foreigners, and may ask you if you have any specific dietary requirements (你有没有忌口／对什么食物过敏吗? nǐ yǒu méi yǒu jì kǒu/duì shén me shí wù guò mǐn ma?). But it is still worth double-checking because you don't want to find any rogue peanuts in your dishes.

Ordering food at a restaurant without fear of meat, allergic reactions, or dying entering the equation

你有素菜吗？

nǐ yǒu sù cài ma

Do you have any vegetarian dishes?

我也不吃鸡肉。

wǒ yě bù chī jī ròu

I don't eat chicken either.

这个菜有肉吗？

zhè ge cài yǒu ròu ma?

Does this dish have meat?

我要吃这个菜，不加肉。

wǒ yào chī zhè ge cài bù jiā ròu

I want to eat this dish without meat.

你能不能做饭不加肉？

nǐ néng bù néng zuò fān bù jiā ròu?

Can you make this dish without meat?

我对X过敏，请不要加X。

wǒ duì X guò mǐn, qǐng bù yào jiā X

I'm allergic to X. Please could you not add X?

你用什么油做饭？花生油吗？芝麻油吗？

nǐ yòng shén me yóu zuò fàn? huā shēng yóu ma? zhī ma yóu ma?

What oil do you use to cook? Peanut oil? Sesame oil?

If all else fails, you can always try asking for some staple dishes, listed below, which usually feature on restaurant menus, or try your luck and ask if the cook can create something for you from scratch.

Vegetarian dishes to order

蒜蓉西兰花

suàn róng xī lán huā

Broccoli fried with garlic

青菜炒面

qīng cài chǎo miàn

Fried noodles with greens

豆腐

dòu fu

Tofu

辣椒炒土豆

là jiāo chǎo tǔ dòu

Spicy stir-fried potatoes

西红柿炒鸡蛋

xī hóng shì chǎo jī dàn

Tomato fried with egg

麻辣／拍黄瓜

má là / pāi huáng guā

Smashed cucumber with chili oil and/or garlic (cold dish)

地三鲜

dì sān xiān

Fried potatoes, peppers, and eggplant

香菇包子

xiāng gū bāo zi

Steamed buns with mushrooms