Food Culture

Shared dining: the heart of Chinese meals

Unlike the Western convention of one plate per person, Chinese meals are typically shared — dishes are placed in the centre of the table (often a rotating round table known as a "lazy Susan"), and everyone helps themselves using their own chopsticks or a set of shared serving chopsticks (公筷 gōngkuài). The format is inherently social: eating is something done together, not a series of individual tasks. As a guest, it's generally polite to let the host begin first, and to try a bit of every dish offered.

Toasting culture

Toasting (干杯 gānbēi — literally "dry the glass") plays an important role in formal meals and banquets, especially in business or family gatherings. Toasts are typically initiated by the host or the most senior person present, with others then toasting the guest of honour in turn. When clinking glasses, holding your glass rim slightly lower than the other person's is a traditional sign of humility and respect — the more senior person's glass typically stays higher. You're not obligated to finish your glass every time, and politely explaining that you don't drink is generally understood and accepted.

The eight great cuisines

China is vast, and regional cuisine varies enormously. Traditionally grouped into "eight great cuisines" (八大菜系 bā dà càixì), each has a distinct flavour profile and signature dishes:

The remaining four are Zhejiang (浙菜, delicate and fresh), Fujian (闽菜, known for soups and seafood), Hunan (湘菜, spicy but distinct from Sichuan's numbing heat), and Anhui (徽菜, known for wild mountain ingredients and braising).

Dim sum and teahouse culture

Dim sum (点心 diǎnxin), originating in Cantonese cuisine, is a style of dining built around small steamed or fried dishes served with tea, typically for breakfast or lunch. The phrase 饮茶 (yǐnchá — "drink tea") is often used to refer to the entire dim sum experience — tea isn't just a beverage, it's a central part of the social ritual.

Food culture vocabulary