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Kitchen words in Chinese (Mandarin)

Last updated July 7, 2026 · 6 min read

40 kitchen words

Phrases you can actually say

A word list gets you started, but a phrase is what you'll actually say out loud. Here are eight built from the table above:

• 这个杯子是我的。 Zhège bēizi shì wǒ de. — This cup is mine.
• 请把碗放在这里。 Qǐng bǎ wǎn fàng zài zhèlǐ. — Please put the bowl here.
• 我用筷子吃饭。 Wǒ yòng kuàizi chīfàn. — I eat with chopsticks.
• 冰箱里有牛奶和鸡蛋。 Bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu niúnǎi hé jīdàn. — There's milk and eggs in the fridge.
• 瓶子空了。 Píngzi kōng le. — The bottle is empty.
• 我喜欢吃苹果和橙子。 Wǒ xǐhuan chī píngguǒ hé chéngzi. — I like eating apples and oranges.
• 请把盐递给我。 Qǐng bǎ yán dì gěi wǒ. — Please pass me the salt.
• 垃圾桶满了。 Lājītǒng mǎn le. — The trash can is full.

Catch them instead of memorizing them

A list like this one is a starting point, not the finish line. The words that actually stay with you are the ones attached to something you own — not a printed page. Open CatchFrase, point your camera at the cup on your counter or the pot on your stove, and it names the object in Chinese: character, pinyin, and an example sentence, read aloud so you can hear the tones instead of guessing at them.

Every catch also becomes a sticker card in your own collection, and CatchFrase brings it back for a quick review right before you'd naturally forget it — the same spaced-repetition idea behind how to actually remember vocabulary, just applied to the actual objects around you instead of a deck someone else built.

Here's the honest math on the free tier: 10 catches a day means a 40-word kitchen list like this one takes about four days to fully catch, at roughly two minutes a session. That's slower than reading a table straight through, but the words that come from your own kitchen are the ones that survive next week.

Common questions

Is this list simplified or traditional characters?

Simplified — the characters used in mainland China. Every word is shown with the character and pinyin tone marks together.

Why does the pinyin have marks over some letters?

Those are tone marks. Mandarin uses four tones plus a neutral tone, and the tone changes the meaning of a syllable — bēi and bèi are different sounds. Reading the mark is a start; hearing the word said correctly and saying it back is what actually trains your ear.

Is CatchFrase free to use for this?

The free tier includes 10 catches a day, a 75-card collection, and daily review — enough to work through a list like this one over a few days. CatchFrase Plus adds unlimited catches and deeper practice.