How to Say "Barbeque" in Mandarin

烧烤

shāokǎo

The Mandarin phrase for barbeque is 烧烤 (shāokǎo).

The term 烧烤 can be used as both a noun (the food/event) and a verb (the act of grilling).

What does it mean word for word?

The word 烧烤 is composed of 烧 (to burn/roast) and 烤 (to roast/bake).

In Taiwan, the preferred way to say barbeque is 燒烤.

shāokǎo

If you are eating skewered barbeque in a casual setting, you will often hear the word 撸串 (lū chuàn) used to describe the act of eating them.
In China, 烧烤 is often a late-night social activity where groups gather at open-air street stalls to grill skewers of meat and vegetables.
Street-style 烧烤 is frequently paired with cold beer and a specific dusting of cumin, which is a signature flavor profile for Chinese grill.

我们星期天要去烧烤。
We're having a barbeque on Sunday.
This sentence is useful for describing a planned event involving 烧烤.
Tatoeba #591729 by sysko, translation #4728658 by paper1n0
这家店的烧烤很有名。
Zhè jiā diàn de shāokǎo hěn yǒumíng.
The barbeque at this shop is very famous.
你想吃烧烤吗？
Nǐ xiǎng chī shāokǎo ma?
Do you want to eat barbeque?

Two friends are deciding what to eat for dinner.

志强 Zhiqiang

欣怡，你想吃烧烤吗？
Xīnyí, nǐ xiǎng chī shāokǎo ma?
Xinyi, do you want to eat barbeque?
欣怡 Xinyi

好啊，我很喜欢吃烧烤。
Hǎo a, wǒ hěn xǐhuān chī shāokǎo.
Sure, I really like eating barbeque.
志强 Zhiqiang

那我们去那家店吧。
Nà wǒmen qù nà jiā diàn ba.
Then let's go to that shop.
欣怡 Xinyi

志强，我也觉得那家不错。
Zhìqiáng, wǒ yě juédé nà jiā búcuò.
Zhiqiang, I also think that place is good.

Sources

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