中華料理
chūka ryōri[t͡ɕɨːka̠ ɾʲo̞ːɾʲi]
中華料理 (chūka ryōri) is the Japanese phrase for Chinese food.
中華料理 refers to food that originates from China or is prepared in the Chinese style. In Japan, this term often refers to Chuka, which is a localized adaptation of Chinese dishes rather than strictly authentic regional Chinese cuisine.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 中華 (chūka), meaning 'Chinese' or 'China' and 料理 (ryōri), meaning 'cuisine' or 'cooking'.
Which one should you use?
While 中華料理 refers to the cuisine as a whole, the term 中華街 (chūka-gai) is often used to refer to a Chinatown. Additionally, the shorter form 中華 can be used as a prefix for specific dishes, such as 中華まん (chūkamann) for steamed meat buns.
How do you pronounce it?
chūka ryōri
Did you know?
- In Japan, the dish 天津飯 (tenshin-han), a crab omelet over rice, is categorized as 中華料理 but is not found in authentic Chinese cuisine.
- The word 中華 (chūka) literally translates to 'Central Flower', reflecting an ancient Chinese view of their civilization as the center of the world.
- While 中華料理 is the general term, many Japanese people refer to Japanese-style Chinese food as 町中華 (machi-chūka), meaning 'town Chinese'. These are small, nostalgic neighborhood eateries that serve comfort food adapted for Japanese tastes.
Examples in context
- たまにしか中華料理は食べない。I eat Chinese food once in a blue moon.This sentence is useful for expressing how infrequently you eat 中華料理.Tatoeba #8663718 by small_snow, translation #913459 by CM
- トムって、中華料理が好きなのかな。I wonder if Tom likes Chinese food.This sentence is useful for wondering about someone's preference for 中華料理.Tatoeba #11376401 by bunbuku, translation #2540194 by CK
- 酢豚は、私が一番好きな中華料理です。Sweet and sour pork is my favorite Chinese food.This sentence is useful for stating a favorite type of 中華料理.Tatoeba #10840698 by small_snow, translation #8037438 by CK
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- 結衣 Yui今日の夕飯は中華料理にしませんか？Kyō no yūhan wa chūka ryōri ni shimasen ka?Why don't we have Chinese food for dinner today?
- 蓮 Renいいですね。私も中華料理が食べたかったです。Ii desu ne. Watashi mo chūka ryōri ga tabetakatta desu.That sounds good. I wanted to eat Chinese food too.
- 結衣 Yui近くに美味しいお店があるよ。Chikaku ni oishii omise ga aru yo.There is a delicious restaurant nearby.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、そこに一緒に行きましょう。Jaa, soko ni issho ni ikimashō.Well, let's go there together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 中華料理, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 中華料理, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
