主菜
zhǔcài
The English phrase 'entree' is translated into Chinese as 主菜 (zhǔcài).
主菜 is used to describe the central part of a meal, typically a protein-based dish, in both formal and casual dining contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 主 (zhǔ), meaning 'main' or 'primary' and 菜 (cài), meaning 'dish' or 'food'.
Which one should you use?
While 主菜 (zhǔcài) refers to the main dish (like meat or vegetables), 主食 (zhǔshí) refers to the staple food of the meal, such as rice or noodles.
How do you pronounce it?
zhǔcài
Did you know?
- In some regional dialects, a person who is completely new to a skill is jokingly called a 菜鸟 (càiniǎo), which literally means 'vegetable bird'.
- While 主菜 implies a center-piece, in a traditional Chinese banquet, the most important dish is often the 'fish' dish, which represents abundance. Even if it is not the largest protein, its symbolic meaning makes it the true 'star' of the meal.
- The word 菜 in 主菜 is also the word used for 'vegetable' or 'greens'. Therefore, a 'main dish' and a 'vegetable' are linguistically categorized using the same character.
Examples in context
- 请给我一份牛排，作为主菜。Please give me a steak as the entree/main dish.
- 我想点一道烤鸭作为首道菜。I would like to order a roasted duck as the first course/entree.
- 我们今天中午吃的那道鱼真好吃！The fish dish we had for lunch today was delicious!
- 这道主菜很好吃。Zhè dào zhǔcài hěn hǎochī.This main course is delicious.
- 你想吃什么主菜？Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme zhǔcài?What main course do you want to eat?
- 鱼是今天的特色主菜。Yú shì jīntiān de tèsè zhǔcài.Fish is today's special main course.
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Wei are looking at a menu in a restaurant.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，你想点什么主菜？Wěi, nǐ xiǎng diǎn shénme zhǔcài?Wei, what main course do you want to order?
- 伟 Wei我想试试这里的牛排。Wǒ xiǎng shìshì zhèlǐ de niúpái.I want to try the steak here.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我也点一份牛排作为主菜。Nà wǒ yě diǎn yī fèn niúpái zuòwéi zhǔcài.Then I will also order a steak as the main course.
- 伟 Wei好的，我们现在点餐吧。Hǎo de, wǒmen xiànzài diǎncān ba.Okay, let's order now.
