牛排
niúpái
The English word "steak" is translated into Chinese as 牛排 (niúpái).
The term 牛排 is used to refer to a slice of beef. You may also encounter the term 牛肉扒 when specifically ordering a steak in a dining context, such as in the sentence 请给我一份牛肉扒.
Meaning: slice of beef (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 牛 (niú), meaning cow or beef and 排 (pái), meaning slice or row.
How do you pronounce it?
niúpái
Did you know?
- In many Chinese restaurants, the term 牛排 is used broadly to include 'steak-style' dishes that are sliced thin and stir-fried with vegetables, rather than just a thick whole cut of beef.
- In Chinese culinary terminology, the character 排 (pái) is used for various 'steaks' or ribs, such as 猪排 (zhūpái) for pork chops, because the word refers to the ribbed structure of the meat.
- In high-end Chinese dining, you may see 牛排 described by its specific 'grade' using terms that emphasize the 'marbling' (大理石花纹), treating the meat more like a piece of art than just food.
Examples in context
- 她说她想要吃牛排。She said she felt like eating steak.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to eat 牛排.Tatoeba #8748541 by cxpadonis, translation #7394687 by CH
- 我觉得吃完那块大牛排你就饱了。I thought you'd be full after eating that big steak.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a 牛排.Tatoeba #4621032 by Yashanti, translation #1938871 by CK
- 據該報道，除了冰鎮啤酒外，酒吧還提供烤牛腰肉和披薩等食物，牛排配有米飯、豆類和意大利麵，每盤僅售 4.40 美元，比附近其他地方便宜得多。In addition to cold beer, the bar serves food, including grilled sirloin and pizza, the newspaper reported, adding that the steak comes with rice, beans and pasta and costs only $4.40 a plate, which is much cheaper than anything else nearby.This sentence is useful for describing a meal that includes 牛排 served with side dishes.Tatoeba #13539389 by LeviHighway, translation #12050650 by Cangarejo
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is choosing what to eat at a restaurant.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你想吃牛排吗？Nǐ xiǎng chī niúpái ma?Do you want to eat steak?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好啊，我想吃牛排。Hǎo a, wǒ xiǎng chī niúpái.Sure, I want to eat steak.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我们点一个牛排套餐吧。Nà wǒmen diǎn yígè niúpái tàocān ba.Then let's order a steak set meal.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen没问题，志强。Méi wèntí, Zhìqiáng.No problem, Zhiqiang.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “steak” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
