How to Order in Chengdu-Overcome Language Barrier

Many foreigners who come to Chengdu are not able to speak Chinese and something as simple as ordering a dish can suddenly seem like an impossible mission. At most of the small, local restaurants the staff don't speak English and since your Chinese might be poor, you will have to find alternative communication strategies. Trying to make the local people understand seems harder than climbing to the top of Mt. Everest, but remember that the citizens of Chengdu are very friendly and tolerant towards foreigners. This is to your advantage as it makes the ordering process at restaurants much smoother.

Learn Some Simple Chinese

With only a minimal ability to speak Chinese,our suggestion is to look for a place that has pictures of their dishes on the walls. In cases like that, it is easy to get an overview of what the relevant restaurant provides and if you find something interesting you can just point at it and say, "Wŏ Yào Nà Ge" (I want that one).

Download Translation App

Translation apps for smartphones are also very convenient. The Chinese app Youdao Translation features a function that allows you to speak Chinese through your phone. By tapping a button the app will record what you say in English and translate it into Chinese. Youdao Translation also provides translation from Chinese into English and in this way, you can have a conversation with a person who doesn't speak your language, which can be useful in restaurants in Chengdu.

However, this app doesn't help you much if the restaurant doesn't have any pictures and the menu is in Chinese. A recent update of the app Google Translate includes the feature of translating text you point your camera at. By allowing the app to screen the menu through your camera, your phone will show you the menu in English. In this way, you will know all the food that the restaurant provides, which gives you the opportunity to order the dish that suits you the most.