Okay, so today I’m gonna share how I tackled learning the Chinese names for dim sum dishes. It was a tasty journey, let me tell you!
Getting Started: The Initial Dive
First off, I decided to just jump right in. I started by Googling “common dim sum dishes” – simple, right? I ended up with a huge list, way more than I expected. That’s when I realized I needed a strategy.
The List & The Hunt
I copied the list into a spreadsheet (yeah, old school, I know!). Then, column by column, dish by dish, I started searching for their Chinese names. I was mainly aiming for the Cantonese names, since that’s what I hear most often where I live.
- Used online dictionaries like Pleco (it’s a lifesaver for Mandarin and Cantonese).
- Searched for images – sometimes the image search results would show the Chinese name alongside the picture.
- Checked out restaurant menus online – tons of dim sum places have their menus scanned, and often they include the Chinese characters.
Pronunciation Practice: No Silent Reading!
Just knowing the names wasn’t enough. I needed to say them! So, I used Google Translate to listen to the pronunciation. Now, Google Translate isn’t perfect for Cantonese, but it gave me a decent starting point. I then searched for videos of people ordering dim sum in Cantonese on YouTube. Hearing native speakers was super helpful.
Flashcard Frenzy
I made flashcards. On one side: the English name of the dish. On the other side: the Chinese name (characters and Pinyin/Jyutping – the romanization systems). I used Anki, which is great for spaced repetition. I’d quiz myself every day, trying to remember both the characters and the pronunciation.
Taste Testing (The Best Part!)
Okay, this is where it got fun. I went to my local dim sum restaurant. I actually ordered using the Chinese names! The servers were pretty impressed (or maybe just amused). It was a good way to test my knowledge and get some delicious food at the same time.
The Struggle & The Breakthroughs
Some dishes were easy. “Har Gow” (shrimp dumplings) was simple enough. But others? Forget about it! “Chicken feet” (鳳爪, fung2 zaau2) took me a while to remember. And the different types of buns? Ugh. But slowly, I started to get the hang of it.
Final Thoughts
It took me about a month of consistent effort, but I can now confidently order a decent selection of dim sum in Chinese. It’s not perfect, and I still stumble sometimes, but it’s a fun way to connect with the culture and impress my friends. Now go eat some yum cha!