When eating or drinking in China, you may need to customize your order, such as asking for no sugar, less ice, or extra water.
This page provides useful Chinese phrases for drinks and special requests in restaurants and cafes.
These phrases help you communicate your preferences clearly.
🥤 No sugar, please.
Chinese: 麻烦不要加糖。
Pinyin: má fan bú yào jiā táng
English: No sugar, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: What sweetness would you like for your tea?
A: 您的茶想要几分糖？
B: No sugar, please.
B: 麻烦不要加糖。
💡 Tip:
Use this when you want totally unsweetened drinks like tea, coffee and fruit drinks.
🥤 Less ice, please.
Chinese: 麻烦少冰。
Pinyin: má fan shǎo bīng
English: Less ice, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Would you want normal ice?
A: 需要正常冰吗？
B: Less ice, please. My stomach is sensitive to cold.
B: 麻烦少冰，我的胃不太能受凉。
💡 Tip:
Suitable if you do not want too much ice to dilute your drink.
🥤 No ice, please.
Chinese: 麻烦去冰 / 不要冰。
Pinyin: má fan qù bīng / bú yào bīng
English: No ice, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Do you need ice in your juice?
A: 果汁需要加冰吗？
B: No ice, please. I don’t drink cold things.
B: 麻烦不要冰，我不喝冷饮。
💡 Tip:
Say this if you can’t drink cold beverages or want full flavor without ice.
🥤 Take away, please.
Chinese: 麻烦打包带走。
Pinyin: má fan dǎ bāo dài zǒu
English: Take away, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Dine in or take away?
A: 堂食还是打包？
B: Take away, please. I need to leave soon.
B: 麻烦打包带走，我马上要走。
💡 Tip:
Use for coffee shops, milk tea stores and restaurants when you want to carry drinks away.
🥤 Add hot water, please.
Chinese: 麻烦加开水。
Pinyin: má fan jiā kāi shuǐ
English: Add hot water, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Your herbal tea is too thick, right?
A: 你的凉茶太浓了是吗？
B: Yes, add hot water, please.
B: 是的，麻烦加点开水。
💡 Tip:
Ask staff to dilute your drink with hot boiled water.
🥤 Cold water, please.
Chinese: 麻烦给一杯凉水。
Pinyin: má fan gěi yì bēi liáng shuǐ
English: Cold water, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Do you want hot or cold water?
A: 您要热水还是凉水？
B: Cold water, please.
B: 麻烦给一杯凉水。
💡 Tip:
Order plain cold drinking water in restaurants, hotels and cafes.
🥤 Can I get a glass of water?
Chinese: 能给我一杯水吗？
Pinyin: néng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ ma
English: Can I get a glass of water?
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Are you ready to order drinks?
A: 准备好点饮品了吗？
B: Not yet, can I get a glass of water first?
B: 先不用，能给我一杯水吗？
💡 Tip:
Polite sentence to ask for free plain water in any catering place.
🥤 Extra spoon, please.
Chinese: 麻烦多给一把勺子。
Pinyin: má fan duō gěi yì bǎ sháo zi
English: Extra spoon, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Here is your pudding milk tea.
A: 您的布丁奶茶好了。
B: Extra spoon, please. I share it with my friend.
B: 麻烦多给一把勺子，我和朋友分着喝。
💡 Tip:
Request extra cutlery for drinks with pudding, jelly, yogurt or shared drinks.
🍽 No spicy food, please.
Chinese: 麻烦不要放辣。
Pinyin: má fan bú yào fàng là
English: No spicy food, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Would you like chili in your noodle soup?
A: 面条汤需要加辣吗？
B: No spicy food, please. I cannot eat chili.
B: 麻烦不要放辣，我吃不了辣。
💡 Tip:
Tell chefs to remove chili, chili oil and spicy seasonings from meals.
🥤 Half sugar, please.
Chinese: 麻烦半糖。
Pinyin: má fan bàn táng
English: Half sugar, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Full sugar, half sugar or less sugar?
A: 全糖、半糖还是少糖？
B: Half sugar, please.
B: 麻烦半糖。
💡 Tip:
The most popular sweetness choice for milk tea among foreigners.
🥤 Room temperature, please.
Chinese: 麻烦常温。
Pinyin: má fan cháng wēn
English: Room temperature, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Hot, ice or room temperature?
A: 热、冰还是常温？
B: Room temperature, please.
B: 麻烦常温。
💡 Tip:
Order drinks without ice and not heated, suitable for sensitive stomachs.
🥤 Extra straw, please.
Chinese: 麻烦多一根吸管。
Pinyin: má fan duō yì gēn xī guǎn
English: Extra straw, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: One straw is included for your drink.
A: 饮品自带一根吸管。
B: Extra straw, please, two people are drinking.
B: 麻烦多一根吸管，两个人喝。
💡 Tip:
Ask for extra straws when sharing bubble tea, juice or smoothies.
🍽 Less salt, please.
Chinese: 麻烦少放盐。
Pinyin: má fan shǎo fàng yán
English: Less salt, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Our soup base is a little salty normally.
A: 我们汤底正常会偏咸一点。
B: Less salt, please.
B: 麻烦少放盐。
💡 Tip:
Use when you want lighter, low-sodium meals.
🥤 Dine in, please.
Chinese: 麻烦堂食。
Pinyin: má fan táng shí
English: Dine in, please.
🔊 Play Audio
💬 Example:
A: Take away or dine in?
A: 打包还是堂食？
B: Dine in, please. I will stay here for a while.
B: 麻烦堂食，我会在这里坐一会儿。
💡 Tip:
Say this if you plan to drink and eat inside the shop.
Travel Tip
In China, customizing drinks and food is very common.
Simple phrases like “no sugar” or “less ice” are widely understood in cafes and restaurants.
If you are unsure, just point or show the phrase on your phone.