Phrases
55 of 62 communication situations
The menu is all in Chinese and you can't read it
You sit down and the menu is entirely in Chinese with no pictures. Use camera translate, ask for recommendations, or find a picture menu.
Menus are often Chinese-only, even in big cities.
What you'll see
If every dish is written in characters you cannot read, you are flying blind on what you order:
Menu entirely in Chinese — no English, no pictures.
菜单全中文——没有英文，没有图片。
Severity: L3 (scenario). This is a communication situation, not an app error code.
Why it happens
Most local restaurants, even in big cities, print menus only in Chinese. Picture menus exist but are not always available.
Fastest fix, free:
Open Google Translate camera mode and point it at the menu; or show “有什么推荐？” and point at another table's dish.
Last verified: 2026-09-20 ·
Confidence:
Multiple sources (pending first-hand verification)
The full fix sequence (free)
- Use Google Translate's camera mode and point it at the menu for live translation.
- Ask for recommendations — show “有什么推荐？” and point at another diner's dish.
- Ask for a picture menu — “有图片菜单吗？”
- Fall back to a chain (McDonald's, KFC, Haidilao) that has English or picture menus.
When phrases alone aren't enough
In the kit
When the menu has no pictures, the kit gives the camera-translate steps and a picture-menu phrase that works everywhere.
1. The lookup table
Every common restaurant and travel phrase, with the exact Chinese to show — not just hear.
2. The trigger matrix
Which situation needs which phrase.
3. Offline printable version
The whole phrase kit as a printable card.
If nothing works
If translation still leaves you unsure:
- Point at a dish on a neighbouring table and show “我要这个”.
- Ask the waiter to take a photo of the dish you mean.
- Use a chain restaurant where the menu is in English or has pictures.
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