At a Dim Sum Restaurant: Learn Cantonese

Sit down at a 茶樓 (caa4 lau4) and run the whole dim sum routine in Cantonese. You will order a 壺 (wu4) of 普洱茶 (pou2 nei2 caa4), add a dish or two with 仲有 (zung6 jau5), and when you have eaten your fill say 食飽 (sik6 baau2) before settling up. It pulls your food vocabulary into one smooth, real conversation.

What you'll learn

Name a tea house with 茶樓 (caa4 lau4)
Order “pu'er tea” using 普洱茶 (pou2 nei2 caa4)
Ask for a “pot” with 壺 (wu4)
Add more to your order with 仲有 (zung6 jau5)
Say you are full with 食飽 (sik6 baau2)

You're at a Hong Kong tea house for dim sum. Order tea, ask for dishes, and pay the bill.

caa4茶lau4樓

tea house

ngo5我dei6哋heoi3去caa4茶lau4樓sik6食dim2點sam1心

We go to the tea house to eat dim sum

pou2普nei2洱caa4茶

pu'er tea

pou2普nei2洱caa4茶hou2好hou2好jam2飲

Pu'er tea is very nice to drink

wu4壺

pot

m4唔goi1該，ngo5我jiu3要jat1一wu4壺caa4茶

Excuse me, I want a pot of tea

zung6仲jau5有

also

ngo5我jiu3要haa1蝦gaau2餃，zung6仲jau5有siu1燒maai2賣

I want har gow, and also siu mai

sik6食baau2飽

to eat one's fill

ngo5我sik6食baau2飽laa3喇，m4唔goi1該maai4埋daan1單

I'm full, the bill please

Frequently asked questions

How do you order dim sum in Cantonese?

Start with a pot of tea, then add dishes one by one using 仲有 (zung6 jau5), “also”. This lesson gives you the natural ordering flow used at a 茶樓 (caa4 lau4).

How do you ask for tea at a dim sum restaurant?

Ask for a 壺 (wu4), a “pot”, of something like 普洱茶 (pou2 nei2 caa4). Choosing the tea is the first thing that happens when you sit down.

How do you say you are full in Cantonese?

Say 食飽 (sik6 baau2), which means “to be full”. It is the polite signal that you have eaten enough and are ready to ask for the bill.