Chinese word

招牌菜

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhāo pái cài

Meaning

  • nounsignature dish

Example

这家小店的招牌菜是牛肉面。zhè jiā xiǎo diàn de zhāo pái cài shì niú ròu miàn

This small shop's signature dish is beef noodles.

Illustration for 招牌菜 (signature dish)

More examples

请给我推荐一下你们的招牌菜。qǐng gěi wǒ tuī jiàn yí xià nǐ men de zhāo pái cài

Please recommend your signature dish.

Core concept

A dish that works like a shop sign, attracting diners while standing for the shop's style of cooking.

Common phrases

  • 推荐招牌菜tuī jiàn zhāo pái cài

    recommend the signature dish

  • 点招牌菜diǎn zhāo pái cài

    order the signature dish

  • 尝一尝招牌菜cháng yì cháng zhāo pái cài

    try the signature dish

Similar words

特色菜tè sè cài: A dish that reflects what is special about a restaurant or region.
拿手菜ná shǒu cài: A dish that a cook is particularly good at making.
代表菜dài biǎo cài: A dish often offered as a typical representative of a restaurant or region.

Definition in Chinese

店里用来吸引顾客或代表本店风味而特别推荐的菜肴。diàn lǐ yòng lái xī yǐn gù kè huò dài biǎo běn diàn fēng wèi ér tè bié tuī jiàn de cài yáo

Word origin

招牌菜 (zhāopáicài, "signature dish") combines 招牌 (zhāopái, "signboard") with 菜 (cài, "dish"), turning a sign that draws customers into the name of the food that represents the shop.

Usage tips

  • In everyday restaurant talk, this word can describe a small shop's own best-known item, so it does not imply national fame, a prize, or a famous chef.

Other meanings

  • featured menu itemnoun

Opposites

  • 家常菜jiā cháng càihome-style dishnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word