nǎilào: 奶酪 - Cheese

• Keywords: nǎilào, 奶酪, cheese in Chinese, how to say cheese in Chinese, zhīshì, 芝士, Chinese dairy, cheese culture in China, Chinese food, learn Mandarin, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to say “cheese” in Chinese with the word 奶酪 (nǎilào). This guide explores its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage in modern China. Discover why cheese is a relatively new concept in Chinese cuisine, how its popularity is growing with foods like pizza and cheesecake, and why Chinese people say “茄子 (qiézi)” instead of “奶酪 (nǎilào)” when taking a photo.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): nǎilào
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: 5
• Concise Definition: A solid food prepared from the pressed curd of milk, commonly known as cheese.
• In a Nutshell: 奶酪 (nǎilào) is the most common and formal word for “cheese” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a very logical word, literally combining the characters for “milk” and “fermented dairy product.” As cheese was not traditionally part of the Han Chinese diet, this word describes the product by its composition rather than having a unique, ancient character.

• 奶 (nǎi): This character means “milk.” It is composed of the radical 女 (nǚ), meaning “woman” or “female,” and the phonetic component 乃 (nǎi). The combination logically points to milk, the substance produced by a female.
• 酪 (lào): This character refers to junket, cream, or a fermented dairy product. It's composed of the radical 酉 (yǒu), which is associated with wine, alcohol, or fermentation, and the phonetic component 各 (gè). The fermentation radical (酉) is the key here, indicating that this is a processed dairy item.
• Combined Meaning: When you put them together, 奶 (nǎi) + 酪 (lào) creates a clear and descriptive term: “milk that has been fermented/processed,” which is a perfect description for cheese.

Historically, cheese and other dairy products have been largely absent from the diet of Han Chinese, the country's largest ethnic group. This is due to a combination of factors, including high rates of lactose intolerance and a pastoral tradition that was less common than in Europe or Central Asia. However, it's a misconception that “China has no cheese.” Several ethnic minority groups, particularly those from the northern and western regions like Mongolians (蒙古族) and Tibetans (藏族), have a long and rich history of making cheese-like products from yak or mare's milk. A famous example is 奶豆腐 (nǎidòufu), or “milk tofu,” a type of firm, fresh cheese from Inner Mongolia. The modern cultural significance of 奶酪 (nǎilào) is tied to globalization and Western influence. For many urban Chinese, cheese is associated with Western foods like pizza, pasta, cheeseburgers, and wine pairings. It's often seen as a modern, sophisticated, or even a luxury food item. This contrasts sharply with its role in Western culture, where cheese is a common, everyday staple. The growing popularity of cheese in China, especially among younger generations, reflects the country's increasing integration with global food trends.

奶酪 (nǎilào) is used in everyday conversations, especially when discussing food, cooking, or shopping.

• In Restaurants and Cafes: You will frequently encounter 奶酪 on menus, especially for Western dishes. Pizza (比萨 - bǐsà) is arguably the biggest driver of cheese consumption in China. You might also hear the term 芝士 (zhīshì), a phonetic loanword from English “cheese” that is very popular in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and southern China. It's often used in commercial branding, like for “cheesecake” (芝士蛋糕 - zhīshì dàngāo) or “cheese tea” (芝士奶盖茶 - zhīshì nǎigàichá).
• At the Supermarket: In the refrigerated section of a Chinese supermarket, you'll find a growing selection of 奶酪. This includes processed cheese slices for sandwiches, mozzarella for pizza, and sometimes imported cheddar or brie.
• Health and Nutrition: Cheese is often marketed to parents as a good source of calcium (钙 - gài) and protein (蛋白质 - dànbáizhì) for children, sold in kid-friendly forms like cheese sticks (奶酪棒 - nǎilào bàng).

• Example 1:
  • 我非常喜欢吃奶酪，特别是蓝纹奶酪。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān chī nǎilào, tèbié shì lán wén nǎilào.
  • English: I really like to eat cheese, especially blue cheese.
  • Analysis: A simple statement of preference. Note that specific cheese types are often described literally, like “blue-patterned cheese” for blue cheese.
• Example 2:
  • 我的比萨上可以多加一点奶酪吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de bǐsà shàng kěyǐ duō jiā yīdiǎn nǎilào ma?
  • English: Can I have a little extra cheese on my pizza?
  • Analysis: A very practical sentence for ordering food. “多加 (duō jiā)” means “add more.”
• Example 3:
  • 这种奶酪的味道太重了，我有点儿吃不惯。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng nǎilào de wèidào tài zhòng le, wǒ yǒudiǎnr chī bù guàn.
  • English: The flavor of this cheese is too strong, I'm not used to eating it.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects the experience of many Chinese people trying pungent cheeses for the first time. “吃不惯 (chī bù guàn)” is a key phrase for expressing that you're not accustomed to a certain food.
• Example 4:
  • 听说奶酪富含钙质，对骨骼有好处。
  • Pinyin: Tīngshuō nǎilào fùhán gàizhì, duì gǔgé yǒu hǎochù.
  • English: I heard that cheese is rich in calcium and is good for your bones.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how cheese is discussed in a health or nutritional context.
• Example 5:
  • 在中国，很多少数民族都有吃奶酪的传统。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, hěnduō shǎoshù mínzú dōu yǒu chī nǎilào de chuántǒng.
  • English: In China, many ethnic minorities have a tradition of eating cheese.
  • Analysis: This provides important cultural context, distinguishing between Han Chinese and minority traditions.
• Example 6:
  • 你需要先把奶酪擦成丝才能撒在意大利面上。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào xiān bǎ nǎilào cā chéng sī cáinéng sǎ zài Yìdàlì miàn shàng.
  • English: You need to grate the cheese first before you can sprinkle it on the pasta.
  • Analysis: A useful sentence related to cooking instructions. “擦成丝 (cā chéng sī)” literally means “to grate into threads.”
• Example 7:
  • 这家店的芝士蛋糕很有名，其实“芝士”就是奶酪。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de zhīshì dàngāo hěn yǒumíng, qíshí “zhīshì” jiùshì nǎilào.
  • English: This shop's cheesecake is very famous; actually, “zhīshì” is just “nǎilào” (cheese).
  • Analysis: This sentence explicitly explains the relationship between the loanword 芝士 (zhīshì) and the standard term 奶酪 (nǎilào).
• Example 8:
  • 去内蒙古旅游时，我第一次尝到了当地的奶酪，叫做“奶豆腐”。
  • Pinyin: Qù Nèi Měnggǔ lǚyóu shí, wǒ dì yī cì chángdào le dāngdì de nǎilào, jiàozuò “nǎidòufu”.
  • English: When I traveled to Inner Mongolia, I tried the local cheese, called “milk tofu”, for the first time.
  • Analysis: This gives a specific, culturally rich example of a traditional Chinese cheese product.
• Example 9:
  • 这块奶酪闻起来有点臭，但是吃起来很香。
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuài nǎilào wén qǐlái yǒudiǎn chòu, dànshì chī qǐlái hěn xiāng.
  • English: This piece of cheese smells a bit stinky, but it tastes delicious.
  • Analysis: A great sentence for describing complex flavors, common when talking about things like stinky tofu or pungent cheese.
• Example 10:
  • 超市里的儿童奶酪棒是一种很受欢迎的零食。
  • Pinyin: Chāoshì lǐ de értóng nǎilào bàng shì yī zhǒng hěn shòu huānyíng de língshí.
  • English: Kids' cheese sticks in the supermarket are a very popular snack.
  • Analysis: This shows how the word is used in a modern, commercial context.

• Don't say “奶酪 (nǎilào)” for a photo! This is the most common mistake for English speakers. When taking a picture, Chinese people say 茄子 (qiézi), which means “eggplant.” The reason is that the “-ie” sound in “qié” and the “-zi” sound naturally pull your mouth into a wide smile, similar to the “-ee” sound in the English word “cheese.” Saying “nǎilào” does not produce the same smiling shape.
• 奶酪 (nǎilào) vs. 芝士 (zhīshì): While 奶酪 (nǎilào) is the formal, standard term, 芝士 (zhīshì) is a very common phonetic loanword, especially in casual speech, marketing, and southern China. They are interchangeable in most contexts (e.g., 奶酪蛋糕 vs. 芝士蛋糕 for cheesecake), but 奶酪 sounds slightly more technical or formal.
• 奶酪 (nǎilào) vs. 黄油 (huángyóu): Beginners might confuse cheese with butter. They are different products. 奶酪 (nǎilào) is cheese, while 黄油 (huángyóu), literally “yellow oil,” is butter. Remember: you put 奶酪 on pizza, and you spread 黄油 on toast.

• 芝士 (zhīshì) - A popular phonetic loanword for “cheese,” often used in branding and casual speech.
• 牛奶 (niúnǎi) - Cow's milk; the primary ingredient for most cheese.
• 酸奶 (suānnǎi) - Yogurt; another common fermented dairy product.
• 黄油 (huángyóu) - Butter; a different dairy product made from milk fat.
• 奶油 (nǎiyóu) - Cream; the high-fat part of milk.
• 乳制品 (rǔzhìpǐn) - Dairy products; the general category that includes milk, cheese, and yogurt.
• 比萨 (bǐsà) - Pizza; the food most strongly associated with cheese in modern China.
• 奶豆腐 (nǎidòufu) - “Milk tofu”; a traditional hard cheese from Inner Mongolia, highlighting China's own cheese traditions.
• 茄子 (qiézi) - Eggplant; the word people say to smile for a photo, the functional equivalent of “Say cheese!”.