Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== zhāopái cài: 招牌菜 - Signature Dish, Specialty Dish, House Special ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** zhaopai cai, zhāopái cài, 招牌菜, signature dish Chinese, specialty dish, house special Chinese, best dish at a restaurant, what is zhaopai cai, Chinese food, ordering food in China * **Summary:** In Chinese, **招牌菜 (zhāopái cài)** refers to a restaurant's **signature dish** or **house special**. It's the one dish the establishment is most famous for and proud of, representing the pinnacle of their culinary skill and identity. Learning to ask for the `zhāopái cài` is one of the most practical skills for anyone wanting to experience authentic Chinese food, as it guarantees you'll be ordering the best dish a restaurant has to offer. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhāo pái cài * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** A restaurant's signature dish or house specialty. * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a dish so good that a restaurant is willing to stake its entire reputation on it. That's a `招牌菜`. The term literally translates to "signboard dish," implying it's the dish they would advertise on their main sign to draw people in. It's not a temporary "special of the day" but a permanent fixture on the menu that embodies the restaurant's unique flavor and pride. When in doubt, ordering the `招牌菜` is always a safe and delicious bet. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **招 (zhāo):** This character means "to beckon," "to attract," or "to wave towards." Think of a hand gesture (手) used to call someone over. * **牌 (pái):** This character means "signboard," "placard," or "brand." It originally referred to a wooden tablet or plate. * **菜 (cài):** This is the common character for "dish," "cuisine," or "vegetable." When you combine them, `招牌 (zhāopái)` becomes "signboard," the main sign a business uses to attract customers. Adding `菜 (cài)` turns it into the "signboard dish"—the star of the show that represents the entire restaurant's quality and brand. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In Chinese dining culture, a restaurant's `招牌菜` is a matter of immense pride and "face" (`面子 - miànzi`). It's a public declaration of excellence. A chef spends years, sometimes decades, perfecting this single dish. For a restaurant to claim a dish as its `招牌菜`, it must be confident that it will consistently impress customers and stand up to scrutiny. * **Comparison to "House Special":** In Western culture, a "house special" or "special of the day" can sometimes be a marketing tactic to sell surplus ingredients or a temporary promotional item. A `招牌菜` is fundamentally different. It is a permanent, celebrated cornerstone of the menu. Ordering it is not about getting a deal; it's about experiencing the restaurant's soul. When a host orders the `招牌菜` for their guests, it's a gesture of generosity, ensuring they offer the very best. * **A Cultural Shortcut:** For foreigners, asking "你们的招牌菜是什么？" (What's your signature dish?) is more than just a language tip; it's a cultural key. It shows respect for the establishment's expertise and a genuine desire to experience their best offering. The staff will almost always respond with enthusiasm, proud to share their culinary masterpiece. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **In a Restaurant:** This is the most common context. It's the go-to phrase for anyone, native or learner, who is unsure what to order. * //Customer to Waiter:// 服务员，请问你们的**招牌菜**是什么？ (fúwùyuán, qǐngwèn nǐmen de zhāopái cài shì shénme?) - "Excuse me, what is your signature dish?" * **On Social Media and Review Apps:** Users on apps like 大众点评 (Dàzhòng Diǎnpíng, China's Yelp) will frequently mention the `招牌菜`. * //Online Review:// "这家店的**招牌菜**是烤鸭，味道绝了，强烈推荐！" (zhè jiā diàn de zhāopái cài shì kǎoyā, wèidào jué le, qiángliè tuījiàn!) - "This restaurant's signature dish is the roast duck. The flavor is amazing, highly recommended!" * **Metaphorical Usage:** The term can be used metaphorically to describe a person's or company's signature skill, product, or most impressive feature. * //Describing a colleague:// "Data analysis is his **招牌菜**; no one in the company is better." (shùjù fēnxī shì tā de zhāopái cài...) - "Data analysis is his specialty..." ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们第一次来，不知道点什么。你们的**招牌菜**是什么？ * Pinyin: Wǒmen dì yī cì lái, bù zhīdào diǎn shénme. Nǐmen de **zhāopái cài** shì shénme? * English: This is our first time here, we don't know what to order. What's your signature dish? * Analysis: This is the classic, most useful phrase for any learner in a Chinese restaurant. It's polite and effective. * **Example 2:** * 服务员向我们推荐了他们的**招牌菜**：松鼠鳜鱼。 * Pinyin: Fúwùyuán xiàng wǒmen tuījiànle tāmen de **zhāopái cài**: sōngshǔ guìyú. * English: The waiter recommended their signature dish to us: Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish. * Analysis: This shows how a recommendation is made. `推荐 (tuījiàn)` and `招牌菜 (zhāopái cài)` are often used together. * **Example 3:** * 如果你去那家四川饭店，一定要尝尝他们的**招牌菜**——麻婆豆腐。 * Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ qù nà jiā Sìchuān fàndiàn, yīdìng yào chángchang tāmen de **zhāopái cài**——mápó dòufu. * English: If you go to that Sichuan restaurant, you must try their signature dish—Mapo Tofu. * Analysis: This demonstrates how you would recommend a `招牌菜` to a friend. `一定药 (yīdìng yào)` means "must," emphasizing the importance. * **Example 4:** * 这道菜做得这么好，不愧是你们的**招牌菜**！ * Pinyin: Zhè dào cài zuò de zhème hǎo, bùkuì shì nǐmen de **zhāopái cài**! * English: This dish is made so well, it truly deserves to be your signature dish! * Analysis: This is a way to compliment the food. `不愧是 (bùkuì shì)` means "worthy of the name" or "deserves to be called," a high form of praise. * **Example 5:** * 他是我们公司最厉害的程序员，解决复杂问题是他的**招牌菜**。 * Pinyin: Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī zuì lìhài de chéngxùyuán, jiějué fùzá wèntí shì tā de **zhāopái cài**. * English: He's the best programmer in our company; solving complex problems is his specialty (signature move). * Analysis: This is a perfect example of the metaphorical use of `招牌菜` to mean a signature skill. * **Example 6:** * 很多游客慕名而来，就是为了一口最正宗的**招牌菜**。 * Pinyin: Hěnduō yóukè mùmíng'érlái, jiùshì wèile yī kǒu zuì zhèngzōng de **zhāopái cài**. * English: Many tourists are attracted by its reputation, just for a taste of the most authentic signature dish. * Analysis: `慕名而来 (mùmíng'érlái)` is a great idiom meaning "to come drawn by a reputation." It pairs perfectly with the concept of a famous `招牌菜`. * **Example 7:** * 这家餐厅换了厨师以后，**招牌菜**的味道也不如从前了。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng huànle chúshī yǐhòu, **zhāopái cài** de wèidào yě bùrú cóngqián le. * English: After this restaurant changed its chef, the taste of the signature dish isn't as good as it used to be. * Analysis: This shows how central the `招牌菜` is to a restaurant's identity and how its quality can define the restaurant's success. * **Example 8:** * 我们店有三个**招牌菜**，一个辣的，一个不辣的，还有一个是汤。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen diàn yǒu sān ge **zhāopái cài**, yīge là de, yīge bù là de, hái yǒu yīge shì tāng. * English: Our restaurant has three signature dishes: a spicy one, a non-spicy one, and a soup. * Analysis: While often there's just one, a restaurant can have a few `招牌菜` to cater to different tastes. * **Example 9:** * 在菜单上，**招牌菜**通常会有星星或者大拇指的标记。 * Pinyin: Zài càidān shàng, **zhāopái cài** tōngcháng huì yǒu xīngxīng huòzhě dà mǔzhǐ de biāojì. * English: On the menu, the signature dishes usually have a star or a thumbs-up symbol next to them. * Analysis: A practical tip for spotting the `招牌菜` on a physical menu (`菜单 - càidān`). * **Example 10:** * 虽然价格有点贵，但这个**招牌菜**绝对物有所值。 * Pinyin: Suīrán jiàgé yǒudiǎn guì, dàn zhège **zhāopái cài** juéduì wùsuǒchāozhí. * English: Although the price is a bit expensive, this signature dish is definitely worth the money. * Analysis: Connects the term to the concept of value. `物有所值 (wù yǒu suǒ zhí)` is a common phrase meaning "worth the price" or "good value." ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`招牌菜 (zhāopái cài)` vs. `特色菜 (tèsè cài)`:** This is a key distinction. * `**招牌菜**` is **THE** signature dish, the single most famous dish that defines the restaurant. It's about reputation and identity. A restaurant usually has only one or two. * `**特色菜 (tèsè cài)**` means "specialty dish." It refers to dishes that are a specialty of the region or the restaurant, but it's a broader category. A Sichuan restaurant might have a dozen `特色菜`, but only one `招牌菜` (like their unique Mapo Tofu recipe). //All `招牌菜` are `特色菜`, but not all `特色菜` are `招牌菜`//. * **False Friend: "Special of the Day"**: Do not confuse `招牌菜` with a daily special. A `招牌菜` is a permanent, celebrated item. A daily special is temporary. If you want to ask for the daily special, you should ask: "今天有什么特价菜？" (jīntiān yǒu shénme tèjià cài? - "What are the special price dishes today?"). * **Incorrect Usage:** * **Wrong:** "我最喜欢的招牌菜是比萨饼。" (Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de zhāopái cài shì bǐsàbǐng.) * **Why it's wrong:** `招牌菜` is not a general category of food; it belongs to a //specific restaurant//. You can't have a favorite `招牌菜` in general, just like you can't have a favorite "logo." * **Correct:** "那家意大利餐厅的招牌菜是他们的玛格丽特比萨饼。" (Nà jiā Yìdàlì cāntīng de zhāopái cài shì tāmen de Mǎgélìtè bǐsàbǐng.) - "That Italian restaurant's signature dish is their Margherita pizza." ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[特色菜]] (tèsè cài) - A specialty dish, a broader category than `招牌菜`. * [[拿手菜]] (náshǒu cài) - A person's best dish (usually a home cook); the dish someone is personally best at making. `招牌菜` is commercial, `拿手菜` is personal. * [[推荐]] (tuījiàn) - To recommend. You ask for a `推荐` to find the `招牌菜`. * [[菜单]] (càidān) - Menu. The document where the `招牌菜` is listed. * [[老字号]] (lǎozìhào) - A "time-honored brand." These historic restaurants are famous for their long-standing `招牌菜`. * [[名菜]] (míngcài) - A famous dish in general (e.g., Kung Pao Chicken, Peking Duck). A restaurant's `招牌菜` might be their unique take on a `名菜`. * [[招牌]] (zhāopái) - Signboard; brand. The root of the word, it can be used metaphorically for a company's reputation (e.g., "砸了自家的招牌" - to ruin one's own reputation). * [[服务员]] (fúwùyuán) - Waiter/Waitress. The person you ask about the `招牌菜`.