How to Say 'No Onions, Please' and 'Extra Sauce' in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to customize food orders in Mandarin by saying 'no onions, please' and 'extra sauce,' using the key pattern 不要 (bú yào) and 多放 (duō fàng).
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you order food in a Chinese-speaking environment, you often need to adjust a dish to your taste. This lesson teaches you two essential requests: leaving out an ingredient you dislike, such as onions, and asking for more of something you enjoy, such as sauce. You will learn the core patterns 不要 (bú yào) for 'don't want' and 多放 (duō fàng) for 'put more,' plus the polite softener 请 (qǐng). These are preferences, not medical dietary needs, so the language is straightforward and friendly. By the end, you will be able to customize many dishes with confidence.
By the end, you can…
- say 'No onions, please' in Mandarin.
- say 'Extra sauce' in Mandarin.
- use 不要 (bú yào) to leave out an ingredient.
- use 多放 (duō fàng) to ask for more of something.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
不要洋葱，谢谢。
No onions, thanks.
bú yào yáng cōng, xiè xie
Use this when ordering a dish and you want to leave out onions. 不要 means 'don't want.'
请不要放洋葱。
Please don't put onions in it.
qǐng bú yào fàng yáng cōng
A slightly more polite version with 请 (please) and 放 (put). Good for restaurants.
多放点酱。
Put a bit more sauce.
duō fàng diǎn jiàng
Use 多放 to ask for more of an ingredient. 点 softens the request to 'a bit more.'
我要多放酱。
I want extra sauce.
wǒ yào duō fàng jiàng
A direct way to say you want extra sauce. 要 means 'want.'
不要香菜，多放醋。
No cilantro, extra vinegar.
bú yào xiāng cài, duō fàng cù
Combine both patterns in one order. 香菜 is cilantro, 醋 is vinegar.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 不要 (bú yào) + ingredient means 'don't want' and is used to leave something out. For example, 不要洋葱 (bú yào yáng cōng) means 'no onions.' To ask for more, use 多放 (duō fàng) + ingredient, meaning 'put more.' For example, 多放酱 (duō fàng jiàng) means 'extra sauce.' You can add 点 (diǎn) after 多放 to mean 'a little more': 多放点酱 (duō fàng diǎn jiàng). To be polite, add 请 (qǐng) at the beginning: 请不要放洋葱 (qǐng bú yào fàng yáng cōng). These patterns work with many ingredients, so you can customize any dish.
When to use it
Use these phrases when ordering food at a restaurant, street stall, or when asking someone to prepare a dish for you. They express personal preference, not allergy or dietary restriction. If you have a serious allergy, you should say 过敏 (guò mǐn) instead, but for simple dislikes, 不要 is fine. For example, if you don't like cilantro, say 不要香菜 (bú yào xiāng cài). If you love garlic, say 多放蒜 (duō fàng suàn). At a noodle shop, you might say 不要葱，多放辣 (bú yào cōng, duō fàng là) meaning 'no scallions, extra spicy.' Always say 谢谢 (xiè xie) after your request to keep it friendly.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，我要一碗牛肉面。
Hello, I want a bowl of beef noodles.nǐ hǎo, wǒ yào yì wǎn niú ròu miàn好的，需要什么特别的要求吗？
Okay, do you have any special requests?hǎo de, xū yào shén me tè bié de yāo qiú ma不要洋葱，多放点酱，谢谢。
No onions, a bit more sauce, thanks.bú yào yáng cōng, duō fàng diǎn jiàng, xiè xie没问题，请稍等。
No problem, please wait a moment.méi wèn tí, qǐng shāo děngA little context goes a long way
In Chinese-speaking regions, requesting modifications is common and usually welcomed, but it's polite to phrase it with 请 (please) and end with 谢谢 (thanks). At busy street stalls, keep it brief. If you have a food allergy, clearly state 过敏 (allergy) to ensure safety, as 不要 might be taken as a mere preference.
One thing to watch for
Using 没有 (méi yǒu) to mean 'no onions,' as in 没有洋葱.
Try this instead: 没有 means 'there is no' or 'don't have,' which sounds like you're stating a fact, not making a request. To ask for no onions, say 不要洋葱 (bú yào yáng cōng). For example, when ordering, say 不要洋葱，谢谢 (bú yào yáng cōng, xiè xie) to clearly express your preference.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'No onions, please' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
请不要放洋葱。 (qǐng bú yào fàng yáng cōng)
This uses 请 (please) and 不要放 (don't put) to politely ask for no onions. You can also say 不要洋葱，谢谢 (bú yào yáng cōng, xiè xie), which is equally correct in casual settings.
2How do you ask for extra sauce?
Show a sample answer
多放点酱。 (duō fàng diǎn jiàng)
多放 means 'put more,' and 点 softens it to 'a bit more.' You could also say 多放酱 (duō fàng jiàng) without 点, which is still correct but slightly more direct.
3Combine both requests: no cilantro and extra vinegar.
Show a sample answer
不要香菜，多放醋。 (bú yào xiāng cài, duō fàng cù)
This uses 不要 for leaving out cilantro and 多放 for extra vinegar. You can add 谢谢 (xiè xie) at the end to be polite. Another valid order is 多放醋，不要香菜, as the sequence doesn't change the meaning.
Use 不要 (bú yào) to leave out an ingredient and 多放 (duō fàng) to ask for more. Add 请 and 谢谢 for politeness. These patterns let you customize any dish to your taste.
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