Mandarin Chinese: Ask If a Dish Is Vegetarian or Gluten-Free
Learn to ask whether a specific dish is vegetarian or gluten-free in Mandarin, and understand common yes/no answers and follow-up questions.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you eat out in a Chinese-speaking environment, general statements about your diet are less useful than checking the exact dish in front of you. This lesson teaches you to ask about one dish: whether it is vegetarian or gluten-free. You will use the pattern 这道菜是……吗？ (Zhè dào cài shì ... ma?) and learn to understand short answers such as 是 (shì), 不是 (bú shì), 有 (yǒu), 没有 (méiyǒu), and 可以 (kěyǐ). You will also learn a repair question for when the answer is unclear. The focus is on polite, direct questions that a server or host can answer quickly.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether a specific dish is vegetarian.
- ask whether a specific dish is gluten-free.
- understand short yes/no answers and follow-up questions about ingredients.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
这道菜是素的吗？
Is this dish vegetarian?
Zhè dào cài shì sù de ma?
Use 这道菜 for one specific dish. 素的 means vegetarian (contains no meat, fish, or poultry).
这道菜是无麸质的吗？
Is this dish gluten-free?
Zhè dào cài shì wú fū zhì de ma?
无麸质 is a formal, clear term for gluten-free. It is understood by people familiar with gluten-free diets, but it is not universally known; in smaller places, asking about 面粉 and 酱油 is often more practical.
里面有肉吗？
Does it contain meat?
Lǐmiàn yǒu ròu ma?
A practical follow-up when you need to check for meat, including small amounts such as ham or meat sauce.
里面有面粉吗？
Does it contain wheat flour?
Lǐmiàn yǒu miànfěn ma?
面粉 is wheat flour, a common source of gluten. This question helps check soy sauce, batter, and thickeners.
可以不放酱油吗？
Can you make it without soy sauce?
Kěyǐ bú fàng jiàngyóu ma?
Regular soy sauce often contains wheat. This asks the kitchen to leave it out. 不放 means not to put in. Note that 不 is pronounced bú here because it precedes a fourth-tone syllable.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 这道菜是 + [diet term] + 吗？ (Zhè dào cài shì ... ma?). 这道菜 means this dish. 是 links the dish to a description. 吗 turns the sentence into a yes/no question. For example: 这道菜是素的吗？ (Is this dish vegetarian?) and 这道菜是无麸质的吗？ (Is this dish gluten-free?). To ask about ingredients, use 里面有……吗？ (Lǐmiàn yǒu ... ma?), meaning does it contain ...? For example: 里面有肉吗？ (Does it contain meat?) and 里面有面粉吗？ (Does it contain wheat flour?).
When to use it
Use 这道菜是素的吗？ when you are looking at one dish and need a clear answer. Use 这道菜是无麸质的吗？ when gluten is the concern. If the server looks unsure, ask a concrete ingredient question: 里面有肉吗？ or 里面有面粉吗？ To request a change, use 可以不放……吗？ (Kěyǐ bú fàng ... ma?), meaning can you leave out ...? For example: 可以不放酱油吗？ (Can you make it without soy sauce?). These questions are polite and specific, so they are easier to answer than a long explanation of your whole diet.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好，这道菜是素的吗？
Hello, is this dish vegetarian?Nǐ hǎo, zhè dào cài shì sù de ma?不是，里面有肉。
No, it contains meat.Bú shì, lǐmiàn yǒu ròu.那这道菜是无麸质的吗？
Then is this dish gluten-free?Nà zhè dào cài shì wú fū zhì de ma?可以，但是不放酱油，可以吗？
It can be, but we won't put soy sauce in it, is that okay?Kěyǐ, dànshì bú fàng jiàngyóu, kěyǐ ma?A little context goes a long way
In many Chinese restaurants, 素 (sù) usually means no meat, fish, or poultry, but it may still include eggs, dairy, or meat-based broths. If these matter to you, ask specifically: 有鸡蛋吗？ (Does it have egg?) or 有牛奶吗？ (Does it have milk?). The term 无麸质 (wú fū zhì) is clear but not universally known; in smaller places, asking about 面粉 (wheat flour) and 酱油 (soy sauce) is often more practical. Politeness matters: use 请问 (qǐngwèn, may I ask) before a question, and 谢谢 (xièxie) after.
One thing to watch for
Asking 我是素的吗？ (Wǒ shì sù de ma?) to mean 'Is it vegetarian for me?'
Try this instead: This says 'Am I vegetarian?' and confuses the topic. To ask about a dish, say 这道菜是素的吗？ (Zhè dào cài shì sù de ma?). If you want to state your own diet, say 我吃素 (Wǒ chī sù), meaning 'I eat vegetarian'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask whether this dish is gluten-free?
Show a sample answer
这道菜是无麸质的吗？
This uses 这道菜 (this dish), 是 (is), 无麸质 (gluten-free), and 吗 (question marker). A valid alternative is 这道菜不含麸质吗？ (Zhè dào cài bù hán fū zhì ma?), which is more formal.
2A server says 不是，里面有肉。 What does this mean?
Show a sample answer
No, it contains meat.
不是 means 'is not', and 里面有肉 means 'inside has meat'. This answer tells you the dish is not vegetarian.
3How do you ask the kitchen to leave out soy sauce?
Show a sample answer
可以不放酱油吗？
可以 means 'can', 不放 means 'not put in', and 酱油 means 'soy sauce'. This politely asks for an adjustment. Another natural version is 不要放酱油，可以吗？
Ask about the exact dish with 这道菜是素的吗？ or 这道菜是无麸质的吗？ If the answer is unclear, check ingredients with 里面有肉吗？ or 里面有面粉吗？
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