Chinese for Food Advertising: Describing Promotions and Selling Points
Learn Mandarin vocabulary and sentence patterns to discuss how food is advertised, including common promotional phrases and selling points.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about food advertising in Mandarin Chinese. We focus on promotional language: how products are described, what selling points are highlighted, and how advertisers try to persuade consumers. You will practice key vocabulary such as 广告 (advertising), 促销 (promotion), and 卖点 (selling point), and learn to use patterns like 主打 (to highlight as the main selling point) and 强调 (to emphasize). By the end, you will be able to understand and discuss common food advertising strategies in Chinese, using appropriate intermediate-level expressions.
By the end, you can…
- describe common food advertising techniques using Mandarin.
- identify and use key promotional terms like 促销, 卖点, and 主打.
- discuss how advertisers emphasize health, convenience, or taste in food ads.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
这个广告主打健康。
This advertisement mainly promotes health.
Zhège guǎnggào zhǔdǎ jiànkāng.
Use 主打 to indicate the main selling point or theme of an ad.
他们强调产品是天然的。
They emphasize that the product is natural.
Tāmen qiángdiào chǎnpǐn shì tiānrán de.
强调 means 'to emphasize'; often used to highlight a specific quality.
促销活动很吸引人。
The promotional campaign is very attractive.
Cùxiāo huódòng hěn xīyǐn rén.
促销 refers to sales promotions; 吸引人 means 'attractive' or 'appealing'.
广告里说这个食品能增强免疫力。
The ad says this food can boost immunity.
Guǎnggào lǐ shuō zhège shípǐn néng zēngqiáng miǎnyìlì.
Use 能 to express capability; 增强免疫力 is a common health claim.
他们用明星来代言。
They use celebrities to endorse it.
Tāmen yòng míngxīng lái dàiyán.
代言 means 'to endorse'; 用...来... means 'use ... to ...'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To talk about what an advertisement focuses on, use the pattern: 广告主打 + [selling point]. For example, 这个广告主打方便 (This ad focuses on convenience). You can also use 强调 to say what is emphasized: 广告强调产品的味道 (The ad emphasizes the product's taste). Another useful pattern is 用...来... to describe the method: 他们用折扣来吸引顾客 (They use discounts to attract customers). These patterns allow you to discuss advertising strategies clearly.
When to use it
Use these patterns when discussing or analyzing food advertisements. For instance, if you see an ad for a snack that highlights natural ingredients, you can say: 这个广告主打天然成分。 If an ad uses a famous actor, you can say: 他们用明星来代言。 When talking about health claims, use 强调: 广告强调低糖。 These expressions are common in conversations about marketing and consumer culture. They are appropriate for intermediate learners to express opinions about advertising techniques.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你看了那个新出的酸奶广告吗？
Did you see that new yogurt advertisement?Nǐ kànle nàge xīn chū de suānnǎi guǎnggào ma?看了，他们主打健康，强调无添加。
Yes, they mainly promote health, emphasizing no additives.Kànle, tāmen zhǔdǎ jiànkāng, qiángdiào wú tiānjiā.他们还用明星来代言，吸引年轻人。
They also use celebrities to endorse it, attracting young people.Tāmen hái yòng míngxīng lái dàiyán, xīyǐn niánqīng rén.对，而且促销活动买一送一，很划算。
Right, and the promotion is buy one get one free, very cost-effective.Duì, érqiě cùxiāo huódòng mǎi yī sòng yī, hěn huásuàn.A little context goes a long way
In Chinese food advertising, health claims and celebrity endorsements are common, but regulations restrict certain terms. For example, ads cannot claim medical benefits without approval. When discussing ads, Chinese speakers often use phrases like 夸大其词 (exaggerate) to criticize overblown claims. It's also common to see promotions tied to festivals, like 春节促销 (Spring Festival promotion). Being aware of these cultural and regulatory contexts helps you understand advertisements more critically.
One thing to watch for
Using 广告 to mean 'commercial' in general, as in 'I watched a commercial'.
Try this instead: In Chinese, 广告 refers to advertisements in any medium. For a TV commercial, you can say 电视广告. To say 'I watched a commercial', say 我看了一个广告, not 我看了一个商业.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'This ad mainly promotes convenience' in Chinese?
Show a sample answer
这个广告主打方便。
This uses the pattern 主打 + selling point. Alternative: 这个广告强调方便。 Both are correct, but 主打 implies it's the main focus.
2Translate: 'They use discounts to attract customers.'
Show a sample answer
他们用折扣来吸引顾客。
This uses 用...来... to express method. You could also say 他们通过折扣吸引顾客, but 用...来... is more colloquial.
3What does 促销 mean?
Show a sample answer
Promotion (sales promotion).
促销 refers to promotional activities to boost sales. It is different from 广告 (advertisement), though they often appear together.
When discussing food advertising in Chinese, use 主打 for main selling points, 强调 for emphasis, and 用...来... for methods. Remember that 广告 covers all ad types, and 促销 refers to sales promotions.
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