100+ Seafood in Chinese: Vocabulary for Fish, Shellfish, and More

Learning how to say seafood in Chinese is essential if you enjoy Chinese cuisine, plan to travel, or work in the culinary or hospitality industries. This article provides a complete vocabulary list covering marine fish, shellfish, aquatic produce, sea vegetables, and related dishes. You’ll also find practical Mandarin sentence patterns to help you order seafood or discuss meals in everyday conversations. All content is semantically accurate, complete, and carefully structured to assist language learners and professionals alike.

I. Vocabulary About Types of Seafood in Chinese

Seafood in Chinese is written as 海鲜 (hǎi xiān). The term includes various categories of edible marine organisms. Let’s explore the essential groups.

1. Marine Fish

Chinese vocabulary for fish in the Chinese language includes many frequently used species. Knowing each type can help you identify menu items or ingredients.

These names frequently appear on restaurant menus, parcel labels, and seafood markets in Mandarin-speaking places.

2. Mollusks

Mollusks are soft-bodied sea creatures and form an important part of seafood in Chinese language menus.

These are commonly found in stir-fried, steamed, or grilled seafood dishes across regional Chinese cuisines.

3. Crustaceans

Crustaceans are a prized delicacy. Here’s how to say seafood in Mandarin when referring to shellfish with hard exoskeletons:

In coastal regions, these are often served with strong sauces like garlic, ginger, or spicy bean paste.

4. Marine Plants

Beyond animals, Chinese cuisine also incorporates sea plants. These are nutritionally rich and provide umami flavors.

These are popular in soups, cold salads, or as flavor enhancers in stocks.

II. Chinese Vocabulary About Types of Aquatic Products

Aquatic products refer not only to marine animals but also to freshwater and farmed species. They are described under the general category of 水产 (shuǐ chǎn).

Understanding these terms helps differentiate seafood from freshwater sources, especially in purchasing or dietary contexts.

III. Vocabulary for Dishes Related to Seafood in Chinese

To grasp culinary culture, you need to know both ingredients and dishes. Here's how seafood in Chinese transforms into common meals:

These phrases appear on restaurant menus and help you recognize and order your favorite dishes effectively.

IV. Sample Sentences for Communicating About Seafood in Chinese

Let’s put vocabulary into action with useful sentence patterns and dialogues.

1. Sentence Patterns

The following Mandarin expressions make it easier to talk about seafood when shopping, dining, or conversing with locals.

These templates allow you to personalize requests confidently in real-life settings.

2. Sample Dialogues about Seafood in Chinese

At the Fish Market:

A: 老板，今天有什么推荐的？(Lǎo bǎn, jīn tiān yǒu shén me tuī jiàn de?) - Boss, what do you recommend today?

B: 我们今天早上刚到的黄花鱼特别新鲜。(Wǒ men jīn tiān zǎo shang gāng dào de huáng huā yú tè bié xīn xiān.) - The yellow croaker that just arrived this morning is especially fresh.

A: 多少钱一斤？(Duō shao qián yī jīn?) - How much per jin?

B: 三十五块一斤。(Sān shí wǔ kuài yī jīn.) - Thirty-five yuan per jin.

A: 能帮我挑两条大一点的吗？(Néng bāng wǒ tiāo liǎng tiáo dà yī diǎn de ma?) - Can you help me pick two bigger ones?

B: 没问题，我给您挑两条肥的。(Méi wèn tí, wǒ gěi nín tiāo liǎng tiáo féi de.) - No problem, I'll pick two fat ones for you.

At a Seafood Restaurant:

A: 服务员，你们有什么特色菜？(Fú wù yuán, nǐ men yǒu shén me tè sè cài?) - Waiter, what are your specialty dishes?

B: 我们的清蒸鲈鱼和避风塘炒蟹很受欢迎。(Wǒ men de qīng zhēng lú yú hé bì fēng táng chǎo xiè hěn shòu huān yíng.) - Our steamed sea bass and typhoon shelter fried crab are very popular.

A: 那我们要一条鲈鱼和半只螃蟹，不要太辣。(Nà wǒ men yào yī tiáo lú yú hé bàn zhī páng xiè, bù yào tài là.) - Then we'll have one sea bass and half a crab, not too spicy.

B: 好的，鲈鱼大概需要二十分钟，可以吗？(Hǎo de, lú yú dà gài xū yào èr shí fēn zhōng, kě yǐ ma?) - Okay, the sea bass will take about twenty minutes, is that alright?

A: 没问题。(Méi wèn tí.) - No problem.

Discussing Cooking Methods:

A: 这些虾怎么做比较好？(Zhè xiē xiā zěn me zuò bǐ jiào hǎo?) - How should these shrimp be cooked?

B: 可以清蒸或者椒盐，都很好吃。(Kě yǐ qīng zhēng huò zhě jiāo yán, dōu hěn hǎo chī.) - You can steam them or make salt and pepper style, both are delicious.

A: 清蒸的话需要准备什么调料？(Qīng zhēng de huà xū yào zhǔn bèi shén me tiáo liào?) - What seasonings do I need for steaming?

B: 就准备姜、葱、料酒和酱油就行了。(Jiù zhǔn bèi jiāng, cōng, liào jiǔ hé jiàng yóu jiù xíng le.) - Just prepare ginger, scallions, cooking wine and soy sauce.

These dialogues reflect natural conversation flows you'll encounter in Chinese-speaking environments. Market vendors typically use casual, direct language with customers they recognize, while restaurant interactions maintain slightly more formal tones. Regional dialects may influence pronunciation, but standard terms of seafood in Chinese remain understood across diverse communities.

Practice these exchanges with language partners or tutors to develop pronunciation accuracy and response speed. Native speakers appreciate learners who make efforts to use proper vocabulary, even when mistakes occur. Markets and restaurants provide excellent practice environments where context supports understanding and vendors often help clarify unfamiliar terms.

V. Conclusion

Mastering the vocabulary of seafood in Chinese opens doors to richer cultural experiences and more authentic communication with native speakers. This comprehensive guide provides over 100 essential terms covering marine fish, mollusks, crustaceans, freshwater products, common dishes, and practical conversation patterns. Whether you're preparing for HSK exams, planning travels to Chinese-speaking regions, or simply expanding your language skills, these vocabulary lists and sample dialogues offer practical tools for immediate application. Start incorporating these terms into your daily study routine, practice at local Asian markets, and gradually build confidence discussing food and cooking in Mandarin.