Restaurant Resource
Chinese Menu Translation Audit
A translation audit asks whether the diner can understand what will arrive at the table.
Translation audit questions
- Does each unfamiliar dish have a functional English name?
- Are Chinese characters preserved for real dish names?
- Is pinyin used consistently?
- Are poetic names explained rather than left alone?
- Are potentially alarming literal names handled carefully?
- Are hidden ingredients disclosed?
- Are regional terms explained briefly?
- Are descriptions short enough for menu use?
Bad to better
| Weak translation | Better treatment |
|---|---|
| Fish Fragrant Eggplant | Yu Xiang Eggplant: Sichuan eggplant in garlic, chile, vinegar, and soy-based sauce. No fish. |
| Ants on Tree | Glass noodles with minced pork and chile-bean sauce. |
| Lion Head | Lion's Head Meatballs: large braised pork meatballs with greens. |
| Husband and Wife | Fuqi Feipian: chilled sliced beef and tripe in spicy Sichuan chile oil. |
Downloadable translation audit template
| Template | Download | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Translation audit | translation-audit-template.csv | Spreadsheet-ready translation audit template. |
dish_name,chinese_name,current_translation,problem_type,better_translation,one_sentence_description,dietary_notes 鱼香茄子,鱼香茄子,Fish fragrant eggplant,Literally accurate but misleading,Yu xiang eggplant,Eggplant with garlic, chile, vinegar, and soy sauce in Sichuan yu xiang sauce.,Contains soy; does not contain fish unless recipe differs. 水煮牛肉,水煮牛肉,Boiled beef,Literally misleading,Sichuan chile oil beef,Beef slices served in a spicy Sichuan chile broth with vegetables.,Spicy; contains soy; ask about wheat. 夫妻肺片,夫妻肺片,Husband and wife lung slices,Literally alarming,Sichuan sliced beef and tripe,Cold sliced beef and tripe in chile oil and Sichuan peppercorn sauce.,Spicy; contains beef/offal.