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Chinese Pantry Decoder Cheat Sheet
A compact guide to common Chinese pantry ingredients and what they do in dishes.
The most useful decoder entries are the ones diners and cooks repeatedly confuse, such as light soy, dark soy, Chinkiang vinegar, Shaoxing wine, doubanjiang, white pepper, oyster sauce, and sesame paste.
Cheat sheet
| Term | Meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 生抽 | Light soy sauce | Salt and savory seasoning. |
| è€æŠ½ | Dark soy sauce | Color, gloss, and mild sweetness. |
| 镇江香醋 | Chinkiang vinegar | Dark acidity for dumplings, noodles, and soups. |
| 绍兴酒 | Shaoxing wine | Aroma, marinade, and braising depth. |
| 豆瓣酱 | Doubanjiang | Fermented Sichuan chile-bean flavor. |
| 蚝油 | Oyster sauce | Sweet-savory body; shellfish signal. |
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