I am very busy today. I don’t have time to cook. So I am planning to cook some instant noodles for dinner. Let’s learn some more words about instant food. Listen to the podcast here:

Instant noodles are 方便面(fāngbiànmiàn) or 泡面(pàomiàn). The Chinese word 方便(fāngbiàn) in 方便面(fāngbiànmiàn) means convenient. 面(miàn) means noodle. So actually instant noodles in Chinese are convenient noodles. And the word 泡(pào) in 泡面(pàomiàn) means to soak. When we cook instant noodles we need to soak them in hot water. That’s why we also call instant noodles 泡面(pàomiàn).

In addition to instant noodles made from wheat, we also have instant noodles made from rice, sweet potato starch, potato starch or cassava starch. Those noodles which are not made from wheat flour, we call them 粉(fěn).  Learn more about Chinese food made from wheat here.

方便(fāngbiàn)米粉(mǐfěn) instant rice noodles

There is a type of instant rice noodles very popular these 2 years. 螺狮粉(luóshīfěn) river snails rice noodle, which is rice noodle with sour-spicy soup made with river snails and pork bones. The soup of 螺狮粉(luóshīfěn) is kind of like durian, smells not good but taste well. 

酸辣粉(suānlàfěn) is also an all-time favorite instant noodles for most Chinese people. 酸辣粉(suānlàfěn) can be translated to hot and sour crystal noodles. 酸(suān) is sour, 辣(là) spicy . 粉(fěn) here refers to crystal noodles made from sweet potato starch.

We also have instant rice 自热(zìrè)米饭(mǐfàn) and even instant hotpot 自热(zìrè)火锅(huǒguō)，which you just need to add water and eat it. 真(zhēn)的(de)很(hěn)方便(fāngbiàn).

For instant soup, we usually say 速食汤(sùshítāng). 速(sù) is from the word 快速(kuàisù) fast， 食(shí) is from the word 食物(shíwù) food. 

速食汤(sùshítāng) instant soup

Instant drinks we use another word. 速溶(sùróng)，which means something can be promptly soluble in water. Like 速溶(sùróng)咖啡(kāfēi) instant coffee. 速(sù) is the same 速(sù) from 快速(kuàisù) which means fast, 溶(róng) means to dissolve. 

速溶(sùróng)咖啡(kāfēi) instant coffee

速溶茶(sùróngchá) instant tea 

速溶果汁(sùróngguǒzhī) instant fruit drink

Alright! What kind of instant food you’ve tried before? 你(nǐ)吃(chī)过(guò)什么(shénme)方便(fāngbiàn)食品(shípǐn)？Do you like it? Leave a message and let me know!

And don’t forget our 12 weeks General Chinese class for HSK 1-5 is having a 20% off before 14th Jan. Click here or contact me for course details.