My friend from Italy went to a Sichuan restaurant. No English menu. No pictures. Just Chinese characters.
He used Google Translate camera. Pointed at a dish. The translation said: "Husband and Wife Lung Slices."
He was horrified. But also curious.
He ordered it.
What is 夫妻肺片?
"Husband and Wife Lung Slices" (夫妻肺片, Fūqī Fèipiàn) is one of the most famous Sichuan cold dishes.
It contains:
• Sliced beef
• Beef tripe
• Beef tongue
• Sometimes ox heart
All tossed in chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame seeds, and cilantro.
The name has nothing to do with actual lungs or human body parts. It's named after the couple who invented it in Chengdu in the 1930s.
My Italian friend loved it. He ate the whole plate.
Other misleadingly named Chinese dishes:
1. 鱼香肉丝 (Yúxiāng Ròusī) — Fish-Flavored Pork Strips
No fish. It's pork with garlic, ginger, and chili in a sweet-sour sauce. "Fish-flavored" refers to the seasoning style, not actual fish.
2. 狮子头 (Shīzi Tóu) — Lion's Head
Giant pork meatballs. No lion.
3. 麻婆豆腐 (Mápó Dòufu) — Pockmarked Grandma's Tofu
Named after the old woman with pockmarks who invented it.
4. 蚂蚁上树 (Mǎyǐ Shàng Shù) — Ants Climbing a Tree
Glass noodles with ground pork. The pork bits look like ants. The noodles look like tree branches.
5. 宫保鸡丁 (Gōngbǎo Jīdīng) — Kung Pao Chicken
Named after a Qing Dynasty official. Not related to martial arts.
How to order without pictures:
1. Use Google Translate camera.
Point at the menu. It translates in real-time. Not perfect, but good enough.
3. Point at what other people are eating.
"Wǒ yào zhège" (我要这个) — "I want this." Point at their table.
4. Use Dianping (大众点评).
Search the restaurant. Photos of dishes with ratings. Show the photo to the waiter.
5. Stick to chain restaurants.
They usually have photos on the menu or English translations.
My Italian friend's verdict:
"I almost didn't order 'Husband and Wife Lung Slices' because the name terrified me. It turned out to be the best thing I ate in China. Lesson: in Chinese cuisine, the scarier the name, the better the dish."
Anyone else ordered a dish based on a confusing translation? What did you get?
Posted on 2026-6-9 16:52:01