Jianbing
A crepe of mung bean batter spread on a hot griddle, an egg cracked over it, then sauce, scallion, coriander and a crisp cracker or fried dough stick, folded into a parcel. Breakfast eaten walking.
Life in Mainland China
Breakfast: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English
Eaten walking, and gone by mid-morning.
The conversation
Speakers: Yichen and Zhiyuan.
- Yichen
都六点三刻了，你大清早把我拉出来干吗呀？
It's already a quarter to seven, why'd you drag me out here at the crack of dawn?
- Zhiyuan
因为好吃的早点铺子不到六点就开门了，去晚了可就没了。
Because the good breakfast spots open before six, and if we're late, everything's gone.
- Yichen
外卖软件上不能点吗？我手机里什么app都有。
Can't we just order delivery? I've got every app on my phone.
- Zhiyuan
吃你的煎饼得了，别废话。
Just eat your jianbing and stop whining.
- Yichen
行吧，这个味道真不错，中间夹的薄脆最香了。
Alright, alright. This is really good, though—the crispy cracker in the middle is the best part.
- Zhiyuan
边走边吃，这可是基本功。
Eating while walking, that's basic training right there.
- Yichen
话说回来，为什么包子和煎饼都要套个薄塑料袋？
By the way, why do they always put steamed buns and jianbing inside a thin plastic bag?
- 边走路或骑车边吃 eating while walking or cycling
- 为了保温几个小时 to keep it warm for hours
- 因为是按重量卖的 because it's sold by weight
Answer
边走路或骑车边吃 eating while walking or cycling
- Zhiyuan
方便你在路上吃呗。密封的豆浆杯也是直接插吸管喝。
So it's easy for you to eat on the go. Even the sealed soy milk cups let you poke a straw right through.
- Yichen
要是回上海，我高低得来套粢饭配杯豆浆；听说哈尔滨那边大清早就得来笼包子。
If I were back in Shanghai, I'd definitely grab a set of cifan with a cup of soy milk; I hear people in Harbin are eating a basket of steamed buns first thing in the morning.
- Zhiyuan
武汉人得来碗热干面，南昌人则吃拌粉。
Wuhan folks go for a bowl of reganmian, and Nanchang folks have banfen instead.
- Yichen
那油条呢？配甜豆浆还是咸豆浆？
What about youtiao? Do you have it with sweet or salty soy milk?
- Zhiyuan
少来，别一大早挑起咸甜大战。
Cut it out, don't start the sweet-versus-salty war this early in the morning.
Words in the conversation
Notes
Eaten walking, and gone by mid-morning.
Dishes in the conversation
Steamed buns
Soft, risen buns with a filling, pleated at the top: pork, vegetable, or sweet red bean. A plain bun with no filling is mantou.
Hot dry noodles
Springy noodles, boiled, oiled and cooled, then tossed in sesame paste with pickled radish, scallion and chilli oil. Wuhan eats them for breakfast, often walking.
Fried dough sticks and soy milk
Two strips of dough pressed together and fried until they puff up golden, dunked in hot soy milk, sweet or salty.