Spicy food: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Haoran and Xiuying.

1. Haoran

   说(shuō)实(shí)话(huà)，这(zhè)到(dào)底(dǐ)有(yǒu)多(duō)辣(là)？

   Honestly, just how spicy is this?

2. Xiuying

   一(yì)点(diǎn)都(dōu)不(bú)辣(là)。

   It's not spicy at all.

3. Haoran

   你(nǐ)上(shàng)次(cì)也(yě)这(zhè)么(me)说(shuō)，结(jié)果(guǒ)我(wǒ)嘴(zuǐ)都(dōu)木(mù)了(le)。

   You said that last time, and my mouth went completely numb.

4. Xiuying

   这(zhè)其(qí)实(shí)是(shì)两(liǎng)码(mǎ)事(shì)，你(nǐ)得(děi)弄(nòng)明(míng)白(bai)。

   They're two different things. Get them straight.

5. Xiuying

   辣(là)椒(jiāo)是(shì)辣(là)。那(nà)花(huā)椒(jiāo)呢(ne)？

   Chilies are spicy. What about Sichuan peppercorns?

   1. 让(ràng)嘴(zuǐ)发(fā)麻(má) makes your mouth go numb
   2. 让(ràng)舌(shé)头(tou)变(biàn)凉(liáng) makes your tongue feel cool
   3. 让(ràng)菜(cài)变(biàn)甜(tián) makes the dish sweet

   Answer

   让(ràng)嘴(zuǐ)发(fā)麻(má) makes your mouth go numb

6. Haoran

   发(fā)麻(má)，这(zhè)就(jiù)是(shì)麻(má)辣(là)里(lǐ)的(de)那(nà)个(ge)麻(má)吧(ba)？

   Numb, so that's the numbing part in mala, right?

7. Xiuying

   辣(là)椒(jiāo)是(shì)十(shí)六(liù)世(shì)纪(jì)左(zuǒ)右(yòu)从(cóng)美(měi)洲(zhōu)传(chuán)进(jìn)来(lái)的(de)，花(huā)椒(jiāo)可(kě)早(zǎo)多(duō)了(le)。

   Chilies were brought over from the Americas around the sixteenth century, but Sichuan peppercorns go way further back.

8. Haoran

   合(hé)着(zhe)我(wǒ)遭(zāo)罪(zuì)也(yě)就(jiù)是(shì)这(zhè)几(jǐ)百(bǎi)年(nián)的(de)事(shì)。

   So my suffering has only been going on for a few hundred years.

9. Xiuying

   行(xíng)啦(la)，那(nà)进(jìn)馆(guǎn)子(zi)你(nǐ)得(děi)怎(zěn)么(me)点(diǎn)菜(cài)？

   Alright, so how are you supposed to order when we go into a restaurant?

10. Haoran

    我(wǒ)要(yào)微(wēi)辣(là)的(de)。

    I'll take the mildly spicy one.

11. Xiuying

    在(zài)川(chuān)湘(xiāng)两(liǎng)地(dì)，微(wēi)辣(là)也(yě)能(néng)辣(là)得(de)你(nǐ)够(gòu)呛(qiàng)，那(nà)你(nǐ)该(gāi)怎(zěn)么(me)说(shuō)？

    In Sichuan and Hunan, even mild can kick your butt, so what should you say instead?

12. Haoran

    不(bú)要(yào)辣(là)，千(qiān)万(wàn)别(bié)放(fàng)辣(là)。

    No spice, please don't put any spice in it.

13. Xiuying

    行(xíng)，那(nà)点(diǎn)个(gè)清(qīng)蒸(zhēng)鱼(yú)或(huò)者(zhě)番(fān)茄(qié)炒(chǎo)蛋(dàn)，绝(jué)对(duì)一(yì)点(diǎn)都(dōu)不(bú)辣(là)。

    Fine, then we will get steamed fish or scrambled eggs with tomatoes, guaranteed zero spice.

14. Haoran

    那(nà)我(wǒ)得(děi)再(zài)来(lái)大(dà)杯(bēi)酸(suān)梅(méi)汤(tāng)。

    Then I'm definitely going to need a big glass of sour plum drink.

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