Food Allergy Phrases in Mandarin: How to Explain Yours Clearly
Allergy awareness is growing in China, but 'allergy' is not yet a word every kitchen treats with the caution you would like. The phrases here are short and blunt on purpose: you want the server to stop and check, not nod politely to move you along.
Save the sentence that applies to you on your phone at full brightness, and show it before you sit down rather than after ordering.
Useful phrases
- 我对花生过敏。I'm allergic to peanuts.
The sentence frame is 我对 + (ingredient) + 过敏. Learn it once and you can swap in any allergen.
- 我对海鲜过敏。I'm allergic to seafood.
海鲜 (hǎixiān) covers fish, shrimp, crab and shellfish. If it is only shellfish, say 虾蟹 (xiā xiè) instead.
- 我对坚果过敏。I'm allergic to nuts.
坚果 (jiānguǒ) means tree nuts. Chinese dishes use them whole and ground, so it is worth naming this one specifically.
- 我对牛奶过敏。I'm allergic to dairy.
牛奶 is cow's milk. Butter and cream often appear without being listed, especially in bakery items and milk teas.
- 我对鸡蛋过敏。I'm allergic to eggs.
Egg turns up in fried rice, noodle dough and dessert custards. Ask about it twice.
- 我对面粉过敏。I'm allergic to flour / wheat.
For gluten intolerance, 面粉 (flour) usually lands better than the medical word — it is harder to dismiss as a fad.
- 这个里面有花生吗？Does this contain peanuts?
Ask, then watch the answer. If the server does not actually check the kitchen, ask a second member of staff.
- 一点都不能吃。I can't eat even a little.
The sentence that matters most if traces are dangerous for you. Say it slowly and repeat it.
- 会很不舒服。It will make me very unwell.
A softer way to describe the consequence without going into detail. Pair it with 很严重.
- 很严重。It's serious.
严重 (yánzhòng) is the word that makes a kitchen pause. Use it even if your English instinct is to soften things.
- 我不能吃这个。I can't eat this.
Say this the second a wrong dish arrives, before anyone touches it. Point at the plate while you say it.
- 请换一份。Please change it for another portion.
Ask for a fresh plate, not a re-scoop of the same food. Same wok, same oil, same problem.
- 医院在哪里？Where is the hospital?
Worth knowing by heart. In an emergency, dial 120 for an ambulance — it is free and dispatches fast.
- 我需要帮助。I need help.
Keep this on a saved note, or learn it cold. It works with hotel staff, shop managers and bystanders alike.
Quick cultural tip
How to be understood
Show, don't just say. A screenshot with the allergen written in Chinese is far more reliable than speech, especially in a noisy restaurant or a tourist-area kitchen unused to foreign accents.
Ask twice, at two moments: when you order and again when the food arrives. Cross-contamination is real in shared woks, and the second check is what catches the dish that quietly picked up peanut oil.