Children love learning about treats and desserts! This guide covers common bakery items and sweets in Chinese, making learning fun and delicious.
Bakery Items
Bread & Pastries
- 面包 (miàn bāo) - Bread
- 牛角包 (niú jiǎo bāo) - Croissant
- 甜甜圈 (tián tián quān) - Donut
- 贝果 (bèi guǒ) - Bagel
- 吐司 (tǔ sī) - Toast/Sliced bread
Cakes & Desserts
- 蛋糕 (dàn gāo) - Cake
- 生日蛋糕 (shēng rì dàn gāo) - Birthday cake
- 饼干 (bǐng gān) - Cookie/Cracker
- 曲奇 (qū qí) - Cookie (specifically chocolate chip type)
- 马芬 (mǎ fēn) - Muffin
Traditional Chinese Sweets
- 月饼 (yuè bǐng) - Mooncake
- 包子 (bāo zi) - Steamed bun
- 馒头 (mán tou) - Steamed bun (plain)
- 汤圆 (tāng yuán) - Glutinous rice ball
- 饺子 (jiǎo zi) - Dumpling
Pies & Tarts
- 派 (pài) - Pie
- 苹果派 (píng guǒ pài) - Apple pie
- 蛋挞 (dàn tà) - Egg tart
- 芝士蛋糕 (zhī shì dàn gāo) - Cheesecake
Fun Learning Activities
Bakery Pretend Play
Set up a pretend bakery at home! Use toy money and practice buying and selling treats in Chinese.
Dessert Drawing
Have your child draw their favorite desserts and label them with Chinese characters.
Recipe Reading
Simple recipes in Chinese help practice reading while learning about baking vocabulary.
Taste Test Game
Try different treats and describe them using Chinese adjectives: 甜, 好吃.
Useful Phrases
- 我想吃蛋糕
- 这个面包很好吃
- 请给我一个甜甜圈
- 妈妈买了饼干
Cultural Note
Chinese bakeries offer both Western-style breads and pastries as well as traditional Chinese baked goods. Mooncakes are especially important during the Mid-Autumn Festival - learn more in our Mid-Autumn Festival guide.
For more food vocabulary, check out our complete food vocabulary guide.