Chinese Recipe Translator
Chinese recipes are full of vague instructions — 少许 (a little), 适量 (as needed), 火候正好 (just the right heat). This free tool turns them into exact amounts, temperatures, and times you can actually follow in a US kitchen. Paste any fuzzy step, in English or Chinese, and get a precise, beginner-friendly version with a quick note on why.
Translate a recipe step
AIPaste a vague instruction and get exact amounts, temps and times.
What it converts
- Vague amounts — 少许 / 适量 / “a splash” → teaspoons, tablespoons, grams (as a range you can taste-adjust).
- Heat & technique — 大火 / 火候正好 / 七成热油 → stove-dial setting, induction wattage, and oil-shimmer cues.
- Doneness & timing — 炒至断生 / 焖一会儿 → minutes plus a visual cue for when it's done.
- Technique words — 焯水 / 勾芡 / 爆香 → what it is and exactly how to do it.
Recipe translator FAQ
How do you translate “少许” or “a splash”?
There's no single gram weight for “少许” — it depends on the dish and what role the ingredient plays. The translator gives you a sensible range with a starting point (for example, “start with 1 tsp soy sauce, taste, then adjust”) and explains whether the ingredient is there for seasoning, color, or both, so you can dial it in yourself.
What does “火候正好” (just the right heat) actually mean?
Usually medium-high: the oil shimmers with fine ripples but isn't smoking, and food sizzles the instant it hits the pan. The translator converts heat cues into concrete settings — an approximate stove-dial number, an induction wattage, and the visual and sound cues to watch for.
Does it work for Chinese technique words like 焯水 or 勾芡?
Yes. Paste a technique term (焯水 = blanch, 勾芡 = thicken with a slurry, 爆香 = bloom aromatics in oil) and you'll get a one-line explanation plus exactly how to do it at home.
Is the recipe translator free?
Yes, it's free to use. It's built to help you actually cook the dish — and to show off the kind of precision every recipe on the site is written with.
Missing an ingredient instead? Try the ingredient substitute finder — or browse all recipes.