When you want to talk about pizza, the word to use in Chinese is 比萨 (bǐsà). It sounds a lot like the English word, which makes it easy to remember. Just like in English, 比萨 is a noun, so you can say "I want 比萨" or "Do you like 比萨?"
When you're craving a slice of delicious pizza in China, the word you'll need is 比萨 (bǐsà). It's a direct phonetic transliteration of the English word "pizza," making it super easy to remember. While it's commonly understood, you might also hear the more formal and less common 披萨 (pīsà), which means the same thing. So, whether you're ordering at a restaurant or talking about your favorite food, 比萨 is the go-to term.
When talking about pizza in Chinese, you'll most commonly encounter the word 比萨 (bǐsà). This is a direct transliteration of "pizza" and is widely understood across all Chinese-speaking regions. You might also hear 披萨 (pīsà), which is another common transliteration. Both are perfectly acceptable and refer to the same delicious food. If you're ordering, simply saying 比萨 will get your message across clearly. No need to worry about regional differences too much here; both are understood.
When talking about pizza in Chinese, you use the word 比萨 (bǐsà). This is a direct transliteration from the English word "pizza," so it sounds very similar. It's a common noun, and you'll hear it used in everyday conversations, just like in English.
For example, if you want to say "I want to eat pizza," you would say "我想吃比萨 (wǒ xiǎng chī bǐsà)." Or, to ask "Do you like pizza?" you can say "你喜欢比萨吗? (nǐ xǐhuān bǐsà ma?)" It's a straightforward word to remember and use in various contexts related to food and dining.
比萨 in 30 Seconds
- Popular Italian dish
- Bread base with toppings
- Widely customizable
§ Mistake 1: Confusing 比萨 (bǐsà) with 披萨 (pīsà)
Many learners, and even some native speakers, might wonder if there's a difference between 比萨 (bǐsà) and 披萨 (pīsà). The truth is, they both mean pizza! They are simply two different transcriptions of the same English word. Think of it like how some people say 'tomato' and others say 'tomahto'. In mainland China, you'll hear and see both, but 比萨 (bǐsà) is generally more common and is the officially recognized translation. However, if you use 披萨 (pīsà), you'll still be understood perfectly.
§ Mistake 2: Incorrect Tones for 比萨 (bǐsà)
Chinese is a tonal language, and getting the tones right is crucial for clear communication. 比萨 (bǐsà) has two third tones. Sometimes learners might mix up the tones, which can lead to confusion. Let's break it down:
- 比 (bǐ)
- This is a third tone. It starts low, dips even lower, and then rises.
- 萨 (sà)
- This is a fourth tone. It starts high and falls sharply.
Wait! I said 比萨 (bǐsà) has two third tones, but then I described 萨 (sà) as a fourth tone. This is where the tone change rule for two consecutive third tones comes in! When two third tones are next to each other, the first third tone changes to a second tone. So, 比 (bǐ) becomes a second tone (rising tone) and 萨 (sà) remains a fourth tone (falling tone). This is a common phonetic rule you'll encounter often in Chinese. If you say them both as third tones, it's still understandable, but it will sound a bit unnatural to a native speaker.
§ Mistake 3: Forgetting Measure Words
In Chinese, you can't just say "a pizza." You need a measure word. The most common measure word for a whole pizza is 个 (gè).
我想点一个比萨。(Wǒ xiǎng diǎn yī gè bǐsà.) - I want to order a pizza.
If you're talking about slices of pizza, you'd use 块 (kuài) which means 'piece' or 'slice'.
我吃了两块比萨。(Wǒ chīle liǎng kuài bǐsà.) - I ate two slices of pizza.
§ Mistake 4: Literal Translation of Flavors
When describing the flavor of pizza, don't just put the ingredient name before 比萨 (bǐsà) as you might in English. While sometimes it works, often you'll need the word 味 (wèi), which means 'flavor' or 'taste'.
- Incorrect
- pepperoni 比萨 (bǐsà)
- Correct
- pepperoni 味 比萨 (bǐsà) - pepperoni flavor pizza
我喜欢吃海鲜味比萨。(Wǒ xǐhuān chī hǎixiān wèi bǐsà.) - I like to eat seafood flavor pizza.
By being mindful of these common mistakes, you'll improve your Chinese pronunciation and sound more like a native speaker when talking about pizza!
How Formal Is It?
"我们今晚订了意大利烘饼当晚餐。"
"你喜欢吃比萨吗？"
"饿了，来块批萨吧！"
"小熊最爱吃披萨饼了。"
"走，一起去吃大饼！"
Fun Fact
This is a direct phonetic transliteration of the English word 'pizza' (or its Italian origin). Many foreign foods are introduced into Chinese this way.
Pronunciation Guide
- pronouncing 's' as 'z' at the end
Grammar to Know
Measure word for '比萨' (pizza) is typically '个' (gè).
我要一个比萨 (Wǒ yào yī ge bǐsà) - I want one pizza.
To ask for 'pizza' as a meal, you can say '吃比萨' (chī bǐsà) - eat pizza.
我们今晚吃比萨吗？(Wǒmen jīn wǎn chī bǐsà ma?) - Are we eating pizza tonight?
To specify the type of pizza, you put the type before '比萨'.
我喜欢芝士比萨 (Wǒ xǐhuān zhīshì bǐsà) - I like cheese pizza.
When offering pizza, you might use '要不要比萨？' (Yào bù yào bǐsà?) - Do you want pizza?
你饿了吗？要不要比萨？(Nǐ è le ma? Yào bù yào bǐsà?) - Are you hungry? Do you want pizza?
To describe a pizza, adjectives come before '比萨'.
这是一个大比萨 (Zhè shì yī ge dà bǐsà) - This is a big pizza.
Examples by Level
这是比萨。
This is pizza.
我喜欢吃比萨。
I like to eat pizza.
你吃比萨吗？
Do you eat pizza?
他想吃比萨。
He wants to eat pizza.
我们一起吃比萨。
We eat pizza together.
比萨很好吃。
Pizza is very delicious.
我有比萨。
I have pizza.
她不吃比萨。
She doesn't eat pizza.
这家意大利餐厅的比萨做得非常地道，每次来都忍不住点上一个。
This Italian restaurant makes very authentic pizza, every time I come I can't resist ordering one.
地道 (dì dào) means authentic or genuine. 忍不住 (rěn bu zhù) means can't help but.
为了给孩子一个惊喜，我们决定在家自己动手做比萨，结果出乎意料地好吃。
To surprise the kids, we decided to make pizza ourselves at home, and it turned out to be unexpectedly delicious.
自己动手 (zì jǐ dòng shǒu) means to do it oneself. 出乎意料 (chū hū yì liào) means beyond expectation.
虽然比萨是快餐，但只要搭配得当，也可以成为营养均衡的一餐。
Although pizza is fast food, as long as it's paired properly, it can also be a nutritionally balanced meal.
搭配得当 (dā pèi dé dàng) means to match or combine appropriately. 营养均衡 (yíng yǎng jūn héng) means nutritionally balanced.
他对比萨口味的选择非常挑剔，只钟情于那些有独特风味的。
He is very picky about his pizza flavor choices, only favoring those with unique flavors.
挑剔 (tiāo ti) means picky or fastidious. 钟情于 (zhōng qíng yú) means to be deeply fond of.
周末晚上，和朋友们一起分享几个不同口味的比萨，简直是人生一大乐事。
On weekend evenings, sharing a few different flavored pizzas with friends is simply one of life's great pleasures.
分享 (fēn xiǎng) means to share. 人生一大乐事 (rén shēng yī dà lè shì) means one of life's great pleasures.
为了保持身材，她通常会避免在高热量的比萨上放过多的奶酪。
To maintain her figure, she usually avoids putting too much cheese on high-calorie pizzas.
保持身材 (bǎo chí shēn cái) means to maintain one's figure. 避免 (bì miǎn) means to avoid.
这家新开的比萨店，凭借其创新的配料和薄脆的饼底，迅速赢得了顾客的青睐。
This newly opened pizza place quickly won customers' favor with its innovative toppings and crispy crust.
凭借 (píng jiè) means to rely on or by virtue of. 赢得了青睐 (yíng dé le qīng lài) means won favor.
尽管比萨在全球范围内广受欢迎，但不同国家和地区对其烹饪方式和配料都有所创新。
Although pizza is widely popular globally, different countries and regions have innovated on its cooking methods and ingredients.
广受欢迎 (guǎng shòu huān yíng) means widely popular. 有所创新 (yǒu suǒ chuàng xīn) means to have some innovation.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
我们去吃比萨吧。
Let's go eat pizza.
我想点一个比萨。
I want to order a pizza.
这个比萨很好吃。
This pizza is very delicious.
你喜欢吃什么比萨？
What kind of pizza do you like to eat?
我们周末可以自己做比萨。
We can make pizza ourselves on the weekend.
这家比萨店很有名。
This pizza shop is very famous.
我点了一个大比萨。
I ordered a large pizza.
比萨是我的最爱。
Pizza is my favorite.
请给我一份比萨。
Please give me a portion of pizza.
你觉得这个比萨怎么样？
What do you think of this pizza?
Grammar Patterns
Idioms & Expressions
"比萨饼"
Pizza (specifically referring to the baked good)
我想吃比萨饼。 (I want to eat pizza.)
neutral"点比萨"
To order pizza
我们今晚点比萨吧。 (Let's order pizza tonight.)
neutral"吃比萨"
To eat pizza
你喜欢吃比萨吗？ (Do you like to eat pizza?)
neutral"做比萨"
To make pizza
她会自己做比萨。 (She can make pizza herself.)
neutral"比萨店"
Pizza restaurant/shop
这家比萨店很好吃。 (This pizza restaurant is very delicious.)
neutral"一份比萨"
One pizza (referring to a whole pizza)
我们点了一份比萨。 (We ordered one pizza.)
neutral"比萨切片"
A slice of pizza
我只吃了一片比萨。 (I only ate one slice of pizza.)
neutral"意大利比萨"
Italian pizza
他喜欢吃意大利比萨。 (He likes to eat Italian pizza.)
neutral"美式比萨"
American pizza
这种美式比萨很受欢迎。 (This kind of American pizza is very popular.)
neutral"比萨外卖"
Pizza delivery/takeout
我们叫了比萨外卖。 (We ordered pizza for delivery.)
neutralSentence Patterns
我想吃比萨。
I want to eat pizza.
这个比萨很好吃。
This pizza is delicious.
你喜欢吃比萨吗？
Do you like to eat pizza?
我们点一个比萨吧。
Let's order a pizza.
我最喜欢吃意式比萨。
I like Italian pizza the most.
这家餐厅的比萨很有名。
The pizza at this restaurant is very famous.
除了比萨，你还想吃什么？
Besides pizza, what else do you want to eat?
即使是冷掉的比萨，我也觉得很好吃。
Even cold pizza, I think it's delicious.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine a **bee-saw** (比萨 - bǐsà) cut into slices, just like a pizza! This links the sound directly to the food.
Visual Association
Picture a delicious pizza with all your favorite toppings. Now, superimpose the Chinese characters 比萨 (bǐsà) directly onto that pizza. The '口' (kǒu) radical, which means 'mouth' or 'opening', can remind you that pizza goes into your mouth!
Word Web
Challenge
Describe your favorite pizza in Chinese using 比萨. For example: '我喜欢吃芝士比萨，因为很好吃。' (Wǒ xǐhuān chī zhīshì bǐsà, yīnwèi hěn hǎochī. - I like to eat cheese pizza, because it's very delicious.) Or, imagine you're at a restaurant and order a pizza: '请给我一个大比萨。' (Qǐng gěi wǒ yīgè dà bǐsà. - Please give me a large pizza.)
Word Origin
音译 (yīnyì) - transliteration
Original meaning: Pizza (from Italian)
Indo-European (specifically Italian, borrowed into Chinese)Cultural Context
When pizza first arrived in China, it was seen as a luxurious foreign food. Now, it's widely available from international chains and local restaurants, often with Chinese-influenced toppings. It's a popular choice for casual dining and takeaways among younger generations.
Test Yourself 42 questions
Write a short sentence saying 'I like to eat pizza.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我喜欢吃比萨。
Write a short sentence saying 'Do you want to eat pizza?'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
你想吃比萨吗？
Write a short sentence saying 'This pizza is very big.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
这个比萨很大。
What does the first sentence say?
Read this passage:
我喜欢吃比萨。你喜欢吃比萨吗？
What does the first sentence say?
The first sentence, '我喜欢吃比萨。' means 'I like to eat pizza.'
The first sentence, '我喜欢吃比萨。' means 'I like to eat pizza.'
What is the speaker saying about the pizza?
Read this passage:
这是比萨。这个比萨很好吃。
What is the speaker saying about the pizza?
The second sentence, '这个比萨很好吃。' means 'This pizza is very delicious.'
The second sentence, '这个比萨很好吃。' means 'This pizza is very delicious.'
What does the second sentence ask?
Read this passage:
我有一个比萨。你有没有比萨？
What does the second sentence ask?
The second sentence, '你有没有比萨？' means 'Do you have a pizza?'
The second sentence, '你有没有比萨？' means 'Do you have a pizza?'
Do you like to eat pizza?
They went to eat pizza together.
This restaurant's pizza is very delicious.
Read this aloud:
我最喜欢吃比萨。
Focus: 比萨 (bǐ sà)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
你觉得比萨好吃吗？
Focus: 觉得 (jué de)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
我们点一个大比萨吧。
Focus: 点一个 (diǎn yī gè)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
What kind of pizza do you like to eat?
Let's order a pizza tonight.
The pizza at this restaurant is delicious.
Read this aloud:
我最喜欢吃意大利辣香肠比萨。
Focus: 意大利辣香肠 (yìdàlì làxiāngcháng)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
你觉得这家比萨店怎么样？
Focus: 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
我们一起去吃比萨好不好？
Focus: 好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence asks 'Shall we eat pizza tonight?'
This sentence means 'I like to eat Italian pizza.'
This sentence translates to 'The pizza at this restaurant is very delicious.'
这家餐厅的___是薄脆的，上面有各种新鲜的配料。
根据上下文，句子的意思是这家餐厅的特色是薄脆的，上面有各种新鲜配料的食物，所以“比萨”最合适。
周末晚上，我们通常会叫一份___和朋友们一起分享。
“叫一份…和朋友分享”很符合点外卖比萨的情景。
她不喜欢吃肉，所以她点的___是素食的。
素食的比萨是很常见的选项，其他食物一般不是素食的。
这家店的___种类很多，有海鲜的，也有肉类的，甚至还有甜的。
只有比萨才会有海鲜、肉类甚至甜味的多种类型。
孩子们最喜欢在生日派对上吃___。
在生日派对上，比萨是很受欢迎的食物。
如果时间允许，我喜欢自己在家做___，放上自己喜欢的配料。
自己在家制作比萨是很常见的烹饪方式。
What flavor of pizza do you like to eat?
Shall we order pizza delivery tonight?
The pizza at this restaurant is delicious, worth trying.
Read this aloud:
你最喜欢哪种比萨配料？
Focus: 比萨配料 (bǐsà pèiliào)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
请你描述一下你理想中的比萨。
Focus: 理想中的比萨 (lǐxiǎng zhōng de bǐsà)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
你认为比萨是健康的食物吗？为什么？
Focus: 健康的食物 (jiànkāng de shíwù)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
这家餐厅的菜单上没有___，这让我感到有些失望。
这句话的意思是“这家餐厅的菜单上没有披萨，这让我感到有些失望。”，所以“比萨”是正确的选项。
他周末喜欢和朋友一起去吃___，享受悠闲时光。
这句话的意思是“他周末喜欢和朋友一起去吃披萨，享受悠闲时光。”，所以“比萨”是正确的选项。
为了节省时间，我们决定今晚点___外卖。
这句话的意思是“为了节省时间，我们决定今晚点披萨外卖。”，所以“比萨”是正确的选项。
这种___的口味很特别，加入了当地的特色食材。
这句话的意思是“这种披萨的口味很特别，加入了当地的特色食材。”，所以“比萨”是正确的选项。
她亲手制作了一个巨大的___，作为生日派对的主食。
这句话的意思是“她亲手制作了一个巨大的披萨，作为生日派对的主食。”，所以“比萨”是正确的选项。
这家店的___是招牌菜，每天都吸引很多顾客。
这句话的意思是“这家店的披萨是招牌菜，每天都吸引很多顾客。”，所以“比萨”是正确的选项。
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
比萨 (bǐsà) is the direct transliteration and common Chinese word for pizza, a globally recognized and beloved food.
- Popular Italian dish
- Bread base with toppings
- Widely customizable
Example
周末我们点了一个比萨当晚餐。
Related Content
More food words
一两
B1Fifty grams; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 50g).
一斤
B1Half a kilogram; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 500g).
一袋
B1A bag of.
少一点儿
A2A bit less.
多一点儿
A2A bit more.
一口
B1A mouthful; a bite; a small amount (of food or drink).
一瓶
B1A bottle of.
一碗
B1Measure word for a bowl of food.
一盒
B1A box of.
一杯
B1Measure word for a cup of liquid.
