Sauces & seasonings Glossary

13 essential Chinese cooking terms: sauces & seasonings — Chinese-English side by side, with measurements and substitution tips.

Chinese	English	What it is	Substitute
生抽 shēng chōu	Light soy sauce	The everyday salty soy sauce used for seasoning. Thin, salty, and lighter in color than dark soy. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Any standard soy sauce (Kikkoman etc.) works 1:1 for cooking; taste before adding extra salt.
老抽 lǎo chōu	Dark soy sauce	Thicker, darker, slightly sweet soy sauce used mainly for color (braises, fried rice). Less salty than light soy. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	No dark soy? Mix 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + few drops of molasses for color.
料酒 / 绍兴酒 shào xīng jiǔ	Shaoxing cooking wine	Fermented rice wine from Shaoxing; adds depth and removes gamey notes from meat. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%).
蚝油 háo yóu	Oyster sauce	Thick, savory-sweet sauce made from oyster extracts. Signature of Cantonese stir-fries. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Vegetarian: mushroom stir-fry sauce or hoisin + soy mix. Note: most contain gluten & shellfish.
郫县豆瓣酱 pí xiàn dòu bàn jiàng	Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)	Fermented broad-bean & chili paste, the soul of Sichuan cooking (mapo tofu, twice-cooked pork). 1 tbsp ≈ 15 g	Gochujang + extra chili flakes is a decent stand-in (fidelity ~70%); flavor is sweeter.
海鲜酱 hǎi xiān jiàng	Hoisin sauce	Sweet, thick barbecue-style sauce (soy, garlic, five-spice). Used in glazes and stir-fries. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	—
镇江香醋 zhèn jiāng xiāng cù	Chinkiang (black) vinegar	Dark, malty, slightly sweet rice vinegar. Essential for dumpling dips and sweet-sour dishes. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Balsamic vinegar, thinned with a splash of water (fidelity ~75%).
米醋 / 白醋 mǐ cù	Rice vinegar	Mild, gently sweet vinegar used in dressings and quick pickles. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Apple cider vinegar works 1:1 in most dressings.
香油 / 芝麻油 xiāng yóu	Toasted sesame oil	Dark, nutty oil from toasted sesame. Used as a finishing flavor, not for frying. 1 tsp ≈ 5 ml	No substitute matches the aroma; skip rather than replace with neutral oil.
辣椒油 / 红油 là jiāo yóu	Chili oil (red oil)	Chili-infused oil with crispy bits; heat + aroma in Sichuan dishes. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	DIY: warm oil poured over chili flakes + pinch of five-spice.
鱼露 yú lù	Fish sauce	Fermented anchovy liquid, the umami backbone of Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cooking. Salty, savory, funky. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 ml	Vegetarian: 1 tbsp soy + 1/2 tsp miso or 1/4 tsp mushroom powder. GF: tamari + pinch sugar.
豆豉 dòu chǐ	Fermented black beans (douchi)	Black soybeans fermented with salt and aromatics. Salty, earthy, and intensely savory — the umami backbone of mapo tofu and Hunan dishes. Rinse briefly to remove excess salt. 1 tsp ≈ 5 g	Miso paste thinned with soy (fidelity ~60%) or a splash of fish sauce.
甜面酱 tián miàn jiàng	Sweet bean sauce (tianmianjiang)	Fermented wheat paste, sweet and savory with a deep malty note. The signature sauce of Beijing dishes like jing jiang rou si (京酱肉丝) and Peking duck wraps. 1 tbsp ≈ 15 g	Hoisin sauce is the closest western swap — sweeter, use slightly less.

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