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Phrases 57 of 62 communication situations

You want less spicy food, not zero spicy

“不辣” often still means a little spice. Say “微辣” or “少辣” for mild.

? 你好 Too spicy

'Not spicy' is not the same as 'mild' in Chinese.

What you'll see

If you ask for 'no spicy' but still get heat, the word choice is the problem:

“不辣” arrived with chili anyway.
说了“不辣”，菜里却还是有辣椒。
Severity: L3 (scenario). This is a communication situation, not an app error code.

Why it happens

In Chinese kitchens, “不辣” is often interpreted as 'not very spicy' rather than zero. “微辣” (mild) or “少辣” (less) is clearer.

Fastest fix, free: Show “请给我微辣。不要太多辣椒。” to get mild heat instead of none-or-some.

Every case shows the diagnosis and the first step - free. The full step-by-step fix for this exact case, the decision tree, and the offline kit are $9.99.

Last verified: 2026-09-20 · Confidence: Multiple sources (pending first-hand verification)

When phrases alone aren't enough

In the kit

When 'not spicy' keeps failing, the kit gives the spice-scale card so the waiter reads it, not just hears it.

1. The lookup table

The full spice scale (不辣 / 微辣 / 少辣 / 中辣 / 特辣) as a showable card.

2. The trigger matrix

Which situation needs which phrase.

3. Offline printable version

The whole phrase kit as a printable card.

Get the offline kit — $9.99 Read the free guides first

If nothing works

If the dish is still too spicy:

  1. Ask for a plain side dish or plain rice to balance it.
  2. Request “可以重做少辣吗？” for a replacement.
  3. Next time show the spice-scale card before ordering.

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Most travellers know about three of these before they fly. This one is often not one of them.

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