This breakfast shop menu made me break out laughing. Entries are 成語 chéngyǔ / cherngyeu or 四字格 sìzìgé / syhtzyhger, idioms and four-character expressions, both of which are very popular in Chinese culture. The amusing thing about this menu is that its creators managed to turn menu reading into a very entertaining riddle guessing exercise: “I wonder which dish this idiom indirectly refers to?”

Any foreigner who can read and understand the literal and figurative meanings of all the entries on this menu deserves a pat on the back: your Chinese level is quite respectable.

Examples from the title graphic：

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Notes

1. 豬 zhū / ju (traditional Chinese character) uses the “pig” radical 豕 shǐ, but the simplified form is assigned to the “dog” radical 犬 quǎn / cheuan, 猪 zhū / ju (saves four strokes).
2. 雞同鴨講 jī tóng yā jiǎng / ji torng ia jeang is mostly in southern China (Guangdong and Taiwan, for example). 同 tóng / torng “with” in southern dialects is usually 跟 gēn / gen “with” in standard Mandarin, 講 jiǎng / jeang is usually shuō / shuo “say” in standard Mandarin.

雞同鴨講 is the title of a 1988 Hong Kong comedy (simplified Chinese captions only) about a restaurant that has repeated trouble with the health department.

alternate version (less clear)

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Previous Food-Related Posts:

https://steemit.com/food/@wentong-syhhae/papaya-popeye-papaya-tastes-much-better-than-spinach-and-it-s-much-better-for-you-too

https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/papaya-plantation-curiosities

https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/gourds-and-melons-in-mandarin-chinese-series-don-t-arouse-suspicion-dong-nan-shi-beei-gua-gua-tyan-lii-shiah

https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/papaya-mugua-muhgua-in-chinese-literally-means-tree-melon

https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/the-chinese-word-di-nxin-deanshin-has-several-different-meanings-each-rendered-by-a-very-specific-english-word-snack-dimsum

https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/passionfruit-in-taiwan

https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/prep-for-tough-times-1-no-cook-veggie-soup-sobrevivencia-1-preparar-una-sopa-sin-cocinar-1

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Self Introduction: Enthusiastic INTP Polyglot

https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@wentong-syhhae/enthusiastic-intp-polyglot

Image Credits:

Unless specifically marked, all images are Public Domain (copyright free), but modifications (colors, text etc.) are mine. Most tables (green and yellow columns) are designed by me and are CC--BY-SA @wentong-syhhae