少放盐
shǎo fàng yán
Less salt, please · trad. 少放鹽
少放盐 (shǎo fàng yán) is a polite request to use less salt when ordering food in a restaurant. It literally means “put less salt” and is a very common phrase for customizing dishes.
What does 少放盐 (shǎo fàng yán) mean?
少放盐 (shǎo fàng yán) means “less salt, please” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “less put salt.”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. This phrase is commonly used in restaurants or when asking someone to prepare food with less salt. You can also use 请少放盐 (qǐng shǎo fàng yán) for extra politeness.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “SHAO fahng YEN.” The first syllable is a third tone, the second a falling tone, and the third a second tone.
Other ways to say it
- 少放油shǎo fàng yóuless oil, please
- 少放糖shǎo fàng tángless sugar, please
- 少放辣shǎo fàng làless spicy, please
Examples
服务员，我的菜请少放盐。
fúwùyuán, wǒ de cài qǐng shǎo fàng yán.
Waiter, please put less salt in my dish.
我喜欢清淡一点，少放盐。
wǒ xǐhuan qīngdàn yīdiǎn, shǎo fàng yán.
I prefer lighter flavors, less salt.
下次做饭，你可以少放盐吗？
xiàcì zuòfàn, nǐ kěyǐ shǎo fàng yán ma?
Next time you cook, can you use less salt?
Pro tip: The structure 少放… (shǎo fàng…) is very useful for requesting less of any ingredient, not just salt. Just replace the last character with the ingredient you want to reduce.
Related phrases
不要辣 · Not spicy, please微辣 · Mildly spicy有素食吗？ · Do you have vegetarian dishes
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