How to say “I'm allergic” in Chinese
“I'm allergic” in Chinese is 我过敏。, written in pinyin as Wǒ guòmǐn.
我过敏。
Wǒ guòmǐn.
I'm allergic.
Word by word
What each part of 我过敏。 actually means.
- 我wǒI / me
- 过敏guòmǐnto be allergic
When you use it
- Say it before you order, not after, and name the thing with 对…过敏 — 我过敏 on its own leaves everyone guessing what you need to avoid.
- It is the line that gets you a real answer: staff usually know what is in a dish, but the safest version is to show the allergen written in Chinese and confirm it before anything is cooked.
Use 我过敏。 in emergency situations. Get help fast: police, doctor, lost and allergies.
Other ways people say it
The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.
我对海鲜过敏。
Wǒ duì hǎixiān guòmǐn
I'm allergic to seafood.
Swap in 牛奶 (milk), 鸡蛋 (egg) or 坚果 (nuts) for the same frame. 海鲜 covers fish, prawns, crab and shellfish in one word.
我吃了会很难受。
Wǒ chī le huì hěn nánshòu
It makes me very ill if I eat it.
Some kitchens hear 过敏 as a preference. Saying what happens to you moves it into the safety column, and that is the part that changes how they cook.
这个里面有花生吗？
Zhège lǐmiàn yǒu huāshēng ma?
Does this contain peanuts?
The checkable question, and the one worth asking again at the table — 花生油 (peanut oil) is common in Chinese cooking and never appears in a dish name.
What usually trips people up
- Allergy is a known idea in China but not a routine one, so 过敏 on its own is often heard as a mild dislike. Adding what happens to you is what turns it into a kitchen instruction.
- 过敏 needs its target: 我对…过敏 is the frame. 我过敏 by itself is what you say to a doctor, not to someone taking your order.
- The riskiest ingredient is the one missing from the name — peanut oil in a stir-fry, sesame paste in a sauce, shrimp paste in a broth. Naming the dish is not enough; name the ingredient.
What you might hear back
- 知道了。Zhīdào leUnderstood.
- 这个里面有。Zhège lǐmiàn yǒuThere is — in this one.
- 那给您换一个。Nà gěi nín huàn yí geThen let me swap it for something else.
Common questions
- How do you say "I'm allergic" in Chinese?
- "I'm allergic" in Chinese is 我过敏。 — written in pinyin as Wǒ guòmǐn. It is an emergency phrase you would use in China.
- What does 我过敏。 mean in Chinese?
- 我过敏。 (Wǒ guòmǐn) means "I'm allergic". Broken down word by word: 我 (wǒ) means "I / me"; 过敏 (guòmǐn) means "to be allergic".
- When would you use "I'm allergic" in Chinese?
- Say it before you order, not after, and name the thing with 对…过敏 — 我过敏 on its own leaves everyone guessing what you need to avoid. It is the line that gets you a real answer: staff usually know what is in a dish, but the safest version is to show the allergen written in Chinese and confirm it before anything is cooked.
Where you'll use it
我过敏。 comes up in these situations, in this order.
More Emergency phrases
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