🍢 Late-night skewers, spicy hotpot, a bowl of beef noodles at 1 a.m… Why are late-night snacks so popular in China?

In this episode, we share real stories and personal memories of eating yèxiāo (夜宵), compare Chinese and French eating habits, and explore why street food at midnight is more than just food — it’s emotion, stress relief, and sometimes even friendship.

You'll also learn useful Mandarin phrases and grammar for talking about food, feelings, and daily routines in Chinese cities.
Let’s talk snacks and feelings — in Chinese. 🌙

🎧 Vocabulary & grammar summary included at the end of the episode.

Useful Grammar for Intermediate Students (HSK3–5)

1. 不是……而是……
   👉 Not..., but rather...

• 我**不是饿了，而是累了。*
  I'm not hungry, just tired.

1. 一边……一边……
   👉 Do two actions at the same time

• 他一边吃烤串，一边抱怨工作。
  He ate skewers while complaining about work.

1. 虽然……但是……
   👉 Although..., but...

• 虽然很晚了，但是很多人还在排队。
  Although it was late, many people were still in line.

1. 越……越……
   👉 The more..., the more...

• 城市越大，夜宵摊越多。
  The bigger the city, the more night snack stalls.

1. 连……都……
   👉 Even... (for emphasis)

• 连冬天零下十度，都有人站在烧烤摊前。
  Even in -10°C winter, people line up for barbecue.

📚 Vocabulary List with Example Sentences

夜宵 yè xiāo – late-night snack
我最喜欢的夜宵是牛肉面。
My favorite late-night snack is beef noodles.

撸串 lū chuàn – to eat barbecue skewers
周五晚上我们去撸串吧。
Let’s go eat skewers Friday night.

火锅 huǒ guō – hotpot
他们吃火锅吃到凌晨一点。
They had hotpot until 1 a.m.

加班 jiā bān – to work overtime
很多人下班晚，因为他们加班。
Many people finish work late because they work overtime.

放松 fàng sōng – to relax
吃一碗热汤面让我放松了很多。
A bowl of hot noodles helped me relax.

排队 pái duì – to line up
大家都在排队买麻辣烫。
Everyone was lining up for spicy soup skewers.

情绪 qíng xù – emotion, mood
夜宵是很多人发泄情绪的方式。
Late-night food is a way for many people to release emotions.

满足 mǎn zú – satisfied
吃完以后，我觉得特别满足。
After eating, I felt totally satisfied.