面条

面条 (miàntiáo) is the noun for 'noodles' — long strips of wheat dough, typically boiled and served in soup or with sauce. Literally 'flour strips' — 面 ('wheat flour') + 条 ('long strip'). In conversation, especially in northern China, people often shorten it to 面 alone: 我想吃面 ('I want to eat noodles') is more natural than 我想吃面条. Noodles are a staple of northern Chinese cuisine, with regional dishes like 兰州拉面 (Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles), 炸酱面 (Beijing noodles with soybean paste), and 牛肉面 (beef noodles).

Two notes for English speakers. First, noodles symbolize long life, so they are eaten on birthdays — these are called 长寿面 ('longevity noodles') and traditionally should not be cut. Second, the standard measure word for a serving is 碗 (a bowl): order 一碗牛肉面