** “Ask Mang” is the China Vegan Society's Q&A series. "Mang" is the Romanization of 茻, the Chinese character which the China Vegan Society uses to represent veganism. Email Mang with your questions about veganism in China and she'll do her best to answer you!

Dear Mang: How do you say "vegan" in Chinese?

The definition of "vegan", according to the Vegan Society, is:

"...a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

So how do we say "vegan" in Chinese?

The most commonly-used word for "vegetarian" or "vegan" in China, which you will see on restaurant signs, menus, food products, and the names of vegan organizations, is 素 (sù) or 素食 (sù shí). However, this word is not the Chinese equivalent of "vegan". It has a story and set of meanings all its own.

If 素 doesn't mean "vegan", what does it actually mean?

The word 素 comes with a rich history involving several shifts in meaning.

*The origins and variations of 素 (from Baidu)*

The character 素 was first seen in bronze inscriptions of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1027-771 BCE), but it probably dates back to even earlier [1]. The original meaning of 素 was “undyed silk”. From an object synonymous with the color white, 素 came to simply mean "white", and eventually evolved to mean "blank, plain, original, simple, unadorned". It began to be used in reference to food, first to describe the humble meals eaten by people who couldn't afford meat and later to describe the austere meals eaten during religious fasts [2]. Buddhist fasts and precepts (vows) called for abstinence from meat and animal products, which is how 素 food came to mean vegetarian or vegan food.

Today, 素 still retains many of its old meanings. You will see 素 in a huge variety of contexts that have nothing to do with veganism: 素 can describe earth-toned color schemes, solid colors without patterns or prints, minimalist interior decor, food without stimulating ingredients, or a face without makeup. It also appears as a root word in nouns and adverbs, where it means "element" or "component", and also in adverbs, where it means "ordinarily" or "consistently". But it remains the most commonly-used word to describe vegan or vegetarian diets.

It's important to note that the word 素 by itself doesn't differentiate between vegan and vegetarian. The word's broad usage leaves it open to subjective interpretation—one person may use 素 to describe anything that’s meat-free, including dairy and eggs, while someone else may only use it for foods and products that are completely animal-free. It also tends to be associated primarily with diet (so if you ask whether or not a pair of shoes is 素, people may think you want to eat the shoes!). Ultimately, when searching for vegan options in China, you probably need a more specific word than 素.

What are some other ways to say "vegan" in Chinese?

Here are common ways of saying "vegan" or "vegetarian" in China:

纯素 (chún sù, "pure vegetarian/vegan") or 全素 (quán sù, “totally vegetarian/vegan”). Unlike 素, "纯素” and “全素" are generally understood to exclude all animal-based foods like dairy, eggs, gelatin, etc. They are also more likely to be used to distinguish vegan non-food items, such as clothing and makeup, although their non-food applications are neither explicit nor universally recognized.
纯净素 (chún jìng sù, "pure [Buddhist] vegetarian/vegan"). Focused on cultivating mindfulness as well as abstaining from killing or harming sentient beings, the Buddhist vegan diet is more restrictive than a secular vegan diet. It excludes not only all animal products, but also the "five pungent vegetables" (garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, and chives). This is because these strong-smelling plants are believed to stimulate desire and aggression. (Fun fact: A large proportion of China's vegan population is Buddhist, so the Chinese vegan and plant-based market tends to favor products and restaurants that are free from garlic and onions).
维根 (wéi gēn, "vegan"). Borrowed directly from English, 维根 is the closest Chinese equivalent to the word "vegan". Sounds straightforward enough, but the fact that it's a foreign loanword creates serious limitations. First, 维根 has no local cultural context—it's an imported concept that most Chinese have no relationship with and may not recognize (some may even see it as cultural imperialism). Second, it's a transliteration, not a translation: the characters 维根 simply mimic the sound of the English word "vegan" and do not have any semantic relation to the concept of veganism. If you were to translate 维根 literally, it would mean something like "to preserve the roots".
蔬食 (shū shí, "vegetable food"). This is a secular alternative to 素食, which has roots in religious beliefs. However, like 素食, it does not differentiate vegan and vegetarian, and it refers explicitly to food, not to non-food products. You will most often see 蔬食 on restaurant menus and cooking classes that cater to a trendy young clientele and prefer to avoid the traditional and conservative associations of 素. That means 蔬食 may help you order a salad, but it won't help you find vegan clothes, cosmetics, or vitamins.
植物性饮食 (zhíwùxìng yǐnshí, "plant-based diet"). This term became popular relatively recently and is considered to be more direct and objective than 素, which refers to the culture and doctrines behind a vegan diet rather than the characteristics of the diet itself. As the name suggests, however, this term is restricted to food choices and does not address non-food aspects of the vegan lifestyle.
茻 (mǎng). This ancient Chinese character originally meant "abundant plants", but has been embraced by the China Vegan Society as an inclusive and culturally relevant term to describe vegan diets and lifestyles that benefit animals and the planet as much as they benefit humans. Although 茻 is still obscure, we hope to popularize it as a term that more people in China can relate to. Read more about 茻 here.