The Chinese Spice Scale, in Western Terms
Our 0 to 5 heat rating, mapped to things you already know, with real dishes from the library at each level. Pick a level to see what it feels like and what to order.
麻辣 is two sensations, not one
Our scale measures 辣 (là), chili heat. It does not measure 麻 (má), the tingling numbness of Sichuan peppercorn, because the two are independent. A dish can be a 2 for heat and still make your lips buzz, or a 4 for heat with no tingle at all.
If the numbness is what bothers you, ask for 不要花椒 (bú yào huā jiāo, no Sichuan peppercorn). If the heat is the problem, ask for 微辣 (wēi là, mild) or 不要辣 (bú yào là, no chili).
How to dial it down when ordering
- Ask at the start, not after. Say 微辣 (wēi là) when you order. Most kitchens will adjust.
- Order rice with the food. Rice is the only thing that genuinely resets your mouth. Water does not.
- Balance the table. One cold dish, one soup, one sweet. That is how locals eat through a hot meal.
- Do not trust the menu's own chilli icons. Restaurants rate their own food, and a Sichuan kitchen's "mild" is not a Cantonese kitchen's mild.
What the levels mean here
Every dish in our library carries a rating from 0 to 5, assigned when the dish was written and reviewed. A 0 means no chili at all, and a 5 means the dish is built for people who seek heat out. The number is about typical preparation, so the same dish can arrive hotter or milder in a different restaurant.
Heat tolerance is not a moral quality. Asking for 微辣 in Chengdu is completely normal, and no one will think less of you.