Is there a way to distinguish "vegetarian" from "vegan" in Chinese?

Question

I'd like to know whether there is a way to distinguish vegetarian from vegan in Chinese or is the only word available 素食者？

Most people in China don’t understand the difference. – Blaszard May 06 '19 at 14:49 — Blaszard, May 06 '19 at 14:49

Mou某 · Answer 1 · 2019-05-06T14:38:26.033

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Wikipedia distinguishes them like this:

维根主义（英语：Veganism）

and

素食主义（英语：vegetarianism）

维根 here is a transliterated loanword from English.

Wikipedia also offers the translation:

纯素主义

for veganism.

Although these words, may, work in their written forms - you might generally not be understood using these words colloquially, because nobody really talks like this. Better alternatives would be:

不吃肉 = vegetarianism
不吃动物(产)品 = veganism

edited May 06 '19 at 14:38

answered May 06 '19 at 12:43

Mou某

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vegetarian = 不吃肉。 vegan = 既不吃肉，也不用肉。 – Victor May 08 '19 at 07:28

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered May 06 '19 at 15:50

3

A informal way to say it:
vegetarian: 蛋奶素 vegan: 純素

answered May 06 '19 at 15:50

昨晚忘記呼吸

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered May 06 '19 at 14:49

see online dictionaries, e.g. linguee: vegan food 纯素食 veganism, a diet consisting solely of plant products 纯素食主义 a vegan 纯素食者 iciba:vegan n. 严格的素食主义者； n. A strict vegetarian; confirm: bkrs:纯素食vegan vegan food

Victor · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-11T01:05:51.133

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vegetarianism 素食主义 means no animals for meals.

veganism 纯素主义 means no animals for meals or clothes.

However, these words are not popular in China. I don't think Chinese people even understand those jargons.

You'd better say 我不吃肉 (I don't eat meat) if you are a vegetarian, and you'd better say 我不吃肉，连衣服也不用动物制品 (I don't eat meat, not even animals for clothes) if you are a vegan.

edited May 11 '19 at 01:05

answered May 08 '19 at 07:34

Victor

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But veganism is as much about not having eggs or dairy as it is about not wearing wool or silk. – James K Aug 11 '22 at 09:04

Is there a way to distinguish "vegetarian" from "vegan" in Chinese?

4 Answers4