Chinese Food Explained (INFOGRAPHIC)

Get to know your Shandong from your Shanghai.

If all you know about Chinese food is $5 takeout that always comes with a side of fried rice and an egg roll, you've got a lot to learn -- in a good way. While there is a time and place for this cheap meal, it's not really giving you a taste of everything Chinese cuisine has to offer. And Chinese food is rich not only with tradition and history, but with spices and sometimes even booze too.

With a taste of authentic Chinese food, you'll be amazed at everything you've been missing. Lucky for you, this means you have a lot of great food to discover. But Chinese cuisine is vast and varied, and at times this can be hard to navigate. Use the infographic below, brought to us by Z and Y Restaurant in San Francisco, to guide you through this culinary adventure.

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