Choose the drink, then the temperature

On a menu, rè (热) means hot and bīng (冰) can mark an iced option. On Hong Kong menus using Cantonese terminology, 冻 can label a cold drink. Its Mandarin reading is dòng; this is a regional menu convention, not the general Mandarin label for cold drinks. Show staff the item you mean and ask which version you are ordering. A familiar-looking name does not tell you every ingredient.

Ask for one change at a time

A request for no ice concerns ice; it does not necessarily ask for a room-temperature drink. Say what matters to you before preparation and let staff explain what they can change. The first two phrases below separate the temperature question from the ice request.

Less sugar is a request, not a measured result

Shǎotáng (少糖) asks for less sugar. It is not a promise of zero sugar or a fixed percentage. A Hong Kong food-safety report notes that drinks may be prepared with sweetness already mixed in, and discusses offering less-sweet choices. Recipes and ordering options differ, so ask about the drink in front of you rather than relying on a universal sweetness scale.

Ingredients need a separate question

If milk matters to you, ask about it separately from sweetness. For an allergy, also explain the allergy and ask staff to check the full preparation and shared equipment. A short ingredient question alone does not establish suitability. If staff cannot confirm the details you need, do not interpret that uncertainty as approval.

You can show these written Mandarin phrases even where the local spoken ordering style differs. They are practical requests, not a claim that every restaurant can make the change.

Questions about peanuts and shared preparation · Reading portion labels