How do I say 'I don't eat...'?

Dietary restrictions in China require clarity and sometimes repetition. 我不吃 + [food] is the simplest form: 我不吃猪肉 (I don’t eat pork), 我不吃海鲜 (I don’t eat seafood). It is direct and understood.

The distinction between 我不吃 (I don’t eat, personal choice) and 我不能吃 (I can’t eat, medical/religious) matters. When you have an allergy, use 我对…过敏 (I’m allergic to…) — this is stronger and more likely to be taken seriously than 我不吃.

Vegetarianism in China is more complex than one word covers. 素食 is the general term, but the practice has Buddhist roots: traditional 素 excludes meat, fish, eggs, and the “five pungent vegetables” (garlic, onions, leeks, chives, asafoetida). Modern urban vegetarianism is more flexible, and terms like 蛋奶素 (eggs and dairy okay) are understood in cities. For vegan, 纯素 (pure vegetarian) or 全素 (fully vegetarian) communicates no animal products — but you may still need to explain that means no eggs, no milk, no honey.