How do I say 'too spicy'?

Spice in Chinese food is not one thing — it is a spectrum with regional dialects. 辣 is chili heat; 麻辣 is Sichuan’s numbing-heat combo from peppercorns; 酸辣 is hot-and-sour. Knowing which one you are dealing with changes which word you use.

When ordering, the spice negotiation happens upfront: 微辣 (mild), 中辣 (medium), 特辣 (extra hot). But the real-life reality is that spice levels are not standardized — 微辣 at a Hunan restaurant may be hotter than 特辣 elsewhere. The phrase 我吃不了太辣的 (I can’t handle too much spice) is more reliable than requesting a specific level.

If the food arrives and it is too much: 太辣了 communicates distress without criticism of the food itself. Adding 能不能换一个 (can I swap for a different one) is sometimes possible at smaller restaurants. At Sichuan hot pot, ordering 鸳鸯锅 (yuānyāng guō — the half-spicy half-mild split pot) is the standard compromise for mixed-spice-tolerance groups.