Essential Chinese Phrases and Words for Your Trip to China
Why Learn Basic Chinese?
While English is commonly spoken in major tourist areas, knowing a few basic Mandarin phrases can enhance your travel experience in China. It helps with navigation, ordering food, and connecting with locals. Here's a quick guide to essential Chinese phrases and words to get you started.
Common Greetings and Polite Expressions
- Hello (你好): Nǐ hǎo (Nee how)
- Thank you (谢谢): Xièxiè (Shieh shieh)
- You're welcome (不客气): Bù kèqì (Boo kuh-chee)
- Excuse me/Sorry (对不起): Duìbùqǐ (Dway boo chee)
- Goodbye (再见): Zàijiàn (Dzai jyen)
- Please (请): Qǐng (Cheeng)
💡 Tip: Always greet locals with a smile—it goes a long way in building rapport.
Numbers (数字)
Being familiar with numbers is useful for bargaining, shopping, and ordering.
- 1 (一): Yī (Ee)
- 2 (二): Èr (Arr)
- 3 (三): Sān (Sahn)
- 4 (四): Sì (Ssuh)
- 5 (五): Wǔ (Woo)
- 6 (六): Liù (Lyoh)
- 7 (七): Qī (Chee)
- 8 (八): Bā (Bah)
- 9 (九): Jiǔ (Jyo)
- 10 (十): Shí (Shrr)
💡 Tip: Combine numbers to form larger numbers, e.g., 21 = 二十一 (Èrshíyī) (Arr-shrr-ee).
Getting Around
Where is...? (...在哪里?): ... Zài nǎlǐ? (... Dzai nah-lee?)
- Example: Where is the subway? (地铁在哪里?): Dìtiě zài nǎlǐ? (Dee-tyeh dzai nah-lee?)
How much is this? (这个多少钱?): Zhège duōshǎo qián? (Juh guh dwaw shaow chyen?)
I want to go to... (我要去...): Wǒ yào qù... (Woh yaow chyoo...)
Left (左): Zuǒ (Dzwaw)
Right (右): Yòu (Yoh)
Straight ahead (直走): Zhí zǒu (Jrr dzo)
💡 Tip: Keep the address of your hotel or destination written in Chinese to show taxi drivers.
Dining and Ordering Food
- Menu, please (请给我菜单): Qǐng gěi wǒ càidān (Cheeng gay woh tsai dahn)
- I don’t eat... (我不吃...): Wǒ bù chī... (Woh boo chrr...)
- Example: I don’t eat meat (我不吃肉): Wǒ bù chī ròu (Woh boo chrr roh)
- Delicious (好吃): Hǎochī (How chrr)
- I want this (我要这个): Wǒ yào zhège (Woh yaow juh guh)
- Bill, please (请买单): Qǐng mǎidān (Cheeng my dahn)
💡 Tip: Learn a few food names or show pictures of dishes to ensure you get what you want.
Shopping and Bargaining
- Can you lower the price? (可以便宜点吗?): Kěyǐ piányí diǎn ma? (Kuh yee pyen yee dyen mah?)
- Too expensive (太贵了): Tài guì le (Tai gway luh)
- I want this (我要这个): Wǒ yào zhège (Woh yaow juh guh)
- Do you have...? (...有吗?): ... Yǒu ma? (... Yoh mah?)
💡 Tip: Bargaining is common in markets. Start by offering 50-70% of the initial price and negotiate from there.
Emergency Phrases
- Help! (救命!): Jiùmìng! (Jyo meeng!)
- Call the police (报警): Bàojǐng (Bow jyeeng)
- I’m lost (我迷路了): Wǒ mílù le (Woh mee loo luh)
- I need a doctor (我要看医生): Wǒ yào kàn yīshēng (Woh yaow kahn yee shuhng)
- My phone doesn’t work (我的手机坏了): Wǒ de shǒujī huài le (Woh duh show jee hwhy luh)
💡 Tip: Save emergency numbers like 110 for the police and 120 for an ambulance in your phone.
Pro Tips for Using Chinese Phrases
- Practice Pronunciation: Mandarin is a tonal language, so practice tones for better understanding. Use apps like Pleco or Google Translate for guidance.
- Download Offline Tools: Apps like Pleco (dictionary) or Baidu Maps are invaluable for travelers in China.
- Be Patient: If someone doesn’t understand your pronunciation, try showing the written characters instead.
Learning a few basic Chinese phrases can make your trip to China much smoother and more enjoyable. Whether you're navigating the streets, ordering food, or simply greeting locals, these expressions will help you connect with the culture and people.