Excited about travelling to China? Whether you’re studying or working abroad or just going for a holiday, there’s nothing like experiencing a new place, enjoying the tasty local cuisine and seeing famous sights.
Language barriers can add a layer of stress when travelling abroad to any country, and miscommunication can result in frustrating and sometimes embarrassing moments. But learning a little of the local lingo can really elevate your whole experience.
Here are the top 15 phrases for travelling in China you should know to take your trip to the next level.
1. Hello: Nǐ hǎo 你好
It might seem like the most obvious and cliché of all Chinese travel phrases – but no language learning experience is complete without starting with a basic greeting.
2. Excuse me (asking a question): Qǐngwèn 请问
If you want to ask someone a question, you can politely get their attention by starting with ‘qǐngwèn’ (literally meaning ‘please ask’).
3. Excuse me (pardon me/sorry): Bùhǎoyìsi 不好意思
‘Bùhǎoyìsi’ can be used as an alternative to ‘qǐngwèn’ if you’re interrupting someone to ask a question. But also be used as a casual apology or to convey embarrassment, for example, if you accidentally bump into someone.
4. Sorry: Duìbùqǐ 对不起
‘Duìbùqǐ‘ means you’re admitting you’ve made a mistake and acknowledging that you’ve let someone down. Unlike ‘bùhǎoyìsi’, ‘duìbùqǐ’ is only used as an apology, and not for asking questions.
5. Yes/No: Duì/bù 对 / 不
‘Yes’ and ‘no’ aren’t often used by themselves as complete sentences as it’s more polite to answer with a complete phrase (e.g. ‘Do you know how to play the piano?’ ‘Yes, I know how to play/No, I don’t know how to play.’). But in a pinch, you can use them to answer simple questions. You can also say 是 ‘Shì’ to say yes.
6. Do you speak English?: Nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma? 你会说英语吗？
When in doubt, it doesn’t hurt to ask!
7. I can speak a little Chinese: Wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén. 我会说一点中文。
Locals often really appreciate it when you make an effort to speak with them in their language, and some will be curious. This is how you confirm you do know how to speak a little.
8. I don’t understand: Wǒ tīng bù dǒng/wǒ bù míngbái 我听不懂 / 我不明白
Both phrases can be used to tell someone that you don’t understand what’s been said. The first one is more literal ‘I hear but don’t understand’, while the second one can also be used when you don’t understand a concept.
9. Please say that again: Qǐng zài shuō yībiàn 请再说一遍
This is the polite way to ask someone to repeat themselves if you didn’t quite catch them the first time.
10. I want this one/Give me this one: Wǒ yào zhège/gěi wǒ zhège 我要这个 / 给我这个
If your range of vocabulary and measure words hasn’t quite caught up with your appetite yet, these two are handy ways to order anything off any menu (or buy any item at a market).
11. Thank you: Xièxiè 谢谢
This is an essential phrase for any occasion.
12. I’d like to go/I want to go: Wǒ xiǎng qù/wǒ yào qù 我想去/我要去
If you want to ask how to get to a specific place, you can start by stating where you’re planning on going this way.
13. Where is the bathroom?: Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎ? 洗手间在哪？
There are a few different ways to say ‘bathroom’ or ‘toilet’ in Chinese. Xǐshǒujiān means ‘hand wash room’. You can also use 卫生间 wèishēngjiān or 厕所 cèsuǒ followed by ‘zài nǎ?’ to ask.
14. Can I have the bill?: Mǎidān 买单
This simply means ‘buy bill’.
15. Goodbye: Zàijiàn 再见
This is the basic way to say goodbye – but you might also hear people say 慢走 ‘màn zǒu’, which means ‘take care’ (literally meaning ‘walk slowly’).
Ready to learn more top Mandarin Chinese phrases? Read more about how to start learning Chinese on your own, or take the plunge and learn on your travels with our immersion programmes in China and Taiwan.
