Phrases › Chinese
Phrases
In Chinese, hello is 你好 (nǐ hǎo) and thank you is 谢谢 (xièxie). Here are 71 everyday Chinese phrases with pronunciation, for travel and a first conversation.
How to say hello in Chinese · How to say thank you in Chinese · How to say goodbye in Chinese · How to say please in Chinese · How to say sorry in Chinese · How to say how are you in Chinese · How to say nice to meet you in Chinese · How to say my name is in Chinese
| English | Chinese | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 nǐ hǎo | nee how |
| Goodbye | 再见 zàijiàn | dzeye-jyen |
| Please | 请 qǐng | cheeng |
| Thank you | 谢谢 xièxie | shyeh-shyeh |
| Yes | 对 duì Chinese has no single word for 'yes'; 对/是/好 used depending on context | dway |
| No | 不是 bù shì no single word for 'no' either; negate the verb, e.g. 不是/不对 | boo shur |
| Excuse me / Sorry | 不好意思 / 对不起 bù hǎoyìsi / duìbuqǐ 不好意思 to get attention or mild apology, 对不起 for a sincere apology | boo how-ee-suh / dway-boo-chee |
| Do you speak English? | 你会说英语吗? nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma? | nee hway shwaw eeng-ew mah? |
| I don't understand | 我不明白 wǒ bù míngbái | waw boo meeng-beye |
| Please speak slowly | 请说慢一点 qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn | cheeng shwaw mahn ee-dyen |
| How much is it? | 多少钱? duōshao qián? | dwaw-show chyen? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手间在哪里? xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? | shee-shoh-jyen dzeye nah-lee? |
| I'd like this, please | 我要这个,谢谢 wǒ yào zhège, xièxie | waw yow juh-guh, shyeh-shyeh |
| The bill, please | 买单,谢谢 mǎidān, xièxie 买单 is common in restaurants; 结账 is more formal | meye-dahn, shyeh-shyeh |
| Where is …? | …在哪里? … zài nǎlǐ? insert the place before 在哪里 | … dzeye nah-lee? |
| Help! | 救命! jiùmìng! | jyoh-meeng! |
| I need a doctor | 我需要医生 wǒ xūyào yīshēng | waw shew-yow ee-shung |
| Call the police! | 叫警察! jiào jǐngchá! | jyow jeeng-chah! |
| I don't speak Chinese | 我不会说中文 wǒ bú huì shuō zhōngwén | waw boo hway shwaw jung-wun |
| Can you help me? | 你能帮我吗? nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma? | nee nung bahng waw mah? |
| English | Chinese | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 您好 everyday: 你好 (nǐ hǎo) | nín hǎo |
| How are you? | 您好吗？ Chinese people rarely ask this at a first meeting; with friends: 你最近怎么样？ (nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?) | nín hǎo ma? |
| I'm fine, thank you. | 我很好，谢谢。 | wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie. |
| And you? | 您呢？ with friends: 你呢? (nǐ ne?) | nín ne? |
| What's your name? | 请问您叫什么名字？ polite; with friends: 你叫什么名字? | qǐngwèn nín jiào shénme míngzi? |
| My name is … | 我叫… put your name in the gap | wǒ jiào … |
| Nice to meet you. | 很高兴认识您。 with friends: 很高兴认识你 | hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín. |
| Where are you from? | 您是哪里人？ polite; with friends: 你是哪里人? | nín shì nǎlǐ rén? |
| I'm from … | 我来自… put your country in the gap | wǒ láizì … |
| Goodbye, see you later. | 再见，回头见。 everyday: 拜拜 (bàibài) | zàijiàn, huítóu jiàn. |
| English | Chinese | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Slower, please. | 请说慢一点。 | qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn. |
| Again, please. | 请再说一遍。 | qǐng zài shuō yí biàn. |
| I don't understand. | 我听不懂。 for something written: 我看不懂 (wǒ kàn bu dǒng) | wǒ tīng bu dǒng. |
| How do you say … in Chinese? | …用中文怎么说？ the word goes first; pointing: 这个用中文怎么说？ (zhège yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?) | … yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō? |
| What does … mean? | …是什么意思？ | … shì shénme yìsi? |
| Can you write it down, please? | 请帮我写下来，好吗？ | qǐng bāng wǒ xiě xiàlái, hǎo ma? |
| I'm learning Chinese. | 我在学中文。 | wǒ zài xué Zhōngwén. |
| One moment, please. | 请稍等。 casual: 等一下 (děng yíxià) | qǐng shāo děng. |
| English | Chinese | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Take me to the airport, please. | 请带我去机场 | qǐng dài wǒ qù jīchǎng |
| Take me to this address, please. | 请带我去这个地址 show the address written down | qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ |
| How much is it to go to …? | 去…多少钱? put the place in the gap | qù … duōshao qián? |
| Stop here, please. | 请在这里停车 | qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē |
| One ticket to …, please. | 请给我一张去…的票 put the destination in the gap | qǐng gěi wǒ yì zhāng qù … de piào |
| Which bus goes to …? | 哪路公交车去…? put the destination in the gap | nǎ lù gōngjiāochē qù …? |
| Where is the train station? | 火车站在哪里? | huǒchēzhàn zài nǎlǐ? |
| I'm lost. | 我迷路了 | wǒ mílù le |
| Call an ambulance! | 请叫救护车! | qǐng jiào jiùhùchē! |
| Where is the pharmacy? | 药店在哪里? | yàodiàn zài nǎlǐ? |
| I'm allergic to … | 我对…过敏 put the allergen in the gap | wǒ duì … guòmǐn |
| It hurts here. | 这里疼 point to the spot | zhèlǐ téng |
| I've lost my passport. | 我的护照丢了 | wǒ de hùzhào diū le |
| My bag was stolen. | 我的包被偷了 | wǒ de bāo bèi tōu le |
| A table for two, please. | 我们两个人 the answer to 几位? (jǐ wèi?, "how many?"); 两位 (liǎng wèi) also works | wǒmen liǎng gè rén |
| The menu, please. | 请给我菜单 | qǐng gěi wǒ càidān |
| I'm vegetarian. | 我吃素 | wǒ chī sù |
| Water, please. | 请给我水 | qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ |
| Is it spicy? | 辣吗? | là ma? |
| I have a reservation. | 我订了房间 | wǒ dìng le fángjiān |
| Is breakfast included? | 含早餐吗? | hán zǎocān ma? |
| What is the Wi-Fi password? | 无线网密码是多少? wifi (wàifǎi) is also understood | wúxiànwǎng mìmǎ shì duōshao? |
| What time is checkout? | 几点退房? | jǐ diǎn tuìfáng? |
| Where is the nearest grocery store? | 最近的超市在哪里? 超市 = supermarket; 便利店 (biànlìdiàn) = convenience store | zuìjìn de chāoshì zài nǎlǐ? |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗? | kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| Where is an ATM? | 哪里有自动取款机? | nǎlǐ yǒu zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī? |
| That's too expensive. | 太贵了 | tài guì le |
| I'm just looking. | 我随便看看 | wǒ suíbiàn kànkan |
| How do you say this in Chinese? | 这个用中文怎么说? | zhège yòng zhōngwén zěnme shuō? |
| My name is … | 我叫… put your name in the gap | wǒ jiào … |
| I'm from … | 我来自… put your country in the gap | wǒ láizì … |
| Can you write it down? | 可以写下来吗? | kěyǐ xiě xiàlái ma? |
| Can you say that again, please? | 请再说一遍 | qǐng zài shuō yí biàn |
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