Chinese 中文
Survival Chinese phrases
The short answer
This page collects the essential Mandarin phrases for travel and daily life, grouped by situation, with Traditional and Simplified characters and Pinyin. Start with greetings, numbers and polite requests.
How to use the phrase pages
Each phrase page covers one situation and follows the order in which the conversation usually happens. Phrases are given in Traditional characters, with Simplified in brackets where the two differ, then Pinyin with tone marks, then English. The tones of 一 and 不 are written as they are pronounced in that phrase.
Kungfucius recommends three steps. Read the Pinyin carefully, say each phrase aloud several times, and learn the likely replies as well as your own lines. Most of the stress in a real conversation comes from not recognising the question you are asked. The page on hotel check-in shows the pattern: your lines, the receptionist's lines, and what to answer.
The survival phrases to learn first
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| 謝謝 (谢谢) | xièxie | Thank you |
| 不客氣 (不客气) | bú kèqi | You're welcome |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | Excuse me, sorry to bother you |
| 對不起 (对不起) | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry |
| 沒關係 (没关系) | méi guānxi | It doesn't matter, no problem |
| 請問…… (请问……) | qǐngwèn… | May I ask… |
| 這個多少錢？(这个多少钱？) | Zhège duōshao qián? | How much is this? |
| 我要這個。(我要这个。) | Wǒ yào zhège. | I'd like this one. |
| 不要，謝謝。(不要，谢谢。) | Bú yào, xièxie. | No, thank you. |
| 洗手間在哪裡？(洗手间在哪里？) | Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? | Where is the toilet? |
| 我聽不懂。(我听不懂。) | Wǒ tīng bu dǒng. | I don't understand. |
| 請再說一次。(请再说一次。) | Qǐng zài shuō yí cì. | Please say that again. |
| 你會說英文嗎？(你会说英文吗？) | Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma? | Do you speak English? |
| 買單。(买单。) | Mǎidān. | The bill, please. |
| 再見 (再见) | zàijiàn | Goodbye |
With these sixteen and a pointing finger you can eat, shop and find the toilet, which covers most of the first day. Numbers come next, because every price, time and address uses them.
Politeness basics
Chinese politeness lives in a few small words, not in long formulas.
- 請 (请) qǐng, "please", goes at the start of a request: 請坐 (请坐) qǐng zuò, please sit.
- 請問 (请问) qǐngwèn opens any question to a stranger. It does more for you than a perfect sentence without it.
- 您 nín is the respectful "you" for older people and customers. It is common in northern China and rarer in Taiwan, where 你 is normal.
- 不好意思 bù hǎoyìsi is the everyday word for getting past someone, catching a waiter's attention or apologising for something small. In Taiwan you will hear it constantly. 對不起 is for real apologies.
- 謝謝 xièxie is used a little less than "thank you" in English, and not much among close friends, but a visitor cannot overdo it.
A plain "no" can sound blunt. 不用了，謝謝 (不用了，谢谢) bú yòng le, xièxie, "no need, thanks", turns down an offer more softly than 不要.
If the tone marks are still a mystery, start with the guides to Pinyin and tones. To build your own variations on these sentences, try the phrase generator.