You can survive in China without speaking Chinese — translation apps will get you through. But knowing a few phrases will make your life ten times easier and help you make more friends.
Greetings — The Most Basic and Most Important
- 你好 (nǐ hǎo) — Hello
- 早上好 (zǎo shàng hǎo) — Good morning
- 下午好 (xià wǔ hǎo) — Good afternoon
- 谢谢 (xiè xie) — Thank you
- 不客气 (bù kè qi) — You're welcome
- 对不起 (duì bu qǐ) — Sorry
- 劳驾 (láo jià) — Excuse me (to get attention)
Shopping and Ordering — Most Frequently Used
- 这个多少钱？(zhè ge duō shao qián?) — How much is this?
- 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhè ge) — I'll take this one
- 不要 (bù yào) — I don't want it
- 菜单 (cài dān) — Menu
- 买单 (mǎi dān) — Check, please
Transportation — Don't Get Lost
- 我要去…… (wǒ yào qù...) — I want to go to...
- 地铁站 (dì tiě zhàn) — Metro station
- 火车站 (huǒ chē zhàn) — Train station
- 机场 (jī chǎng) — Airport
- 左转 (zuǒ zhuǎn) — Turn left
- 右转 (yòu zhuǎn) — Turn right
- 直走 (zhí zǒu) — Go straight
Asking for Help — When You're in Trouble
- 救命！(jiù mìng!) — Help!
- 帮我！(bāng wǒ!) — Help me!
- 你会说英语吗？(nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ ma?) — Do you speak English?
- 我不明白 (wǒ bù míng bai) — I don't understand
Socializing — Building Connections
- 你叫什么名字？(nǐ jiào shén me míng zi?) — What's your name?
- 我叫…… (wǒ jiào...) — My name is...
- 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāo xìng rèn shi nǐ) — Nice to meet you
- 我可以加你的微信吗？(wǒ kě yǐ jiā nǐ de wēi xìn ma?) — Can I add you on WeChat?
Practical Advice
You don't need to learn too much — 20-30 common phrases are enough. Keep a good translation app on your phone (like Google Translate or DeepL). Save the Chinese names of your frequently visited addresses in your phone's notes — show them directly to the taxi driver.