Pronunciation note: Pinyin is included as a reference, but listening to native audio in a translation or language app is more reliable than English phonetic spellings.
Basic greetings
| English | Mandarin | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | nǐ hǎo |
| Goodbye | 再见 | zài jiàn |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | xiè xie |
| You're welcome | 不客气 | bú kè qi |
| Excuse me / sorry | 对不起 | duì bu qǐ |
| I don't speak Chinese | 我不会说中文 | wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén |
Restaurants and drinks
| What you need | Mandarin | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Menu | 菜单 | cài dān |
| I would like to order... | 我想点... | wǒ xiǎng diǎn... |
| I don't eat... | 我不吃... | wǒ bù chī... |
| Not spicy | 不要辣 | bú yào là |
| Water | 水 | shuǐ |
| Bill, please | 买单 | mǎi dān |
| Server | 服务员 | fú wù yuán |
Allergies need more than a phrase: Carry a professionally translated card that lists the allergen, severity and cross-contact concern.
Directions and transport
| English | Mandarin | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | ...在哪儿？ | ...zài nǎr? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 卫生间在哪儿？ | wèi shēng jiān zài nǎr? |
| Where is the metro? | 地铁在哪儿？ | dì tiě zài nǎr? |
| Please take me here | 请带我去这里 | qǐng dài wǒ qù zhè lǐ |
| Please stop here | 请在这里停 | qǐng zài zhè lǐ tíng |
Shopping
| English | Mandarin | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | 这个多少钱？ | zhè ge duō shao qián? |
| Too expensive | 太贵了 | tài guì le |
| Can it be cheaper? | 可以便宜一点吗？ | kě yǐ pián yi yì diǎn ma? |
| I want to buy... | 我要买... | wǒ yào mǎi... |
| Invoice / official receipt | 发票 | fā piào |
Translation tools
Offline translation
Download Simplified Chinese language data before departure. Network availability can vary, so test typing, voice and camera translation offline.
WeChat translation
Press and hold messages to translate them. The Scan feature can also translate photographed Chinese text when the function is available.
Pleco
A useful Chinese dictionary for characters, meanings and pronunciation. It is especially helpful when a general translator produces an unclear result.
A simple communication playbook
- Prepare the Chinese text firstSave your hotel, destinations, dietary needs and emergency contact details in large, readable Chinese.
- Use short sentencesOne request at a time is easier to translate and confirm than a long explanation.
- Show, do not only speakUse a map pin, booking screen, photo or written address alongside the phrase.
- Confirm the resultCheck the destination, price, date or quantity on screen before paying or leaving.
Most visitors can travel successfully without conversational Mandarin. A calm approach, a few respectful phrases and reliable written information solve more problems than trying to pronounce a complicated sentence under pressure.
