How to Use This Phrasebook
No one expects you to speak Chinese as a visitor. But knowing 10–15 key phrases will make every interaction smoother — from hailing a taxi to ordering tea at a village stall. Each phrase below includes characters, pinyin (pronunciation), and context for when to use it.
Save this page as a screenshot on your phone. It fits in one screen.
Greetings & Basics
| Phrase | Characters | Pinyin | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | nǐ hǎo | Greeting anyone — taxi drivers, shopkeepers, tea farmers |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | xiè xie | After ordering, after help, after getting directions |
| Sorry / Excuse me | 对不起 | duì bu qǐ | Getting someone's attention, bumping into someone on trail |
| It's nothing / You're welcome | 没关系 | méi guān xi | Response to someone thanking you |
| Goodbye | 再见 | zài jiàn | Ending any interaction |
Tone matters less than you think. Locals are used to foreign accents. Just say the pinyin approximatively and people will understand.
Getting Around
| Phrase | Characters | Pinyin | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| I want to go to... | 我要去... | wǒ yào qù ... | Tell a taxi driver your destination. Show the characters on your phone. |
| How much? (price) | 多少钱？ | duō shao qián | Ask the taxi fare before getting in, or the price of food/drink |
| Where is...? | ...在哪里？ | ... zài nǎ lǐ | Ask for directions — show the Chinese name of your destination |
| This address, please | 去这个地方 | qù zhè ge dì fang | Hand your phone to a taxi driver with the address showing |
| Stop here, please | 这里停 | zhè lǐ tíng | Tell the driver where to stop |
| Left turn | 左转 | zuǒ zhuǎn | Directional help if needed |
| Right turn | 右转 | yòu zhuǎn | Directional help if needed |
| Go straight | 直走 | zhí zǒu | Directional help if needed |
At a Restaurant or Tea House
| Phrase | Characters | Pinyin | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu, please | 菜单 | cài dān | Ask for a menu at a restaurant |
| This one | 这个 | zhè ge | Point at what you want on a menu |
| Water | 水 | shuǐ | Ask for drinking water |
| Tea | 茶 | chá | Ask for tea — useful in Longjing tea villages |
| How much? (total) | 一共多少钱？ | yí gòng duō shao qián | Ask for the total bill |
| Check, please | 买单 | mǎi dān | Ask for the bill |
| Delicious! | 好吃！ | hǎo chī | Compliment the food — well received everywhere |
On the Trail
| Phrase | Characters | Pinyin | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is this the path to...? | 这是去...的路吗？ | zhè shì qù ... de lù ma | Ask if you are on the right trail. Insert the destination name in characters. |
| How far to...? | 到...有多远？ | dào ... yǒu duō yuǎn | Ask distance remaining |
| Toilet | 厕所 | cè suǒ | Ask for a toilet — essential phrase |
| Where is the toilet? | 厕所在哪里？ | cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ | Full version of above |
| The path is slippery | 路滑 | lù huá | Warn others or explain a fall — can also show this to someone helping you |
| Be careful | 小心 | xiǎo xīn | General warning — used constantly by locals |
| How long to walk? | 要走多久？ | yào zǒu duō jiǔ | Ask how much time remains |
Emergencies
| Phrase | Characters | Pinyin | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help! | 救命！ | jiù mìng | Shout this in an emergency — universally understood |
| I'm lost | 我迷路了 | wǒ mí lù le | Tell someone you are lost — they will likely call a taxi or help you find the way |
| Call an ambulance | 叫救护车 | jiào jiù hù chē | Medical emergency — dial 120 yourself if possible |
| Call the police | 叫警察 | jiào jǐng chá | Police emergency — dial 110 yourself if possible |
| I need a doctor | 我需要医生 | wǒ xū yào yī shēng | Medical need |
| Can you help me? | 你能帮我吗？ | nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma | General request for help |
Numbers 1–10
Bus numbers and prices are in Chinese digits. These are the essential numbers:
1 — 一 (yī) 2 — 二 (èr) 3 — 三 (sān) 4 — 四 (sì) 5 — 五 (wǔ) 6 — 六 (liù) 7 — 七 (qī) 8 — 八 (bā) 9 — 九 (jiǔ) 10 — 十 (shí)
Bus numbers are spoken as individual digits. Bus 27 = èr qī. Bus 407 = sì líng qī (zero is 零, líng).
How to Install a Chinese Keyboard
Having a Chinese keyboard lets you type characters into map apps when copy-paste is not available.
iOS: Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Chinese (Simplified) → Pinyin. You can then type in pinyin and suggested characters appear.
Android: Settings → System → Languages & Input → On-screen keyboard → Manage keyboards → Select Chinese (Pinyin).
For quick use: switch keyboards by tapping the globe icon (iOS) or keyboard icon (Android). Type the romanized pinyin and select the correct character from the suggestions.
