Essential Mandarin Phrases You'll Need in China

While English is becoming more common in tourist areas and major cities, knowing a few key Mandarin phrases can really enhance your trip, especially if you venture off the beaten path or explore smaller local spots.

It's also helpful to learn some words related to modern life in China, like how you can finish an order with mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) or search info with Chinese-only apps (Meituan, Dianping, Amap/Baidu Maps), plus terms you might see at museums, restrooms, and other places depending on your travel style. Being able to read a little can also be a huge help, especially when navigating cities or figuring out menus.

Here's a list of basic Mandarin phrases that I think are particularly useful for travelers:

Greetings and Basic Politeness:

• 你好 (Nǐ hǎo): Hello
• 您好 (Nín hǎo): Hello (more polite, use with older people or people in positions of authority)
• 谢谢 (Xièxie): Thank you
• 不客气 (Bú kèqi): You're welcome / You're very welcome
• 对不起 (Duìbuqǐ): Sorry / Excuse me
• 没关系 (Méi guānxi): It's okay / No problem
• 请 (Qǐng): Please

Essential Questions:

• 请问 (Qǐng wèn): Excuse me (to get someone's attention before asking a question)
• 厕所 (Cèsuǒ) / 卫生间 (Wèishēngjiān): Restroom / Toilet (Both are common; 卫生间 is a bit more formal)
• 这是什么? (Zhè shì shénme?): What is this?
• 多少钱? (Duōshao qián?): How much is it?
• 洗手间在哪里? (Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎli?) / 厕所在哪儿？(Cèsuǒ zài nǎr?): Where's the restroom? (The second option is more colloquial and commonly used)
• 我不知道 (Wǒ bù zhīdào): I don't know
• 你会说英语吗? (Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?): Do you speak English?

Transportation:

• 火车站 (Huǒchē zhàn): Train station
• 汽车站 (Qìchē zhàn): Bus station
• 飞机场 (Fēijī chǎng): Airport
• 出租车 (Chūzūchē): Taxi
• 地铁 (Dìtiě): Subway / Metro
• 到… (Dào…): To… (e.g., 到北京 (Dào Běijīng): To Beijing)

Numbers (for Prices, Etc.):

• 一 (Yī): One
• 二 (Èr): Two
• 三 (Sān): Three
• 四 (Sì): Four
• 五 (Wǔ): Five
• 六 (Liù): Six
• 七 (Qī): Seven
• 八 (Bā): Eight
• 九 (Jiǔ): Nine
• 十 (Shí): Ten
• 一百 (Yì bǎi): One hundred

Food and Drink:

• 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo) / Alipay: Alipay (A very common mobile payment app)
• 微信 (Wēixìn) / WeChat (or WeChat Pay): WeChat (or WeChat Pay)
• 现金 (Xiànjīn): Cash
• 扫码 (Sǎo mǎ): Scan the QR code (for payment)
• 你扫我 (Nǐ sǎo wǒ): You scan my code (used less often, but good to know)
• 我扫你 (Wǒ sǎo nǐ): I scan your code
• 菜单 (Càidān): Menu
• 酒单 (Jiǔdān): Drink menu
• 点餐 (Diǎncān): To order food
• 买单 (Mǎidān): To pay the bill / Check, please
• 几位? (Jǐ wèi?): How many people? (asked from the waiter)
• 一位 (Yī wèi), 两位 (Liǎng wèi): A table for one (or two)
• 多少钱? (Duōshao qián?): How much is it?
• 水 (Shuǐ): Water
• 茶 (Chá): Tea
• 啤酒 (Píjiǔ): Beer
• 可乐 (Kělè): Cola / Coke
• 米饭 (Mǐfàn): Rice
• 面条 (Miàntiáo): Noodles
• 包子 (Bāozi): Steamed bun (often with filling)
• 饺子 (Jiǎozi): Dumplings
• 好吃 (Hǎochī): Delicious
• 不好吃 (Bù hǎochī): Not delicious
• 我吃素 (Wǒ chī sù): I'm vegetarian
• 不要肉 (Bú yào ròu): I don't want meat

Tips for Ordering Food:

• Write it down (or use a translation app): Before you go to a restaurant, it's a good idea to have the names of dishes you want to try written down in Chinese characters (汉字) or take a screenshot. This is especially helpful in smaller places without English menus. Showing the note or your phone to the server is perfectly fine.
• Photos are your friend: If you have photos of what you want, that can be even easier than writing things down.
• Pointing works too: If the menu has pictures, pointing is a universally understood way to order.
• Be patient and polite: A little patience and a smile go a long way, even if there's a language barrier. Most restaurant staff will do their best to help.
• Know "spicy": If you don't like spicy food, learn to say "不要辣 (Bú yào là)" (no spice). If you do like it spicy, say "要辣 (Yào là)" (I want spicy).
• Ask about ingredients: If you have dietary restrictions, ask about ingredients. Common phrases include:
  • 有没有肉？(Yǒuméiyǒu ròu?) – Is there meat?
  • 有没有鱼？(Yǒuméiyǒu yú?) – Is there fish?
  • 有没有鸡蛋？(Yǒuméiyǒu jīdàn?) – Is there egg?

Accommodation:

• 护照 (Hùzhào): Passport
• 酒店 (Jiǔdiàn): Hotel
• 宾馆 (Bīnguǎn): Hotel (another common term)
• 旅馆 (Lǚguǎn): Guesthouse / Small Hotel
• 房间 (Fángjiān): Room
• 预订 (Yùdìng): Reservation / Booking
• 入住 (Rùzhù): Check-in
• 退房 (Tuìfáng): Check-out
• 入住时间 (Rùzhù shíjiān): Check-in time
• 退房时间 (Tuìfáng shíjiān): Check-out time
• 延长住宿 (Yáncháng zhùsù): Extend my stay
• 取消预订 (Qǔxiāo yùdìng): Cancel my reservation
• 前台 (Qiántái): Front desk / Reception
• 钥匙 (Yàoshi): Key
• 房卡 (Fángkǎ): Room card
• 早餐 (Zǎocān): Breakfast
• 客房服务 (Kèfáng fúwù): Room service
• 打扫房间 (Dǎsǎo fángjiān): Clean the room / Housekeeping
• 吹风机 (Chuīfēngjī): Hairdryer
• 空调 (Kōngtiáo): Air conditioning
• 暖气 (Nuǎnqì): Heating
• 无线网络 (Wúxiàn wǎngluò) / Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi
• 有…吗？(Yǒu…ma?): Do you have…? (e.g., 有吹风机吗？(Yǒu chuīfēngjī ma?): Do you have a hairdryer?)
• 我想… (Wǒ xiǎng…): I would like… / I want… (e.g., 我想预订一个房间。(Wǒ xiǎng yùdìng yīgè fángjiān.): I'd like to book a room.)

Common Phrases and Questions:

• 我的预订号码是… (Wǒ de yùdìng hàomǎ shì…): My reservation number is…
• 我想办理入住。(Wǒ xiǎng bànlǐ rùzhù.): I'd like to check in.
• 我想办理退房。(Wǒ xiǎng bànlǐ tuìfáng.): I'd like to check out.
• 我可以延迟退房吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ yánchí tuìfáng ma?): Can I have a late check-out?
• 房间里没有… (Fángjiān li méiyǒu…): There isn't/aren't any… in the room. (e.g., 房间里没有热水。(Fángjiān li méiyǒu rèshuǐ.): There's no hot water in the room.)
• 请帮我叫一辆出租车。(Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào yī liàng chūzūchē.): Could you please call a taxi for me? / Please call a taxi.

** On Chinese Apps

• 确认 (Quèrèn): Confirm
• 取消 (Qǔxiāo): Cancel
• 返回 (Fǎnhuí): Back
• 提交 (Tíjiāo): Submit
• 搜索 (Sōusuǒ): Search
• 登录 (Dēnglù): Log in
• 注册 (Zhùcè): Register/Sign up
• 忘记密码 (Wàngjì mìmǎ): Forgot password
• 设置 (Shèzhì): Settings
• 帮助 (Bāngzhù): Help
• 退出 (Tuìchū): Log out
• 刷新 (Shuāxīn): Refresh
• 加载 (Zǎizhòng): Loading
• 保存 (Bǎocún): Save
• 编辑 (Biānjí): Edit
• 删除 (Shānchú): Delete
• 添加 (Tiānjiā): Add
• 查看 (Chákàn): View
• 上传 (Shàngchuán): Upload
• 下载 (Xiàzài): Download

** 美团 (Meituan)

• 外卖 (Wàimài): Food delivery
• 团购 (Tuángòu): Group buying (discounted offers)
• 酒店 (Jiǔ diàn): Hotel bookings
• 门票 (Mén piào): Tickets (for attractions, events)
• 优惠券 (Yōuhuì quàn): Coupons/discount vouchers
• 评价 (Píng jià): Reviews/ratings
• 订单 (Dìng dān): Order (your current or past orders)
• 搜索 (Sōu suǒ): Search (for restaurants, services, etc.)
• 确认下单 (Quèrèn xiàdān): Confirm order
• 选择配送时间 (Xuǎnzé pèisòng shíjiān): Choose delivery time
• 联系商家 (Liánxì shāngjiā): Contact merchant
• 申请退款 (Shēnqǐng tuikuan): Request refund

** 大众点评 (Dazhong Dianping)

• 餐厅 (Cāntīng): Restaurant
• 评分 (P"fēn): Rating (numerical score)
• 评论 (Pínglùn): Comments/reviews from other users
• 推荐 (Tuījiàn): Recommendations
• 附近 (Fùjìn): Nearby (to find places close to you)
• 排行榜 (Páixíng bǎng): Rankings (top-rated places)
• 收藏 (Shōucáng): Favorites (save places for later)
• 签到 (Qiāndào): Check-in (mark your visit)
• 写点评 (Xiě dianpíng): Write a review
• 查看菜单 (Chá kàn càidān): View menu
• 预定座位 (Yùdìng zuòwèi): Reserve a table

** 高德地图 (Amap)

• 导航 (Dǎoháng): Navigation (turn-by-turn directions)
• 路线 (Lùxiàn): Route (planning your trip)
• 步行 (Bùxíng): Walking directions
• 驾车 (Jiàchē): Driving directions
• 公交 (Gōngjiāo): Public transportation routes
• 地铁 (Dìtiě): Subway lines
• 地点 (Dìdiǎn): Location (search for addresses or POIs)
• 离线地图 (Líxiàn dìtú): Offline maps (download for offline use, this is really helpful!)
• 重新规划路线 (Chóngxīn guīhuà lùxiàn): Recalculate route
• 起点 (Qǐdiǎn): Start point
• 终点 (Zhōngdiǎn): End point
• 实时路况 (Shíshí lùkuàng): Live traffic updates
• **步行导航 (Walking directions):` Use walking directions when exploring city centers or crowded areas.

At Attractions and Historical Sites:

• 博物馆 (Bówùguǎn): Museum
• 门票 (Ménpiào) / 票 (Piào): Ticket (Both are common; 票 is shorter and more colloquial)
• 预订 (Yùdìng): Reservation / Booking
• 导游 (Dǎoyóu): Tour guide
• 讲解员 (Jiǎngjiěyuán): Guide / Explainer (often at museums)
• 地图 (Dìtú): Map
• 历史 (Lìshǐ): History
• 文化 (Wénhuà): Culture
• 寺庙 (Sìmiào): Temple
• 宫殿 (Gōngdiàn): Palace
• 长城 (Chángchéng): The Great Wall
• 兵马俑 (Bīngmǎyǒng): Terracotta Army
• 开放时间 (Kāifàng shíjiān): Opening hours
• 关闭时间 (Guānbì shíjiān): Closing hours
• 拍照 (Pāizhào): To take a photo
• 可以拍照吗? (Kěyǐ pāizhào ma?): Can I take a photo? / Is it okay to take photos?
• 请问，…怎么走？(Qǐngwèn, … zěnme zǒu?): Excuse me, how do I get to…? (e.g., 请问，博物馆怎么走？(Qǐngwèn, bówùguǎn zěnme zǒu?): Excuse me, how do I get to the museum?)
• 这个是什么意思？(Zhège shì shénme yìsi?): What does this mean?

Useful Expressions for Cultural/Historical Context:

• 朝代 (Cháodài): Dynasty
• 皇帝 (Huángdì): Emperor
• 皇后 (Huánghòu): Empress
• 建筑 (Jiànzhù): Architecture
• 艺术 (Yìshù): Art
• 传统 (Chuántǒng): Tradition
• 故事 (Gùshi): Story / Tale / Legend

Tips for Visiting Attractions:

• Check opening hours: Always check the opening and closing times beforehand. For instance, many museums in Beijing are closed one day each week.
• Book tickets in advance: For popular attractions, it's a good idea to book tickets online.
• Consider a guided tour: A guided tour can really enhance your understanding of the site's history and culture.
• Bring water and snacks: Especially if it's hot or you're visiting a large site, like the Forbidden City, bring water and snacks.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions: Don't hesitate to ask guides or staff questions. Most people are happy to share their knowledge.

Tips for Pronunciation:

• Tones are important: Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, which means the tone you use changes the meaning of a word. While perfect pronunciation takes practice, making an effort with the tones will be appreciated.
• Use Pinyin: Pinyin is the romanization of Mandarin Chinese. It can help you with pronunciation.

Important Note: Even if your pronunciation isn't perfect, most people will appreciate that you're trying to speak a little Mandarin. Don't be afraid to give it a shot!