Chinese Phrases for Travel 2026 — Essential Survival Chinese
🗣️ Chinese Phrases for Travel
You don't need to speak Chinese to travel in China — but knowing 20-30 phrases will transform your experience. Locals appreciate the effort, and it opens doors that Google Translate can't.
The 10 Phrases You MUST Know
These will get you through 80% of situations:
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | Nǐ hǎo | Greeting anyone |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | Xièxiè | After any help |
| How much? | 多少钱？ | Duōshao qián? | Buying anything |
| Too expensive | 太贵了 | Tài guì le | Negotiating |
| Delicious! | 好吃！ | Hǎo chī! | Complimenting food |
| I want this one | 我要这个 | Wǒ yào zhège | Pointing at menu/item |
| Where is...? | ...在哪里？ | ...zài nǎlǐ? | Finding anything |
| Check, please | 买单 | Mǎi dān | Paying at restaurant |
| I don't understand | 听不懂 | Tīng bù dǒng | When lost in conversation |
| Help! | 救命！ | Jiùmìng! | Emergency only |
Greetings & Politeness
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | Nǐ hǎo |
| Goodbye | 再见 | Zàijiàn |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | Xièxiè |
| You're welcome | 不客气 | Bù kèqi |
| Sorry / Excuse me | 不好意思 | Bù hǎoyìsi |
| Yes | 是 | Shì |
| No | 不是 | Bù shì |
| OK / Good | 好 | Hǎo |
Food & Restaurants
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I want to eat | 我想吃 | Wǒ xiǎng chī |
| I want this one | 我要这个 | Wǒ yào zhège |
| The bill, please | 买单 | Mǎi dān |
| Not spicy | 不要辣 | Bù yào là |
| A little spicy | 微辣 | Wēi là |
| Medium spicy | 中辣 | Zhōng là |
| Very spicy | 特辣 | Tè là |
| Delicious! | 好吃！ | Hǎo chī! |
| Beer | 啤酒 | Píjiǔ |
| Water | 水 | Shuǐ |
| Tea | 茶 | Chá |
| Vegetarian | 吃素 | Chī sù |
| No MSG | 不要味精 | Bù yào wèijīng |
Directions & Transport
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | ...在哪里？ | ...zài nǎlǐ? |
| Left | 左 | Zuǒ |
| Right | 右 | Yòu |
| Straight ahead | 直走 | Zhí zǒu |
| Metro station | 地铁站 | Dìtiě zhàn |
| Train station | 火车站 | Huǒchē zhàn |
| Airport | 机场 | Jīchǎng |
| Hotel | 酒店 | Jiǔdiàn |
| How far? | 多远？ | Duō yuǎn? |
| Take me to... | 带我去... | Dài wǒ qù... |
Shopping
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much? | 多少钱？ | Duōshao qián? |
| Too expensive | 太贵了 | Tài guì le |
| Can you make it cheaper? | 便宜一点？ | Piányi yīdiǎn? |
| I'll take it | 我要了 | Wǒ yào le |
| I'm just looking | 我看看 | Wǒ kàn kàn |
| Do you accept Alipay? | 可以用支付宝吗？ | Kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ma? |
Numbers
| Number | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 100 | 一百 | Yī bǎi |
| 1,000 | 一千 | Yī qiān |
Emergency
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | 救命！ | Jiùmìng! |
| Call the police | 报警 | Bào jǐng |
| Call an ambulance | 叫救护车 | Jiào jiùhùchē |
| I'm lost | 我迷路了 | Wǒ mílù le |
| I'm sick | 我不舒服 | Wǒ bù shūfu |
| Hospital | 医院 | Yīyuàn |
| Pharmacy | 药店 | Yàodiàn |
| I need help | 我需要帮助 | Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù |
Useful for Showing on Phone
These are useful to have written on your phone to show people:
"I don't speak Chinese. Can you help me?" 我不太会说中文，您能帮我吗？ Wǒ bú tài huì shuō Zhōngwén, nín néng bāng wǒ ma?
"Please take me to this address" 请带我去这个地址 Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ
"I have a food allergy" 我对...过敏 Wǒ duì...guòmǐn
"Where is the nearest metro station?" 最近的地铁站在哪里？ Zuìjìn de dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ?
Pro Tips
-
Tone matters — Mandarin has 4 tones. "mā" (mother) vs "mǎ" (horse) vs "mà" (scold). Don't worry too much — context helps, and locals are forgiving.
-
Show your phone — if pronunciation fails, show the Chinese characters on your phone. Locals can read them.
-
Point and say "zhège" — at restaurants, just point at what you want and say "我要这个" (wǒ yào zhège).
-
Google Translate camera — point your camera at Chinese text for instant translation (requires VPN in China).
-
Learn numbers 1-10 — you'll use them constantly for prices, quantities, and addresses.
-
"Tīng bù dǒng" is your best friend — it means "I don't understand." Locals will usually slow down, repeat, or find another way to help.
-
Smile and try — even terrible Chinese with a smile gets better service than perfect English with a frown.
FAQ
Do I need to speak Chinese to travel in China? No, but knowing 20-30 basic phrases significantly improves the experience. Many young Chinese people speak some English, but outside tourist areas, Chinese is essential.
Is Mandarin hard to learn? The tones are challenging, but basic travel phrases are manageable. Focus on pronunciation and don't worry about reading characters — your phone handles that.
Can I get by with just Google Translate? Google Translate works (with VPN), but it's slow and sometimes inaccurate. Knowing basic phrases is faster and more reliable. Use the camera feature for menus and signs.
What if I can't pronounce the tones? Don't worry. Context usually makes your meaning clear. Locals are accustomed to foreigners butchering their language and will try to understand you.
Should I learn to read Chinese characters? Not necessary for travel. Your phone can translate characters via camera. Focus on speaking and listening for the most practical benefit.
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Written by Bobby, living in Chengdu since 2023
