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Chinese Phrases

195 everyday Chinese phrases, grouped by situation. Tap the speaker to hear each one.

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Greetings

ChineseEnglishAudio
你好nǐ hǎoHello
您好nín hǎoHelloFormal/polite form using 您
早上好zǎo shàng hǎoGood morning
晚上好wǎn shàng hǎoGood evening
再见zài jiànGoodbye
拜拜bài bàiBye byeCasual/informal, borrowed from English 'bye bye'
晚安wǎn ānGood nightCan mean both 'good evening' and 'good night'
欢迎光临huān yíng guāng línWelcomeUsed by staff greeting customers entering shops/restaurants
喂wèiHello (on phone)Only used when answering phone calls
好久不见hǎo jiǔ bú jiànLong time no see
早安zǎo ānGood morningMore common in Taiwan
早晨好zǎo chén hǎoGood morning
你早nǐ zǎoGood morningCasual greeting among peers/family
午安wǔ ānGood afternoonMore common in Taiwan
干杯！gān bēi!Cheers!Said when toasting with drinks
圣诞快乐shèng dàn kuài lèMerry Christmas
圣诞节快乐shèng dàn jié kuài lèMerry Christmas
新年快乐xīn nián kuài lèHappy New YearAlso used for Chinese New Year (春节)

Introductions

ChineseEnglishAudio
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 shí nǐNice to meet you
你贵姓大名？nǐ guì xìng dà míng?What's your name?Very formal way to ask someone's name, shows respect
我姓 ...wǒ xìng ...My surname is ...
幸会xìng huìPleased to meet youFormal expression, often in business/professional contexts

Politeness

ChineseEnglishAudio
谢谢xiè xieThank you
不客气bú kè qìYou're welcome
对不起duì bù qǐExcuse measking people to move
不好意思bù hǎo yì sīExcuse mereply to sneeze
没关系méi guān xìIt's okayAlso used as 'no problem' or 'don't worry about it'
请qǐngPleaseMore formal than 麻烦你; used for requests or invitations
请问qǐng wènExcuse meto attract attention
抱歉bào qiànSorry
麻烦你má fán nǐPleaseUsed when asking someone to do something; literally 'trouble you'
感谢你gǎn xiè nǐThank you
非常感谢你fēi cháng gǎn xiè nǐThank you very much

Basics

ChineseEnglishAudio
是shìYes
不是bú shìNo
好hǎoOk
我不明白wǒ bù míng báiI don't understand
你会说英语吗？nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ ma?Do you speak English?
我不知道wǒ bù zhī dàoI don't know
你听得懂吗？nǐ tīng de dǒng ma?Do you understand?
你明白吗？nǐ míng bái ma?Do you understand?
我听得懂wǒ tīng de dǒngI understand
我懂wǒ dǒngI understand
我明白wǒ míng báiI understand
我听不懂wǒ tīng bù dǒngI don't understand
我不懂wǒ bù dǒngI don't understand
你会讲英语吗？nǐ huì jiǎng yīng yǔ ma?Do you speak English?
你会不会讲国语？nǐ huì bú huì jiǎng guó yǔ?Do you speak Mandarin?国语 (Guóyǔ) is the term used in Taiwan for Mandarin
你会不会讲普通话？nǐ huì bú huì jiǎng pǔ tōng huà?Do you speak Mandarin?普通话 (Pǔtōnghuà) is the term used in Mainland China for Mandarin
你会说中文吗？nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma?Do you speak Mandarin?中文 refers to Chinese language in general
会，一点点huì, yì diǎn diǎnYes, a little
会，一点儿huì, yì diǎnrYes, a little
我正在学习普通话wǒ zhèng zài xué xí pǔ tōng huàI'm learning Mandarin普通话 is Mainland China term for Mandarin
我在学普通话wǒ zài xué pǔ tōng huàI'm learning Mandarin普通话 is Mainland China term for Mandarin
我在学中文wǒ zài xué zhōng wénI'm learning Mandarin中文 refers to Chinese language in general
我在学国语wǒ zài xué guó yǔI'm learning Mandarin国语 is Taiwan term for Mandarin
我在学华语wǒ zài xué huá yǔI'm learning Mandarin
除了中文之外、你还会讲其他的语言吗？chú le zhōng wén zhī wài, nǐ hái huì jiǎng qí tā de yǔ yán ma?Do you speak any languages besides Chinese?
... 中文怎么说？... zhōng wén zěn me shuō?How do you say ... in Mandarin?
可能kě néngMaybe
这是什么？zhè shì shén me?What is this?
这是什么意思？zhè shì shén me yì si?What does this mean?

Small talk

ChineseEnglishAudio
你好吗？nǐ hǎo ma?How are you?
我很好wǒ hěn hǎoI am fine
你呢？nǐ ne?And you?
我很好，您呢？wǒ hěn hǎo, nín ne?I'm fine, and you?
你是哪国人？nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?What country are you from?
我是从 ... 来的wǒ shì cóng ... lái deI'm from ...
我是 ... 人wǒ shì ... rénI'm a ... person
你常来这儿吗？nǐ cháng lái zhèr ma?Do you come here often?
你经常来这里吗？nǐ jīng cháng lái zhè lǐ ma?Do you come here often?
你从哪里来？nǐ cóng nǎ lǐ lái?Where are you from?
我从...来wǒ cóng ... láiI am from...
我不会说中文wǒ bú huì shuō zhōng wénI don't speak Chinese
我只会说一点点中文wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yì diǎn diǎn zhōng wénI only speak a little Chinese

Asking for help

ChineseEnglishAudio
请再说一遍qǐng zài shuō yī biànPlease say it again
请说慢一点qǐng shuō màn yì diǎnPlease speak slower
请帮我qǐng bāng wǒPlease help me
我想要...wǒ xiǎng yào ...I would like ...
麻烦你再说一遍má fán nǐ zài shuō yī biànPlease say that again
请你再说一次好吗？qǐng nǐ zài shuō yī cì hǎo ma?Please say that again
麻烦你讲慢一点má fán nǐ jiǎng màn yì diǎnPlease speak more slowly
麻烦你写一下，好不好？má fán nǐ xiě yī xià, hǎo bù hǎo?Please write it down
我想 ...wǒ xiǎng ...I would like ...
有吗？yǒu ma?Do you have it?
我能用一下你的电话吗？wǒ néng yòng yī xià nǐ de diàn huà ma?May I use your phone?

Directions

ChineseEnglishAudio
厕所在哪里？cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ?Where's the toilet?
洗手间在哪里？xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ?Where's the bathroom?More polite/formal than 厕所
厕所cè suǒToilet
在哪里？zài nǎ lǐ?Where is it?
左边zuǒ biānLeft side
右边yòu biānRight side
前面qián miànFront
后面hòu miànBack
直走zhí zǒuGo straightUsed when giving directions
左转zuǒ zhuǎnTurn leftUsed when giving directions
右转yòu zhuǎnTurn rightUsed when giving directions
我迷路了wǒ mí lù leI am lost

Getting around

ChineseEnglishAudio
停车！tíng chē!Stop!when in vehicle
火车站huǒ chē zhànTrain station
地铁站dì tiě zhànSubway station
机场jī chǎngAirport
出租车chū zū chēTaxi
车票chē piàoTicket
我要去...wǒ yào qù ...I want to go to...

Hotels

ChineseEnglishAudio
酒店jiǔ diànHotel
房间fáng jiānRoom
我有一个预订wǒ yǒu yí gè yù dìngI have a reservation

Eating out

ChineseEnglishAudio
买单mǎi dānThe bill, pleaseSaid to waiter/server at restaurant; literally 'settle the bill'
菜单cài dānMenu
慢慢吃màn màn chīBon appetitSaid to others at meals, literally 'eat slowly'
我要点餐wǒ yào diǎn cānI want to order
水shuǐWater
茶cháTea
咖啡kā fēiCoffee
啤酒pí jiǔBeer

Shopping

ChineseEnglishAudio
这个多少钱？zhè ge duō shǎo qián?How much is this?
太贵了tài guì leToo expensive
多少钱？duō shǎo qián?How much is it?
便宜一点pián yi yì diǎnA little cheaperCommon when bargaining at markets
我要这个wǒ yào zhè geI want this
我要那个wǒ yào nà geI want that

Time

ChineseEnglishAudio
一yīOne
二èrTwoUse 两(liǎng) for 'two of something', 二(èr) for counting/numbers
三sānThree
四sìFour
五wǔFive
六liùSix
七qīSeven
八bāEight
九jiǔNine
十shíTen
零língZero
今天jīn tiānToday
明天míng tiānTomorrow
昨天zuó tiānYesterday
现在xiàn zàiNow
几点？jǐ diǎn?What time is it?
一点yì diǎnOne o'clock
两点liǎng diǎnTwo o'clockUses 两 (liǎng) not 二 (èr) for 'two o'clock'
三点sān diǎnThree o'clock
十二点shí èr diǎnTwelve o'clock
上午shàng wǔMorningRoughly 6am-12pm
下午xià wǔAfternoonRoughly 12pm-6pm
晚上wǎn shàngEveningRoughly 6pm-midnight
星期一xīng qī yīMonday
星期二xīng qī èrTuesday
星期三xīng qī sānWednesday
星期四xīng qī sìThursday
星期五xīng qī wǔFriday
星期六xīng qī liùSaturday
星期日xīng qī rìSundayAlso 星期天 (xīngqītiān)
一月yí yuèJanuary
二月èr yuèFebruary
三月sān yuèMarch
四月sì yuèApril
五月wǔ yuèMay
六月liù yuèJune
七月qī yuèJuly
八月bā yuèAugust
九月jiǔ yuèSeptember
十月shí yuèOctober
十一月shí yī yuèNovember
十二月shí èr yuèDecember

Feelings

ChineseEnglishAudio
我爱你wǒ ài nǐI love you

Health

ChineseEnglishAudio
祝您早日康复zhù nín zǎo rì kāng fùGet well soonMore formal than 快点好; use for non-close relationships
医生yī shēngDoctor
医院yī yuànHospital
药yàoMedicine
我生病了wǒ shēng bìng leI am sick

Emergencies

ChineseEnglishAudio
救命！jiù mìng!Help!Emergency phrase
救命啊！jiù mìng a!Help!
火啊！huǒ a!Fire!
叫警察！jiào jǐng chá!Call the police!
警察jǐng cháPolice
我需要帮助wǒ xū yào bāng zhùI need help

Other

ChineseEnglishAudio
祝你好运zhù nǐ hǎo yùnGood luck!
一路顺风yī lù shùn fēngBon voyageLiterally 'smooth wind all the way', for travelers
一路平安yí lù píng ānHave a good journey
一帆风顺yī fān fēng shùnHave a good journeyIdiomatic: 'smooth sailing', also used for general good wishes
你要不要跟我跳舞？nǐ yào bù yào gēn wǒ tiào wǔ?Would you like to dance with me?
百岁bǎi suìBless you!rarely used
别管我！bié guǎn wǒ!Leave me alone!
停！tíng!Stop!
停下！tíng xià!Stop!
站住！zhàn zhù!Stop!to someone on foot
立正lì zhèngAttention!used by the military
红色hóng sèRedRed symbolizes luck and celebration in Chinese culture
蓝色lán sèBlue
绿色lǜ sèGreen
白色bái sèWhiteWhite associated with funerals; avoid for gifts/celebrations
黑色hēi sèBlack
黄色huáng sèYellow

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