Common Mandarin Phrases For Travel

Knowing Mandarin can surprisingly unlock access to many countries. It is extremely useful in East and Southeast Asia. First, you have China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Then, it serves as the lingua franca for the large Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaysia. Additionally, it helps a lot with reading signs in Japan, where Chinese characters are used for most words.

In this article, I’ll share a list of common Mandarin phrases and words. They can be very useful when you are traveling Asian countries.

Contents

• Greetings
• Dining
• Asking for Prices
• Numbers
• Navigating Places
• Food and Drink
• Parting Words
• Download the App "LocalSpeaks"

Greetings

• Hello (你好) - Pronunciation: nee haow
  Start your interactions with a friendly "你好" (Nǐ hǎo), the Mandarin way to say hello.

• Thank you! (谢谢！) - Pronunciation: shyeh shyeh
  Express your gratitude by saying "谢谢" (Xièxiè) after receiving help or a kind gesture.

• You're welcome! (不客气) - Pronunciation: boo keh chee
  If someone thanks you, respond with "不客气" (Bù kèqì), meaning "You're welcome."

• Excuse me (对不起) - Pronunciation: dway boo chee
  "对不起" (Duìbuqǐ) is a versatile phrase used to apologize or to get someone's attention.

• Please (请) - Pronunciation: ching
  Use "请" (Qǐng) to politely ask for something or to make a request.

• Yes (是的) - Pronunciation: shih deh
  Simply say "是的" (Shì de) to agree or affirm something.

• No (不是) - Pronunciation: boo shih
  "不是" (Bù shì) is your go-to word when you need to say no.

• Bye bye (再见) - Pronunciation: zai jyen
  When it’s time to leave, say "再见" (Zàijiàn), a polite way to say goodbye.

Dining

• Menu (菜单) - Pronunciation: tsai dan
  When at a restaurant, ask for the "菜单" (Càidān) to see the list of available dishes.

• Check (买单) - Pronunciation: mai dan
  When you’re ready to pay, say "买单" (Mǎidān) to request the bill.

• Credit card (信用卡) - Pronunciation: sheen-yong kah
  If you’re paying by card, just say "信用卡" (Xìnyòngkǎ).

• Cash (现金) - Pronunciation: shyan jin
  For cash payments, use the word "现金" (Xiànjīn).

• The food is great! (真好吃！) - Pronunciation: zhen haow chuh!
  Compliment the chef by saying "真好吃" (Zhēn hǎochī), meaning "The food is great!"

• Water (水) - Pronunciation: shway
  Simply ask for "水" (Shuǐ) if you need water.

• Receipt (发票) - Pronunciation: fā piào
  When you need a receipt, say "发票" (Fāpiào).

Asking for Prices

• How much? (多少钱？) - Pronunciation: doo-oh shaow chyen?
  Whether you’re shopping or ordering food, "多少钱?" (Duōshǎo qián?) will help you ask for prices.

Numbers

Knowing basic numbers can be extremely useful, especially when dealing with prices.

• One (一) - Pronunciation: yi
• Two (二) - Pronunciation: er
• Three (三) - Pronunciation: san
• Four (四) - Pronunciation: si
• Five (五) - Pronunciation: wu
• Six (六) - Pronunciation: liu
• Seven (七) - Pronunciation: qi
• Eight (八) - Pronunciation: ba
• Nine (九) - Pronunciation: jiu
• Ten (十) - Pronunciation: shi

Navigating Places

• Toilet (厕所) - Pronunciation: tsuh swor
  Asking for the "厕所" (Cèsuǒ) is essential during your travels.

• Airport (机场) - Pronunciation: jee-chahng
  If you need to get to the airport, ask for the "机场" (Jīchǎng).

Food and Drink

• Tea (茶) - Pronunciation: chah
  "茶" (Chá) is a must-try in China, often enjoyed in traditional tea houses.

• Water (水) - Pronunciation: shway
  Stay hydrated by asking for "水" (Shuǐ) when needed.

Parting Words

• Bye bye (再见) - Pronunciation: zai jyen
  When it's time to leave, say "再见" (Zàijiàn), a polite way to say goodbye.

Download the App "LocalSpeaks"

If you’re looking for a quick language guide like this for multiple languages while traveling, great news! I created an app for that. LocalSpeaks is a mobile app that provides simple and essential phrases along with their pronunciations, which you can listen to. It works offline, so it’s very convenient when you’re on the go.

I made this app to help make locals smile.