Basic Mandarin Phrases for China Travel

Updated October 17, 2026

Basic Mandarin phrases for China travel help you ask the way, order what you want and confirm a price without holding a whole conversation. I recommend learning a few short lines, saving the Chinese text on your phone and using a translation app for the reply you cannot understand.

Tap any red Chinese text to hear it in Mandarin.

Start with five useful phrases

You do not need a long phrasebook for a first trip. Get someone’s attention, point to what you mean and let them see the Chinese if your pronunciation is unclear.

Use one sentence at a time. A fast, complicated question is harder to fix than a short one. Face the person, keep background noise down and show the relevant address, dish or number.

The marks above pinyin letters indicate Mandarin tones. For a short visit, listen to a phrase in your translator and copy its rhythm rather than memorizing English-looking spellings. The pinyin here uses dictionary tones; 一 (yī) and 不 (bù) can change tone in connected speech.

This is a mainland Mandarin guide. Local accents and languages vary; Cantonese is widely used in Hong Kong and Macau. Written Chinese and a translation screen are useful when spoken communication stalls.

Ask directions and understand the answer

For a hotel, restaurant or attraction, show the Chinese name and full address. A foreign-language hotel name may not be recognizable, and the right name without the right branch can send you across town.

The reusable pattern is 请问，…在哪里？ — “Excuse me, where is…?” Replace the place word with 地铁站 (dìtiězhàn, metro station), 出口 (chūkǒu, exit) or 洗手间 (xǐshǒujiān, toilet).

At large metro stations, the exit is worth asking about before you leave the paid area. The wrong one may put you on the other side of a wide road or a long way from the building entrance.

Listen for these short replies

• 左边 — zuǒbian: left. 往左走 — wǎng zuǒ zǒu: go left.
• 右边 — yòubian: right. 往右走 — wǎng yòu zǒu: go right.
• 直走 — zhí zǒu: go straight.
• 这里 / 那里 — zhèlǐ / nàlǐ: here / there.
• 到了 — dào le: you have arrived / this is the place.

Do not try to memorize a long spoken route. Ask the person to point on your map or write the exit number. A short question such as “Which exit?” produces a much easier answer than “How do I get all the way to my hotel?”

Order food, adjust spice and pay

In a small restaurant, a picture menu, wall menu or handwritten board is enough to start. 这个 (zhège) means “this one.” Point at a specific dish, not a whole page, and say 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhège) — “I’d like this.”

For two people, say 两个人 (liǎng ge rén). At many sit-down restaurants, dishes are shared; at noodle and rice shops, each person usually orders their own bowl or plate. Make the quantity clear rather than assuming one dish means one meal.

微辣 does not mean “no heat.” In chili-heavy regional cooking, even the mild option can feel hot to a visitor. If you really want no chili, say 不要辣 and ask for a dish that is naturally non-spicy. A sauce or broth made in advance cannot always be adjusted.

Dietary preferences and allergies are different

我不吃… (wǒ bù chī…) means “I don’t eat…”. Useful words include 猪肉 (zhūròu, pork), 牛肉 (niúròu, beef) and 肉 (ròu, meat). If you avoid animal ingredients, ask about broth, lard and sauces too; a vegetable dish can still contain them.

For an allergy, use 我对…过敏 (wǒ duì… guòmǐn) — “I’m allergic to…”. For example:

我对花生过敏。请帮我确认这道菜有没有花生。
Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn. Qǐng bāng wǒ quèrèn zhè dào cài yǒu méiyǒu huāshēng.
I’m allergic to peanuts. Please help me check whether this dish contains peanuts.

For a serious allergy, show a written card naming the allergen and ask staff to check with the kitchen, including shared oil and utensils. A phrase helps explain the problem; it does not establish that the kitchen can prepare a safe meal. If staff cannot give a clear answer, choose somewhere else.

What “scan to order” means

You may hear 扫码点餐 (sǎomǎ diǎncān) — “scan the QR code to order.” The code may be on the table and open a WeChat or Alipay menu. It is an ordering code, not automatically a payment code.

If the menu is hard to use, show 可以帮我点餐吗？(Kěyǐ bāng wǒ diǎncān ma?) — “Can you help me order?” Some places take payment before cooking; others bring a bill afterward. Ask for the total when you are ready to pay.

Bargain politely and confirm the price

Bargaining makes sense at some souvenir stalls, clothing markets and independent tourist-market shops. It is not the default everywhere in China. Supermarkets, chain stores, restaurants, transport fares and official attraction tickets normally have fixed prices. Even in a market, a clearly priced food stall may not bargain.

I recommend asking the price first, then making one reasonable request for a lower price. You do not need a theatrical argument or a rule about always offering half.

便宜 (piányi) means “cheap”; in this word the first syllable is pián, not biàn.

Before paying, confirm whether the number is for one item, a pair, the whole set or a weight unit. Write the agreed amount in your phone’s calculator and let the seller confirm it. If you are not happy with the price, “I’ll look around” ends the exchange politely.

Read numbers, prices and quantities

Numbers from zero to ten

Once you know these, 11–99 follow a simple pattern. 十一 (shí yī) is ten plus one: 11. 二十 (èr shí) is two tens: 20. 二十五 (èr shí wǔ) is two tens plus five: 25. 九十九 (jiǔ shí jiǔ) is 99. For 100, use 一百 (yī bǎi).

How prices are said

元 (yuán) is the formal currency unit; 块 (kuài) is the everyday spoken equivalent. Both mean one yuan. 毛 (máo) is one tenth of a yuan, so ten mao make one yuan. You may see 角 (jiǎo) for that same tenth on formal pricing.

People shorten prices in context. Rather than guessing what a clipped number means, ask 一共多少钱？ and check the written amount.

“Two”: when to use 二 and 两

Use 二 (èr) when counting or naming a number: 一、二、三 (one, two, three), 二十 (20) and 二号线 (èr hào xiàn, metro Line 2).

Use 两 (liǎng) before many everyday quantity words: 两个人 (liǎng ge rén, two people), 两碗面 (liǎng wǎn miàn, two bowls of noodles) and 两块钱 (liǎng kuài qián, two yuan). For ordering, learning the whole phrase is easier than learning every grammar rule.

A jin is not a kilogram

At mainland markets, 一斤 (yī jīn) = 500 grams. A sign saying 10元/斤 means ¥10 per 500 g, not per kilogram. 一公斤 (yī gōngjīn) is one kilogram, or two mainland jin. Ask 一斤多少钱？(Yī jīn duōshao qián?) — “How much per jin?” — and check the final weight and total.

This 500 g rule is for mainland China. Do not carry it over to Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan, where traditional weight-unit conventions differ.

Phone numbers are read digit by digit

Read a telephone number one digit at a time, not as a large number. You may hear 幺 (yāo) instead of 一 (yī) for the digit 1, especially when someone is dictating a number. If you cannot follow it, ask them to type it; a voice translator is less reliable than a written number for this job.

Recognize Chinese number hand gestures

Chinese vendors often show a number with one hand, including numbers above five. The photograph below shows a common set. It is useful to recognize, but it is not the only regional convention, particularly for 7–10.

In this photographed set:

• 1–5: the matching number of raised fingers, with five an open hand. Which fingers are used can vary.
• 6: thumb and little finger extended.
• 7: thumb, index and middle fingertips brought together.
• 8: thumb and index finger extended in an L shape.
• 9: a hooked index finger.
• 10: two index fingers crossed. A fist or other signs may also represent ten in some places.

Do not use a hand sign as your only price confirmation. The same “eight” sign can refer to ¥8 or ¥80 in different contexts, and some local signs have different meanings. Have the seller type the price or show it on a calculator, then confirm 一共多少钱？ before paying.

Save a show-your-phone phrase card

Save the image below before your trip. These lines work when you have no connection, the room is noisy or you do not want to speak Mandarin. Point to one line, then show the relevant address or price screen.

我不会说中文。请打字。
Wǒ bù huì shuō Zhōngwén. Qǐng dǎzì.
I don’t speak Chinese. Please type.

请说慢一点。
Qǐng shuō màn yīdiǎn.
Please speak a little more slowly.

请帮我看这个地址。
Qǐng bāng wǒ kàn zhège dìzhǐ.
Please help me check this address.

请告诉我多少钱。
Qǐng gàosu wǒ duōshao qián.
Please tell me how much it costs.

For a longer reply, switch to voice, typed text or camera translation. Our Best Translation Apps for China guide covers the software side, including Chinese AI tools such as DeepSeek and Doubao. This phrase guide is the quick-start companion: say a short line, point to what you mean, then translate the detail.

Common questions

Can I travel in China without speaking Mandarin?

Yes. You can handle much of a short trip with written addresses, menus, maps and a translation app. A few Mandarin phrases make small exchanges easier, especially in independent restaurants and markets. Do not rely on English alone outside places that regularly serve international visitors.

Should I memorize every phrase here?

No. I would start with 请问, 谢谢, 我要这个, 不要辣 and 一共多少钱. Save the rest as Chinese text you can show. Understanding a few likely replies is more useful than memorizing a long list of questions.

Is pointing rude?

Pointing at a menu item, map location or written price is normal practical communication. Keep it relaxed, use 请问 or 谢谢, and avoid pointing a finger close to someone’s face.

Are Chinese hand signs the same everywhere?

No. Many are widely recognized, but regional differences matter, especially from seven upward. For money, quantities and anything important, write the number rather than relying on the gesture alone.

What should I do when someone answers too quickly?

Show 请说慢一点 first. If the answer is still unclear, show 我不会说中文。请打字。 and let them type in your translation app. For an address, exit number or price, written text is usually the fastest way forward.