Language Toolkit
Survival Chinese
100+ essential phrases sorted by scenario — tap to hear male or female audio, tap “Copy” to show your screen. Save this page before you fly.
Last updated: 2026-08🚨 Emergency numbers (toll-free)Police 110 · Ambulance 120 · Fire 119. If you can't say it, tap “Copy” on any phrase below and show your screen to a driver or passer-by.
✓ How to use this pageTap “Male / Female” to hear native Mandarin audio; tap “Copy” to put the Chinese on your clipboard and show it; use the category bar to jump, or print the page to carry along.
🆘Emergency12 phrases
Toll-free emergency lines: 110 police · 120 ambulance · 119 fire. If you can't say it, copy the phrase and show your screen to a driver or passer-by.
救命！
Jiùmìng!
Help!
着火了！
Zháohuǒ le!
Fire!
请帮我叫警察。
Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào jǐngchá.
Please call the police.
请帮我叫救护车。
Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào jiùhùchē.
Please call an ambulance.
请帮我拨打 120。
Qǐng bāng wǒ bō dǎ yāo-èr-líng.
Please dial 120 for me.
请帮我送到最近的公立医院。
Qǐng bāng wǒ sòng dào zuìjìn de gōnglì yīyuàn.
Please take me to the nearest public hospital.
请帮我送到最近的药店。
Qǐng bāng wǒ sòng dào zuìjìn de yàodiàn.
Please take me to the nearest pharmacy.
我迷路了。
Wǒ mílù le.
I'm lost.
我的朋友出事了。
Wǒ de péngyou chūshì le.
Something happened to my friend.
我的护照丢了。
Wǒ de hùzhào diū le.
I lost my passport.
我的手机被偷了。
Wǒ de shǒujī bèi tōu le.
My phone was stolen.
我需要帮助。
Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù.
I need help.
👋Basics15 phrases
A smile and a nod solve half of all communication. If lost, say "please speak slowly" — people usually simplify and slow down.
你好。
Nǐ hǎo.
Hello.
谢谢。
Xièxie.
Thank you.
不客气。
Bú kèqi.
You're welcome.
对不起。
Duìbuqǐ.
Sorry.
没关系。
Méi guānxi.
It's OK / never mind.
再见。
Zàijiàn.
Goodbye.
是。
Shì.
Yes.
不是。
Bú shì.
No.
请再说一遍。
Qǐng zài shuō yì biàn.
Please say it again.
请说慢一点。
Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.
Please speak more slowly.
我不明白。
Wǒ bù míngbai.
I don't understand.
我不会说中文。
Wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén.
I can't speak Chinese.
你会说英语吗？
Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?
Do you speak English?
请写下来。
Qǐng xiě xiàlái.
Please write it down.
我叫……，我来自……
Wǒ jiào…, wǒ láizì…
My name is… I'm from…
🚕Transport & Taxi12 phrases
Photograph the licence plate before boarding and follow the route on your maps app. Showing an address beats reading it aloud every time.
请带我去这里。（出示地址）
Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhèlǐ.
Please take me here (show the address).
请带我去机场。
Qǐng dài wǒ qù jīchǎng.
To the airport, please.
请带我去火车站。
Qǐng dài wǒ qù huǒchēzhàn.
To the railway station, please.
请按计价器收费。
Qǐng àn jìjiàqì shōufèi.
Please use the meter.
请在这里停车。
Qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē.
Please stop here.
麻烦开一下后备箱。
Máfan kāi yíxià hòubèixiāng.
Could you open the trunk?
请问地铁站在哪里？
Qǐngwèn dìtiězhàn zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the metro station?
我要买一张到北京的票。
Wǒ yào mǎi yì zhāng dào Běijīng de piào.
I'd like a ticket to Beijing.
这趟车到上海吗？
Zhè tàng chē dào Shànghǎi ma?
Does this train go to Shanghai?
请问在哪一站下车？
Qǐngwèn zài nǎ yí zhàn xiàchē?
Which stop should I get off at?
到站请叫我。
Dào zhàn qǐng jiào wǒ.
Please tell me when we arrive.
我要取票。
Wǒ yào qǔpiào.
I need to collect my ticket.
🏨Hotel12 phrases
Screenshot your hotel's Chinese name and address — showing it to a driver beats any description.
我有预订。
Wǒ yǒu yùdìng.
I have a reservation.
名字是……，护照在这里。
Míngzi shì…, hùzhào zài zhèlǐ.
The name is…, here is my passport.
我要办理入住。
Wǒ yào bànlǐ rùzhù.
I'd like to check in.
我要退房。
Wǒ yào tuìfáng.
I'd like to check out.
几点退房？
Jǐ diǎn tuìfáng?
What time is check-out?
可以寄存行李吗？
Kěyǐ jìcún xíngli ma?
Can I leave my luggage here?
早餐几点开始？
Zǎocān jǐ diǎn kāishǐ?
When does breakfast start?
WiFi 密码是多少？
WiFi mìmǎ shì duōshǎo?
What's the Wi-Fi password?
房间没有热水。
Fángjiān méiyǒu rèshuǐ.
There's no hot water in my room.
空调坏了。
Kòngtiáo huài le.
The air conditioning is broken.
可以延迟退房吗？
Kěyǐ yánchí tuìfáng ma?
Could I have a late check-out?
请帮我叫一辆出租车。
Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào yí liàng chūzūchē.
Please call a taxi for me.
🍜Food & Ordering14 phrases
Always state allergies as a full sentence and show the screen. "No spicy / no meat / allergic to…" combined is nearly bulletproof.
我要这个。（指菜单）
Wǒ yào zhège.
I'll have this one (point at the menu).
不要辣。
Bú yào là.
No chili / not spicy.
微辣。
Wēi là.
Mildly spicy, please.
我不吃猪肉。
Wǒ bù chī zhūròu.
I don't eat pork.
我不吃牛肉。
Wǒ bù chī niúròu.
I don't eat beef.
我是素食者。
Wǒ shì sùshí zhě.
I'm a vegetarian.
我对花生过敏。
Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn.
I'm allergic to peanuts.
请给我热水。
Qǐng gěi wǒ rèshuǐ.
Hot water, please.
请给我一瓶水。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yì píng shuǐ.
A bottle of water, please.
有没有英文菜单？
Yǒu méiyǒu Yīngwén càidān?
Do you have an English menu?
买单。
Mǎidān.
The bill, please.
可以打包吗？
Kěyǐ dǎbāo ma?
Can I get this to go?
好吃！
Hǎochī!
Delicious!
谢谢，够了。
Xièxie, gòu le.
Thank you, that's enough.
🛍️Shopping & Payment11 phrases
Malls have fixed prices; at markets polite bargaining is expected. Ask "WeChat Pay OK?" first — it works almost everywhere.
多少钱？
Duōshǎo qián?
How much?
太贵了，能便宜一点吗？
Tài guì le, néng piányi yìdiǎn ma?
That's too expensive — can you come down a little?
我可以用微信支付吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù ma?
Can I pay with WeChat Pay?
我可以用支付宝吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ma?
Can I pay with Alipay?
可以刷 Visa 卡吗？
Kěyǐ shuā Visa kǎ ma?
Do you take Visa?
我只是看看。
Wǒ zhǐshì kànkan.
I'm just looking, thanks.
我要买这个。
Wǒ yào mǎi zhège.
I'll take this one.
有别的颜色吗？
Yǒu biéde yánsè ma?
Do you have it in another color?
有大一点的吗？
Yǒu dà yìdiǎn de ma?
Do you have a bigger one?
能给我一张收据吗？
Néng gěi wǒ yì zhāng shōujù ma?
Could I have a receipt?
找错钱了。
Zhǎo cuò qián le.
I think the change is wrong.
🧭Asking & Directions10 phrases
Show the Chinese name of your destination and ask people to point on the map — far more reliable than spoken directions.
洗手间在哪里？
Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the toilet?
……在哪里？
… zài nǎlǐ?
Where is…?
离这里远吗？
Lí zhèlǐ yuǎn ma?
Is it far from here?
我可以走过去吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ zǒu guòqù ma?
Can I walk there?
请在地图上指给我看。
Qǐng zài dìtú shàng zhǐ gěi wǒ kàn.
Please show me on the map.
直走。
Zhí zǒu.
Go straight ahead.
左转。
Zuǒ zhuǎn.
Turn left.
右转。
Yòu zhuǎn.
Turn right.
入口在哪里？
Rùkǒu zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the entrance?
售票处在哪里？
Shòupiàochù zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the ticket office?
💊Doctor & Pharmacy10 phrases
Pharmacies show a green cross; prescription drugs need a doctor. Public hospitals have self-service kiosks — volunteers at the desk will help.
我不舒服。
Wǒ bù shūfu.
I feel unwell.
我发烧了。
Wǒ fāshāo le.
I have a fever.
我头疼。
Wǒ tóuténg.
I have a headache.
我肚子疼。
Wǒ dùzi téng.
I have a stomachache.
我拉肚子。
Wǒ lā dùzi.
I have diarrhea.
我对……过敏。
Wǒ duì… guòmǐn.
I'm allergic to…
请给我退烧药。
Qǐng gěi wǒ tuìshāoyào.
Something for fever, please.
请给我止痛药。
Qǐng gěi wǒ zhǐtòngyào.
Painkillers, please.
需要处方吗？
Xūyào chǔfāng ma?
Do I need a prescription?
我有旅行保险。
Wǒ yǒu lǚxíng bǎoxiǎn.
I have travel insurance.
📱Communication8 phrases
Download offline translation packs before departure. Offline, "please translate this" plus handing over your phone is the fastest fix.
有 WiFi 吗？
Yǒu WiFi ma?
Do you have Wi-Fi?
密码是多少？
Mìmǎ shì duōshǎo?
What's the password?
哪里可以买电话卡？
Nǎlǐ kěyǐ mǎi diànhuàkǎ?
Where can I buy a SIM card?
我的手机没电了。
Wǒ de shǒujī méi diàn le.
My phone is dead.
可以借你的手机用一下吗？
Kěyǐ jiè nǐ de shǒujī yòng yíxià ma?
Could I borrow your phone for a moment?
可以帮我拍张照吗？
Kěyǐ bāng wǒ pāi zhāng zhào ma?
Could you take a photo for me?
请说英语，慢一点。
Qǐng shuō Yīngyǔ, màn yìdiǎn.
English please, and slowly.
请帮我翻译一下。
Qǐng bāng wǒ fānyì yíxià.
Please translate this for me.
🔢Numbers & Bargaining14 phrases
Hand gestures: 6 = thumb + pinky, 8 = thumb + index finger, 10 = a fist or crossed fingers. Typing the price into your phone calculator is clearest.
一
yī
one (1)
二
èr
two (2)
三
sān
three (3)
四
sì
four (4)
五
wǔ
five (5)
六
liù
six (6)
七
qī
seven (7)
八
bā
eight (8)
九
jiǔ
nine (9)
十
shí
ten (10)
一百
yìbǎi
one hundred (100)
一千
yìqiān
one thousand (1,000)
一万
yíwàn
ten thousand (10,000)
块（元）
kuài (yuán)
yuan — the money unit ("kuài" in speech)