Travel · 42 phrases
Many travelers can currently enter China visa-free for up to 30 days (tourism, business, family visits, exchange or transit), depending on nationality. For example, Brazilian ordinary-passport holders are exempt until 31 December 2026, per the Chinese Embassy in Brazil's notice. Check the rules for your own passport before you fly, because they can change.
Outside big hotels and airports, few people speak English. These 42 HSK-level phrases cover the essentials: ordering food, paying, taking the subway or a taxi, hotels and emergencies. Each phrase has Chinese characters (to show on your phone), pinyin with tones (to read aloud) and the English meaning.
Tip: if your pronunciation fails, show the characters on your screen. It almost always works.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| 谢谢 | xièxie | Thank you |
| 不客气 | bú kèqi | You're welcome |
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | Sorry / excuse me |
| 没关系 | méi guānxi | No problem / it doesn't matter |
| 再见 | zàijiàn | Goodbye |
| 好的 | hǎo de | OK, deal |
| 我是巴西人 | wǒ shì Bāxī rén | I'm Brazilian (swap in your own nationality) |
| 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? |
| 我听不懂 | wǒ tīng bu dǒng | I don't understand (what you said) |
| 请说慢一点 | qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn | Please speak more slowly |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 有菜单吗？ | yǒu càidān ma? | Do you have a menu? |
| 我要这个 | wǒ yào zhège | I'd like this one (pointing) |
| 不要辣 | bú yào là | No spicy food |
| 微辣 | wēi là | Mildly spicy |
| 我不吃肉 | wǒ bù chī ròu | I don't eat meat |
| 一瓶水 | yì píng shuǐ | A bottle of water |
| 好吃！ | hǎochī! | Delicious! |
| 买单 | mǎidān | The bill, please |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 多少钱？ | duōshao qián? | How much is it? |
| 太贵了 | tài guì le | Too expensive |
| 能便宜一点吗？ | néng piányi yìdiǎn ma? | Can you make it cheaper? |
| 可以刷卡吗？ | kěyǐ shuā kǎ ma? | Do you take cards? |
| 可以用支付宝吗？ | kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ma? | Can I pay with Alipay? |
| 微信支付 | Wēixìn zhīfù | WeChat Pay |
| 我扫你还是你扫我？ | wǒ sǎo nǐ háishi nǐ sǎo wǒ? | Do I scan your QR code, or do you scan mine? |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我要去这里 | wǒ yào qù zhèlǐ | I want to go here (showing the map) |
| 地铁站在哪儿？ | dìtiězhàn zài nǎr? | Where is the subway station? |
| 洗手间在哪儿？ | xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr? | Where is the restroom? |
| 请停在这里 | qǐng tíng zài zhèlǐ | Please stop here |
| 机场 | jīchǎng | Airport |
| 火车站 | huǒchēzhàn | Train station |
| 酒店 | jiǔdiàn | Hotel |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我有预订 | wǒ yǒu yùdìng | I have a reservation |
| Wi-Fi密码是多少？ | Wi-Fi mìmǎ shì duōshao? | What's the Wi-Fi password? |
| 我想退房 | wǒ xiǎng tuìfáng | I'd like to check out |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请帮帮我 | qǐng bāngbang wǒ | Please help me |
| 我迷路了 | wǒ mílù le | I'm lost |
| 我不舒服 | wǒ bù shūfu | I don't feel well |
| 医院在哪儿？ | yīyuàn zài nǎr? | Where is the hospital? |
| 我的护照丢了 | wǒ de hùzhào diū le | I lost my passport |
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Police | 110 |
| Ambulance | 120 |
| Fire | 119 |
Citizens of Brazil with an ordinary passport are currently exempt from a visa for stays of up to 30 days (tourism, business, family visits, exchange and transit) until 31 December 2026, according to the Chinese Embassy in Brazil. Rules differ by nationality and can change, so check the official notice for your passport before you travel.
In international hotels and airports, yes. In restaurants, taxis and neighborhood shops, often not. A few Mandarin phrases and the characters on your phone screen make a big difference.
With Mandarin audio and repetition. Pinyin shows the tones, but listening is what makes them stick.
TianTian is a Chinese flashcard app that runs in your phone browser, with nothing to install from an app store. Every HSK 1 word (the beginner level of the official exam) has an image, character, pinyin and Mandarin audio: numbers, 多少钱, 吃, 喝, 去 and other words that appear in these phrases. The free plan includes 20 words and needs no signup.
22 Mandarin phrases for the Canton Fair · HSK 1 vocabulary list (150 words) · Free HSK 1 practice test