Mandarin Chinese Phrasebook: Greetings & Essential Phrases

The most useful Mandarin Chinese words and phrases for travelers — greetings, polite basics, numbers, directions and more — each with a simple pronunciation guide. This is a preview of the full phrasebook content.

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Greetings & Introductions Common Words & Questions Numbers Days & Time Directions Locations Food Lodging Medical Body Parts Emergencies Weather Descriptions Family Occupations Customs Fuel & Vehicle

Greetings & Introductions 10 phrases

Welcome.欢迎。huānyíng.

Hello.喂。wéi

Good morning.早上好。zǎoshàng hǎo

Good night.晚安。wǎn'ān

Good bye.再见。zàijiàn

How are you?你好吗？nǐhǎo ma?

I'm fine, thanks, and you?我很好，谢谢，你呢？wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxiè, nǐ ne?

I'm pleased to meet you.我很高兴见到你。wǒ hěn gāoxìng jiàndào nǐ

Thank you for your help.谢谢你的帮助。xièxiè nǐde bāngzhù

My name is ___ .我的名字是 ___。wǒde míngzi shì ___

Common Words & Questions 30 phrases

Please.请。qǐng

Thank you.谢谢。xièxiè

Can someone assist us?有人帮我吗？yǒu rén bāng wǒ ma?

OK.好。hǎo

Excuse me. / I'm sorry.对不起。duìbùqǐ

Yes.是。shì

No.不。bù

Maybe.也许。yěxǔ

Right.对。duì

Wrong.错了。cuòle

Here.这儿。zhèr

There.那儿。nàr

I want.我要。wǒ yào

I do not want.我不要。wǒ búyào

Danger.危险。wēixiǎn

OK, no problem.好，没问题。hǎo, méi wèntí

Who?谁？shéi?

What?什么？shénme?

When?什么时候？shénme shíhòu?

Where?在哪儿？zài nǎr?

Why?为什么？wèi shénme?

How?怎么样？zěnmeyàng?

What happened?发生了什么事？fāshēng le shénme shì?

Do you have ___?你有 ___？nǐ yǒu ___ ?

Do you need help?你需要帮助吗？nǐ xūyaò bāngzhù ma?

I am我是wǒ shì

You are你是nǐ shì

He / She is他/她是tā shì / tā shì

We are我们是wǒmen shì

They are他们是tāmen shì

Numbers 41 phrases

0 Zero0 零0 líng

1 One1 一1 yī

2 Two2 二2 èr

3 Three3 三3 sān

4 Four4 四4 sì

5 Five5 五5 wǔ

6 Six6 六6 liù

7 Seven7 七7 qī

8 Eight8 八8 bā

9 Nine9 九9 jiǔ

10 Ten10 十10 shí

11 Eleven11 十一11 shíyī

12 Twelve12 十二12 shí'èr

13 Thirteen13 十三13 shísān

14 Fourteen14 十四14 shísì

15 Fifteen15 十五15 shíwǔ

16 Sixteen16 十六16 shíliù

17 Seventeen17 十七17 shíqī

18 Eighteen18 十八18 shíbā

19 Nineteen19 十九19 shíjiǔ

20 Twenty20 二十20 èrshí

30 Thirty30 三十30 sānshí

40 Forty40 四十40 sìshí

50 Fifty50 五十50 wǔshí

60 Sixty60 六十60 liùshí

70 Seventy70 七十70 qīshí

80 Eighty80 八十80 bāshí

90 Ninety90 九十90 jiǔshí

100 Hundred100 一百100 yìbǎi

1,000 Thousand1,000 一千1,000 yìqiān

10,000 Ten Thousand10,000 一万10,000 yíwàn

100,000 Hundred Thousand100,000 十万100,000 shíwàn

1,000,000 Million1,000,000 一百万1,000,000 yìbǎiwàn

Plus加jiā

Minus减jiǎn

More (than)多于duō yú

Less (than)少于shǎo yú

Approximately大概dàgài

First第一dìyī

Second第二dì'èr

Third第三dìsān

Days & Time 25 phrases

Sunday星期日xīngqī rì

Monday星期一xīngqī yī

Tuesday星期二xīngqī èr

Wednesday星期三xīngqī sān

Thursday星期四xīngqī sì

Friday星期五xīngqī wǔ

Saturday星期六xīngqī liù

Yesterday昨天zuótiān

Today今天jīntiān

Tomorrow明天míngtiān

Day白天báitiān

Night晚上wǎnshàng

Week星期xīngqī

Month月yuè

Year年nián

Second秒miǎo

Minute分fēn

Hour时shí

Morning早上zǎoshàng

Evening晚上wǎnshàng

Noon中午zhōngwǔ

Afternoon下午xiàwǔ

Midnight半夜bànyè

Now现在xiànzài

Later以后yǐhòu

Directions 24 phrases

Above ___ / Over ___在 ___ 上zài ___ shàng

After ___ / Past ___在 ___ 后zài ___ hòu

Back / Behind后面hòumiàn

Before ___ / In front of ___ / Forward ___在 ___前面zài ___ qiánmiàn

Between ___在 ___ 之间zài ___ zhījiān

Down下xià

East东dōng

Far远yuǎn

Longitude经线jīngxiàn

Left左zuǒ

Latitude纬线wěixiàn

My position is ___.我的位置是 ___。wǒde wèizhi shì ___

Near靠近kàojìn

North北běi

Northeast东北dōngběi

Northwest西北xīběi

Right右yòu

South南nán

Southeast东南dōngnán

Southwest西南xīnán

Straight ahead.一直向前。yìzhí xiàngqián

Under ___在 ___ 下zài ___ xià

Up上shàng

West西xī

Locations 25 phrases

Beach海滩hǎitān

Border边境biānjìng

Bridge桥qiáo

Camp营地yíngdì

Dirt road土路tǔlù

Forest森林sēnlín

Harbor海港hǎigǎng

Hill山shān

House房子fángzi

Lake湖hú

Meadow草地cǎodì

Mountain山shān

Ocean海洋hǎiyáng

Path道路dàolù

Paved road铺好的路pūhǎo de lù

Place地方dìfang

Position位置wèizhi

River河流héliú

Road道路daòlù

Sea海hǎi

Square广场guǎngchǎng

Tree树shù

Valley山谷shāngǔ

Village村庄cūnzhuāng

Where?哪儿？nǎr?

Food 45 phrases

Food食物shíwù

Can能néng

Cup杯子bēizi

Fork叉子chāzi

Knife刀dāo

Plate盘子pánzi

Spoon勺子sháozi

Beans豆子dòuzi

Beer啤酒píjiǔ

Bread面包miànbāo

Butter黄油huángyóu

Cheese乳酪rǔlào

Coffee咖啡kāfēi

Fish鱼yú

Flour面粉miànfěn

Fruit水果shuǐguǒ

Meat肉ròu

Milk牛奶niúnǎi

Oil油yóu

Potatoes土豆tǔdòu

Rice大米dàmǐ

Salt盐yán

Soup汤tāng

Sugar糖táng

Tea茶chá

Vegetables蔬菜shūcài

Water水shuǐ

Wine葡萄酒pútáojiǔ

Drink.饮料yǐnliào

Eat吃chī

Don't push! We have plenty of food.别挤！我们有很多食物。bié jǐ! wǒmen yǒu hěn duō shíwù

Give me your bowl.把你的碗给我。bǎ nǐde wǎn gěi wǒ.

Is the water safe to drink?这水喝起来安全吗？zhè shuǐ hē qǐlái ānquán ma?

Boil the water.烧水shāo shuǐ

Wash your hands.洗你的手。xǐ nǐde shǒu

Wash yourself here.洗一下你自己。xǐ yíxià nǐ zìjǐ

We need ___ liters of potable water.我们需要 ___ 升便携式水。wǒmen xūyào ___ shēng biànxiéshì shuǐ

Where is the latrine?厕所在哪儿？cèsuǒ zài nǎr?

The latrine is to the ___.厕所在 ___。cèsuǒ zài ___

The latrine is to the left.厕所在左边。cèsuǒ zài zuǒbiān

The latrine is to the right.厕所在右边。cèsuǒ zài yòubiān

The latrine is straight ahead.厕所就在前边。cèsuǒ jiù zài qiánbiān

Is the food fresh?食物新鲜吗？shíwù xīnxiān ma?

Is the food spoiled?食物坏了吗？shíwù huài le ma?

Burn this ___.把 ___ 烧了。bǎ ___ shāo le

Lodging 9 phrases

We must spend the night here.我们必须在这儿过夜。wǒmen bìxū zài zhèr guòyè.

Is there a dining facility here?这儿有吃饭的地方吗？zhèr yǒu chīfàn de dìfāng ma?

How many kilometers to the nearest town?到最近的小镇有多少公里？dào zuìjìn de xiǎozhèn yǒu duōshǎo gōnglǐ?

Are there any hotels near here?附近有旅店吗？fùjìn yǒu lǚdiàn ma?

Are there any restaurants near here?附近有饭店吗？fùjìn yǒu fàndiàn ma?

We want to go to ___.我们要到 ___。wǒmen yào dào ___

Are there rental cars available?有车出租吗？yǒu chē chūzū ma?

Is there a telephone available?有电话吗？yǒu diànhuà ma?

We need ___ gallons of potable water.我们需要 ___ 加仑便携式水。wǒmen xūyào ___ jiālún biànxiéshì shuǐ

Medical 33 phrases

Antibiotics抗生素kàngshēngsù

Bandage绷带bēngdài

Blood血xuě

Burn烧伤shāoshāng

Clean清理qīnglǐ

Dead死的sǐ de

Doctor医生yīshēng

Fever发烧fāshāo

Hospital医院yīyuàn

Infection感染gǎnrǎn

Injured受伤shòushāng

Malnutrition营养不良yíngyǎng bùliáng

Medic医生yīshēng

Medicine药yào

Nurse护士hùshì

Poison毒dú

Sick生病shēngbìng

Vitamins维他命wéitāmìng

Wound伤口shāngkǒu

I am a doctor.我是个医生。wǒ shì ge yīshēng

I am not a doctor.我不是医生。wǒ búshì yīshēng

I am going to help.我会帮忙。wǒ huì bāngmáng

Can you walk?你能走路吗？nǐ néng zǒulù ma?

Can you sit?你能坐着吗？nǐ néng zuò zhe ma?

Can you stand?你能站着吗？nǐ néng zhàn zhe ma?

Are you in pain?你疼吗？nǐ téng ma?

You will get a shot. (injection)会给你打针。huì gěi nǐ dǎzhēn

I will take you to the hospital.我会带你去医院。wǒ huì dài nǐ qù yīyuàn

What is wrong?怎么回事？zěnme huí shì?

Are you injured?你受伤了吗？nǐ shòushāng le ma?

Can you feed yourself?你自己能吃吗？nǐ zìjǐ néng chī ma?

Open your mouth.张开嘴。zhāngkāi zuǐ

Are you pregnant?你怀孕了吗？nǐ huáiyùn le ma?

Body Parts 36 phrases

Abdomen肚子dùzi

Ankle踝关节huái guānjié

Arm胳膊gēbo

Bone骨头gǔtóu

Brain脑nǎo

Chest胸xiōng

Ear耳朵ěrduo

Elbow肘zhǒu

Eyes眼睛yǎnjīng

Face脸liǎn

Finger手指shǒuzhǐ

Foot脚jiǎo

Hair头发tóufà

Hand手shǒu

Head头tóu

Heart心脏xīnzàng

Kidney肾shèn

Knee膝盖xīgài

Leg腿tuǐ

Lips嘴唇zuǐchún

Liver肝gān

Lungs肺fèi

Mouth嘴zuǐ

Neck脖子bózi

Nose鼻子bízi

Pelvis / Groin骨盆gǔpén

Ribs肋骨lèigǔ

Shoulder肩膀jiānbǎng

Skull头颅骨tóulúgǔ

Spine脊梁jǐliáng

Stomach (area)肚子dùzi

Stomach (organ)胃wèi

Teeth牙齿yáchǐ

Toe脚趾jiǎozhǐ

Tongue舌头shétou

Wrist手腕shǒuwàn

Emergencies 5 phrases

Emergency!紧急！jǐnjí!

We need a doctor!我们需要一个医生！wǒmen xūyaò yíge yīshēng!

Distress signal呼救信号hūjiù xìnhào

Help!救命！jiùmìng!

Evacuate the area!疏散！shūsàn!

Weather 20 phrases

Cold冷lěng

Dry干gān

Earthquake地震dìzhèn

Fog雾wù

High winds大风dàfēng

Hot热rè

Humidity潮湿cháoshī

Ice冰bīng

Lightning闪电shǎndiàn

Rain雨yǔ

Sandstorm沙尘暴shāchénbào

Severe恶劣èliè

Snow雪xuě

Storm暴风雨bàofēngyǔ

Temperature温度wēndù

Thunderstorm雷雨léiyǔ

Weather天气tiānqì

Wet湿shī

Typhoon台风táifēng

Tornado龙卷风lóngjuǎnfēng

Descriptions 69 phrases

Black黑hēi

Blue兰色lánsè

Brown咖啡色kāfēisè

Gray灰色huīsè

Green绿色lǜsè

Orange橘色júsè

Purple紫色zǐsè

Red红色hóngsè

White白色báisè

Yellow黄色huángsè

Big大dà

Deep深shēn

Long长cháng

Narrow窄zhǎi

Short (in height)矮ǎi

Short (in length)短duǎn

Small, little小xiǎo

Tall高gāo

Thick厚hòu

Thin瘦shòu

Wide宽kuān

Round圆yuán

Straight直zhí

Square方fāng

Triangular三角sānjiǎo

Bitter苦kǔ

Fresh新鲜xīnxiān

Salty咸xián

Sour酸suān

Spicy辣là

Sweet甜tián

Bad坏huài

Clean干净gānjìng

Dark黑暗hēi'àn

Difficult难nán

Dirty脏zāng

Dry干gān

Easy容易róngyì

Empty空kōng

Expensive贵guì

Fast快kuài

Foreign陌生mòshēng

Full满mǎn

Good好hǎo

Hard (firm)硬yìng

Heavy重zhòng

Inexpensive便宜piányí

Light (illumination)亮liàng

Light (weight)轻qīng

Local本地běndì

New新xīn

Noisy吵闹chǎonào

Old (about things)旧jiù

Old (about people)老lǎo

Powerful有力yǒulì

Quiet安静ānjìng

Right / Correct对duì

Slow慢màn

Soft软ruǎn

Very很hěn

Weak弱ruò

Wet湿shī

Wrong / Incorrect错cuò

Young年轻niánqīng

Few / Little少shǎo

Many / Much多duō

Part部分bùfen

Some / A few一些yìxiē

Whole全部quánbù

Family 21 phrases

Aunt姨yí

Brother兄弟xiōngdì

Child孩子háizi

Children孩子们háizimen

Cousin堂哥tánggē

Daughter女儿nǚ'ér

Family家庭jiātíng

Father父亲fùqīn

Grandfather祖父zǔfù

Grandmother祖母zǔmǔ

Husband丈夫zhàngfu

Man男人nánrén

Men男人nánrén

Mother母亲mǔqīn

Relatives亲戚qīnqì

Sister姐妹jiěmèi

Son儿子érzi

Uncle伯父bófù

Wife妻子qīzi

Woman妇女fùnǚ

Women妇女fùnǚ

Occupations 25 phrases

Air Force空军kōngjūn

Army陆军lùjūn

Marines海军陆战队hǎijūn lùzhàn duì

Navy海军hǎijūn

Air Defense防空fángkōng

Commander指挥官zhǐhuīguān

Dentist牙医yáyī

Doctor医生yīshēng

Driver司机sījī

Farmer农民nóngmín

Fisherman渔民yúmín

Government employee政府雇员zhèngfǔ gùyuán

Guard卫兵wèibīng

Housewife家庭主妇jiātíng zhǔfù

Laborer劳工láogōng

Mechanic机械师jīxièshī

Messenger信使xìnshǐ

Pilot飞行员fēixíngyuán

Policeman警察jǐngchá

Sailor水手shuǐshǒu

Businessman商人shāngrén

Shopkeeper店主diànzhǔ

Soldier战士zhànshì

Student学生xuéshēng

Teacher老师lǎoshī

Customs 67 phrases

Where is my customs declaration?我的海关申报单在哪儿？wǒde hǎiguān shēnbàodān zài nǎr?

I do not have anything to declare.我没什么东西申报。wǒ méi shénme dōngxi shēnbào.

These goods are personal.这些是私人物品。zhèxiē shì sīrén wùpǐn.

Not for sale.不卖。bú mài.

Can you help me fill out the forms?你能帮我填这张表吗？nǐ néng bāng wǒ tián zhèi zhāng biǎo ma?

Is this correct?这对不对？zhè duì bú duì?

Here is my passport.这是我的护照。zhè shì wǒde hùzhào.

Here is my visa.这是我的签证。zhè shì wǒde qiānzhèng.

I have no renminbi.我没有人民币。wǒ méiyǒu rénmínbì.

Ad valorem根据价值gēnjù jiàzhí

Ammunition弹药dànyào

Baggage辎重zīzhòng

Bill of lading货物单huòwùdān

Cargo货物huòwù

Customs海关hǎiguān

Customs declaration海关申报hǎiguān shēnbào

Customs tax关税guānshuì

Customs worker海关工作人员hǎiguān gōngzuò rényuán

Damaged损坏的sǔnhuài de

Delivery送货sònghuò

Duty关税guānshuì

Expenditures花费huāfèi

Export出口chūkǒu

False假的jiǎ de

Foreign currency外汇wàihuì

Form (document)表（文件）biǎo (wénjiàn)

Holding所有物suǒyǒuwù

Import进口jìnkǒu

Insurance保险bǎoxiǎn

Chinese language中文zhōngwén

Loading装货zhuānghuò

Name of goods货名huòmíng

Narcotics麻醉剂mázuìjì

National treasure国宝guóbǎo

Nomenclature名称míngchēng

On-Board ___在 ___ 上zài ___ shàng

Origin发货地点fāhuò dìdiǎn

Owner货主huòzhǔ

Packing list包装清单bāozhuāng qīngdān

Passport护照hùzhào

Permission许可xǔkě

Personal use私人用sīrén yòng

Personnel人员rényuán

Prohibited禁止jìnzhǐ

Property财产cáichǎn

Rate比率bǐlǜ

Rate of exchange汇率huìlǜ

Receipt收据shōujù

Relics遗址yízhǐ

Restricted受限制的shòu xiànzhì de

Souvenir纪念品jìniànpǐn

Specification细则xìzé

Storage储存chǔcún

Tariff关税guānshuì

Tax-free免税miǎnshuì

To answer回答huídá

To be responsible for ___对 ___ 负责duì ___ fùzé

To export出口chūkǒu

To fill out填好tiánhǎo

To present for customs inspection.让海关检查。ràng hǎiguān jiǎnchá

Transportation交通jiāotōng

Unloading卸货xièhuò

Valuables贵重物品guìzhòng wùpǐn

Value价值jiàzhí

Visa签证qiānzhèng

Weapons武器wǔqì

X-ray machineX光机ēks-guāng jī

Fuel & Vehicle 14 phrases

Gasoline汽油qìyóu

Oil石油shíyóu

Diesel柴油cháiyóu

Gas (propane)天然气（丙烷）tiānránqì (bǐngwán)

Liters升shēng

Do you have ___?你有 ___ 吗？nǐ yǒu ___ ma?

Hydraulic fluid液压液体yèyā yètǐ

Hydraulic system液压系统yèyā xìtǒng

We need maintenance support.我们需要维修保养。wǒmen xūyào wéixiū bǎoyǎng.

We need ___.我们需要 ___。wǒmen xūyào ___

400-cycle400 转400 (sìbǎi) zhuǎn

3-phase3 相3 (sān) xiàng

Alternating current交流电jiāoliúdiàn

115-volt115 伏115 (yìbǎi yìshíwǔ) fú

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