Shanghainese (Wu) Phrasebook: Greetings & Essential Phrases
The most useful Shanghainese (Wu) 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 & IntroductionsCommon Words & QuestionsNumbersDays & TimeDirectionsLocationsFoodLodgingMedicalBody PartsEmergenciesWeatherDescriptionsFamilyOccupationsCustomsFuel & Vehicle
Greetings & Introductions 10 phrases
Welcome.欢迎，欢迎huōenin, huōenin
Hello.喂uē
Good morning.早tzau
Good night.再会tzēwe
Good bye.再会tzēwe
How are you?侬哪恁，好伐？nong nanen, hau va?
I’m fine, thanks, and you?我老好个，谢谢侬，侬好伐？ngu lau hau geh, zhiazhia non, non hau va?
I’m pleased to meet you.碰到侬老开心个ban tau non lau khēshin geh
Thank you for your help.谢谢侬帮我忙zhiazhia non pāun ngu maun
My name is ___.我叫___ngu ciau ___
Common Words & Questions 31 phrases
Please.侬请non chin
Thank you.谢谢侬zhiazhianon
Can someone assistus?啥人可以帮帮阿拉伐？sanin khuyi pāunpaun ahlah va?
OK.好个hau geh
Excuse me. / I’m sorry.对弗起tevehchi
Yes.是个zigeh
No.弗是vehzi
Maybe.大概是个dake zigeh
Right.对个te geh
Wrong.弗对vehte
Here.箇垯gehtah
There.伊面īmi
I want.我要ngu iau
I do not want.我弗要ngu veh'iau
Danger.危险weshi
We are here to helpyou.阿拉是来帮侬个ahlah zi le pāun non geh
OK, no problem.好个，呒没问题haugeh, mmeh vendi
Who?啥人？sanin?
What?啥物事？samehzi?
When?啥辰光？sazenkuaun?
Where?啥地方？sadifaun?
Why?做啥？tzusa?
How?哪恁介？nanenka?
What happened?发生啥事体啦？fahsen sa zithi la?
Do you have ___?㑚有___伐？na yeu ___ va?
Do you need help?㑚要帮忙伐？na iau pāunmaun va?
I am我是ngu zi
You are侬是non zi
He / She is伊是yi zi
We are阿拉是ahlah zi
They are伊拉是yilah zi
Numbers 41 phrases
0 Zero零lin
1 One一ieh
2 Two两lian
3 Three三sē
4 Four四si
5 Five五ng
6 Six六loh
7 Seven七chieh
8 Eight八pah
9 Nine九cieu
10 Ten十zeh
11 Eleven十一zeh'ieh
12 Twelve十二zehni
13 Thirteen十三zehse
14 Fourteen十四zehsi
15 Fifteen十五zehng
16 Sixteen十六zehloh
17 Seventeen十七zehchieh
18 Eighteen十八zehpah
19 Nineteen十九zehcieu
20 Twenty廿nie
30 Thirty三十sēzeh
40 Forty四十sizeh
50 Fifty五十ngzeh
60 Sixty六十lohzeh
70 Seventy七十chiehzeh
80 Eighty八十pahzeh
90 Ninety九十cieuzeh
100 Hundred一百iehpah
1,000 Thousand一千iehchi
10,000 Ten Thousand一万iehve
100,000 Hundred Thousand十万zehve
1,000,000 Million一百万iehpahve
Plus加kā
Minus减ke
More多点tūti
Less少点sauti
Approximately大概dake
First第一di'ieh
Second第二dini
Third第三dise
Days & Time 25 phrases
Sunday礼拜天lipa thī
Monday礼拜一lipa ieh
Tuesday礼拜二lipa lian
Wednesday礼拜三lipa sē
Thursday礼拜四lipa si
Friday礼拜五lipa ng
Saturday礼拜六lipa loh
Yesterday昨日zohnieh
Today今朝cīntzau
Tomorrow明朝mintzau
Day日里niehli
Night夜里yali
Week礼拜lipa
Month号头hhaudeu
Year年ni
Second秒miau
Minute分fēn
Hour钟头tzōndeu
Morning上半日zaunpoenieh
Evening夜里向yalishian
Noon吃中饭个辰光chieh tzōnve geh zenkuaun
Afternoon下半日wopoenieh
Midnight半夜里poeyali
Now现在yize
Later等一歇ten iehshieh
Directions 26 phrases
Above / Over徕___上头leh ___ zaundeu
After / Past过脱kutheh
Back / Behind徕___后头leh ___ hheudeu
Before / In front of / Forward前头zhideu
Between徕___当中leh ___ tāuntzon
Coordinates协调yehdiau
Degrees度du
Down朝下zau wo
East东tōn
Far远yoe
Longitude经度cīndu
Left左面tzumi
Latitude纬度wedu
My position is ___.我个位置是___ngu geh wetzi zi ___
Near靠近khaujin
North北poh
Northeast东北tōnpoh
Northwest西北shīpoh
Right右面yeumi
South南noe
Southeast东南tōnnoe
Southwest西南shīnoe
Straight ahead.笔直朝前头piehzeh zau zhideu
Under徕___下头leh ___ wodeu
Up徕___上头leh ___ zaundeu
West西shī
Locations 25 phrases
Beach沙滩sōthe
Border边境pīcin
Bridge桥jiau
Camp露营地luyindi
Dirt road烂泥路lenilu
Forest森林sēnlin
Harbor码头modeu
Hill山sē
House房子vauntzi
Lake河浜wupan
Meadow草地tsaudi
Mountain山sē
Ocean海he
Path小路shiaulu
Paved road铺好个路phū hau geh lu
Place地方difaun
Position位置wetzi
River河浜wupan
Road马路molu
Sea海he
Square广场kuaunzaun
Tree树zi
Valley山谷sēkoh
Village村tsēn
Where?啥地方？sadifaun?
Food 45 phrases
Food吃个物事chieh geh mehzi
Can听头thindeu
Cup杯子pētzi
Fork叉子tsātzi
Knife刀tāu
Plate盆子bentzi
Spoon调羹diaukan
Beans豆deu
Beer啤酒bicieu
Bread面包mipau
Butter白脱behtheh
Cheese奶酪nalau
Coffee咖啡khāfi
Fish鱼ng
Flour面粉mifen
Fruit水果siku
Meat肉nioh
Milk牛奶nieuna
Oil油yeu
Potatoes洋山芋yanseyu
Rice米mi
Salt盐yi
Soup汤thāun
Sugar糖daun
Tea茶zo
Vegetables蔬菜sutse / sūtse
Water水si
Wine葡萄酒budaucieu
Drink.饮料inliau
Eat吃chieh
Don’t push! We have plenty of food.覅推，阿拉有交关吃个物事viau thē, ahlah yeu ciāukue chieh geh mehzi
Give me your bowl.拿侬个碗畀我nhē nongeh uoe peh ngu
Is the water safe to drink?箇水可以吃伐？geh si khuyi chieh va?
Boil the water.拿水烧烧开nhē si sāu sāu khē
Wash your hands.汏手daseu
Wash yourself here.侬到箇垯汏汏清爽non tau gehtah dada chīnsaun
We need ___ liters of potable water.阿拉需要___升个瓶装水ahlah shyū'iau ___ sēn geh bintzaunsi
Where is the latrine?何里有厕所？hhali yeu tsisu?
The latrine is to the ___.厕所徕___.tsisu leh ___
The latrine is to the left.厕所徕左面tsisu leh tzumi
The latrine is to the right.厕所徕右面tsisu leh yeumi
The latrine is straight ahead.厕所朝前头走tsisu zau zhideu tzeu
Is the food fresh?箇物事新鲜伐？geh mehzi shīnshi va?
Is the food spoiled?箇个物事坏脱了伐？gehgeh mehzi wa thehleh va?
Burn this ___.拿___烧脱伊nhē ___ sāu theh yi
Lodging 9 phrases
We must spend the night here.阿拉要徕箇垯过夜ahlah iau leh gehtah ku ya
Is there a dining facility here?箇垯有吃饭个地方伐？gehtah yeu chieh ve geh difaun va?
How many kilometers to the nearest town?箇垯离最近个城镇有几公里？gehtah li tzōe jin geh zentzen yeu cigeh kōnli?
Are there any hotels near here?箇垯附近有旅馆伐？gehtah vujin yeu lyukuoe va?
Are there any restaurants near here?箇垯附近有饭店伐？gehtah vujin yeu veti va?
We want to go to ___.阿拉想到___去ahlah shian tau ___ chi
Are there rental cars available?有地方可以租车伐？yeu difaun khuyi tzū tsō va?
Is there a telephone available?箇垯有电话伐？gehtah yeu diwo va?
We need ___ gallons of potable water.阿拉需要___加仑瓶装水ahlah shyū'iau ___ kālen bintzaunsi
Medical 33 phrases
Antibiotics抗菌素khauncyunsu
Bandage绑带paunta
Blood血shyueh
Burn烧伤sāusaun
Clean清理chīnli
Dead死脱了shi thehleh
Doctor医生īsan
Fever发寒热fah hhoenieh
Hospital医院īyoe
Infection感染koezoe
Injured受伤zeusaun
Malnutrition营养弗良yinyan vehlian
Medic军医cyūn'i
Medicine药yah
Nurse护士wuzi
Poison毒doh
Sick生毛病sān maubin
Vitamins维生素visensu
Wound伤口sāunkheu
I am a doctor.我是医生ngu zi īsan
I am not a doctor.我弗是医生ngu vehzi īsan
I am going to help.我会来帮忙ngu ue le pāunmaun
Can you walk?侬会得走路伐？non ueteh tzeu lu va?
Can you sit?侬坐得起来伐？non zu teh chile va?
Can you stand?侬立得起来伐？nong lieh teh chile va?
Are you in pain?侬痛伐？non thon va?
You will get a shot. (injection)侬要打一针non iau tan ieh tzen
I will take you to the hospital.我送侬到医院去ngu son non tau īyoe chi
What is wrong?侬啥地方弗适意？non sadifaun vehseh'i?
Are you injured?侬受伤啦？non zeusaun la?
Can you feed yourself?侬自家会得吃伐？non zika ueteh chieh va?
Open your mouth.嘴巴张开来tzipo tzān khele
Are you pregnant?侬怀孕伐？non wayun va?
Body Parts 36 phrases
Abdomen肚皮dubi
Ankle踝关节kukuecieh
Arm手臂seupi
Bone骨头kuehdeu
Brain脑nau
Chest胸腔shiōnchian
Ear耳朵nitu
Elbow肘胳膊tzeukehpoh
Eyes眼睛ngecin
Face面孔mikhon
Finger手指头seutzideu
Foot脚ciah
Hair头发deufah
Hand手seu
Head头deu
Heart心脏shīnzaun
Kidney肾zen
Knee脚曼头ciahmoedeu
Leg腿the
Lips嘴唇皮tzizenbi
Liver肝kōe
Lungs肺fi
Mouth嘴巴tzipo
Neck头颈deucin
Nose鼻头biehdeu
Pelvis / Groin骨盆kuehben
Ribs肋排骨lehbakueh
Shoulder肩胛cīkah
Skull头颅骨deulukueh
Spine脊椎ciehtzoe
Stomach (area)肚皮dubi
Stomach (organ)胃we
Teeth牙齿ngatsi
Toe脚趾头ciahtzideu
Tongue舌头zehdeu
Wrist手腕seu'uoe
Emergencies 5 phrases
Emergency!情况紧急！jingkhuaun cincieh!
We need a doctor!阿拉需要一个医生！ahlah shyū'iau iehgeh īsan!
Distress signal呼救信号hūcieu shinhhau
Help!救命！cieu min!
Evacuate the area!疏散！sūse!
Weather 20 phrases
Cold冷lan
Dry干kōe
Earthquake地震ditzen
Fog雾wu
High winds大风dufon
Hot熱nieh
Humidity潮湿zauseh
Ice冰pīn
Lightning闪电soedi
Rain落雨loh yu
Sandstorm沙尘暴sōzen bau
Severe恶劣ohlieh
Snow落雪loh shyueh
Storm暴风雨baufon'yu
Temperature气温chi'uen
Thunderstorm雷阵雨lezen'yu
Weather天气thīchi
Wet湿seh
Typhoon台风defon
Tornado龙卷风loncyoefon
Descriptions 69 phrases
Black黑heh
Blue蓝le
Brown咖啡色khāfiseh
Gray灰色huēseh
Green绿颜色lohngeseh
Orange桔黄色ciohwaunseh
Purple紫颜色tzingeseh
Red红hhon
White白bah
Yellow黄waun
Big大du
Deep深sēn
Long长zan
Narrow狭hhah
Short (in height)矮a
Short (in length)短toe
Small, little小shiau
Tall长zan
Thick厚hheu
Thin薄boh
Wide阔khueh
Round园yoe
Straight笔直piehzeh
Square方fāun
Triangular三角形个sēkohyin geh
Bitter苦khu
Fresh新鲜shīnshi
Salty咸hhe
Sour酸sōe
Spicy辣lah
Sweet甜di
Bad坏脱了wa thehleh
Clean清爽个chīnsaun geh
Dark暗oe
Difficult难ne
Dirty龌龊ohtsoh
Dry干kōe
Easy便当bitaun
Empty空脱了khōn thehleh
Expensive贵cyu
Fast快khua
Foreign外国ngakoh
Full满moe
Good好hau
Hard (firm)硬ngan
Heavy重zon
Inexpensive便宜bini
Light (illumination)亮lian
Light (weight)轻chīn
Local当地tāundi
New新shīn
Noisy吵tsau
Old (about things)旧jieu
Old (about people)老lau
Powerful力道大liehdau du
Quiet (person)轻chīn
Right / Correct对个te geh
Slow慢me
Soft软nyoe
Very老lau
Weak弱zah
Wet湿seh
Wrong / Incorrect弗对vehte
Young年轻nichin
Few / Little一眼眼iehngenge
Many / Much交关ciāukue
Part一部分iehbuven
Some / A few一点iehti
Whole全部zhibu
Family 21 phrases
Aunt阿姨/娘娘/婶婶/舅妈āyi / niānnian /sensen / jieuma
Brother阿哥/阿弟ahku / ahdi
Child小人shiaunin
Children小人shiaunin
Cousin表兄弟姐妹/堂兄弟姐妹biau shiōndi cime / daun shiōngdi cime
Daughter囡儿noeng
Family家庭/屋里向ciādin / ohlishian
Father爷ya
Grandfather (Paternal/Maternal)爷爷/外公yaya / ngakon
Grandmother (Paternal/Maternal)嗯奶/外婆n̄hna / ngabu
Husband老公laukon
Man男个noe geh
Men男个noe geh
Mother娘/姆妈nian / m̄hma
Relatives亲眷chīncyoe
Sister阿姐/阿妹ahcia / ahme
Son儿子nitzi
Uncle爷叔/娘舅yasoh / nianjieu
Wife老婆/娘子laubu / niantzi
Woman女个nyu geh
Women女个nyu geh
Occupations 25 phrases
Air Force空军khōncyun
Army陆军lohcyun
Marines海军陆战队hecyun lohtzoede
Navy海军hecyun
Air Defense防空vaunkhon
Commander指挥官tzihuekuoe
Dentist牙科医生ngakhu'isan
Doctor医生īsan
Driver驾驶员ciasiyoe
Farmer农民nonmin
Fisherman渔民yumin
Government employee政府雇员tzenfu kuyoe
Guard卫兵wepin
Housewife家庭主妇ciādin tzivu
Laborer劳工laukon
Mechanic机械师cīyesi
Messenger信差shintsa
Pilot飞行员fīyin'yoe
Policeman警察cintsah
Sailor船员zoeyoe
Businessman商人sāunnin
Shopkeeper开店个khē ti geh
Soldier当兵个tāun pīn geh
Student学生hhohsan
Teacher老师lausi
Customs 67 phrases
Where is my customs declaration?我个海关申报单徕徕啥地方？ngugeh hekue sēnpaute lehleh sadifaun?
I do not have anything to declare.我呒没物事要申报ngu mmeh mehzi iau sēnpau
These goods are personal.箇侪是我自家个物事geh zezi ngu zikageh mehzi
Not for sale.箇弗卖个geh veh ma geh
Can you help me fill out the forms?侬好帮我填箇张表伐？non hau pāun ngu di geh tzan piau va?
Is this correct?对伐？te va?
Here is my passport.箇是我个护照geh zi ngugeh wutzau
Here is my visa.箇是我个签证geh zi ngugeh chītzen
I have no yuan.我呒没人民币ngu mmeh zenminbi
Ad valorem按价oe ka
Ammunition弹药deyah
Baggage行李hhanli
Bill of lading货单hute
Cargo货hu
Customs海关hekue
Customs declaration海关申报hekue sēnpau
Customs tax关税kuēsoe
Customs worker海关工作人员hekue kōntzoh zenyoe
Damaged坏脱个wa theh geh
Delivery送货son hu
Duty关税kuēsoe
Expenditures花费hofi / hōfi
Export出口tsehkheu
False假的ka geh
Foreign currency外汇ngawe
Form (document)表格（文件）piaukah (venji)
Holding所有物事su yeu mehzi
Import进口cinkheu
Insurance保险paushi
Shanghainese (language)上海言话zaunhe'hhewo
Loading装货tzāun hu
Name of goods货色名称huseh mintsen
Narcotics麻药moyah
National treasure国宝kohpau
Nomenclature名称mintsen
On-Board徕（船、车、飞机）浪leh (zoe, tsō, fīci) laun
Origin起点chiti
Owner货主hutzi
Packing list包装清单pāutzaun chīnte
Passport护照wutzau
Permission许可shyukhu
Personal use私人用sīnin yon
Personnel人员nin'yoe
Prohibited禁止cintzi
Property财产zetse
Rate比率pilieh
Rate of exchange汇率welieh
Receipt发票fahphiau
Relics遗址yitzi
Restricted有限制yeu hhetzi
Souvenir纪念品ciniphin
Specification详细说明书zhianshi sehminsi
Storage储存zizen
Tariff关税kuēsoe
Tax-free免税misoe
To answer回答wetah
To be responsible for对___负责任te ___ vu tzehzen
To export出口tsehkheu
To fill out填好___di hau ___
To present for customs inspection.让海关检查nian hekue cizo
Transportation交通ciāuthon
Unloading卸货shia hu
Valuables贵重物事kuezon mehzi
Value价值kazeh
Visa签证chītzen
Weapons武器wuchi
X-ray machineX(哎克斯)光机ēks (ēkhehsi) kuaunci
Fuel & Vehicle 14 phrases
Gasoline汽油chiyeu
Oil油yeu
Diesel柴油zayeu
Gas (propane)液化气yeh'hochi
Liters立升liehsen
Do you have ___?侬有___伐？non yeu ___ va?
Hydraulic fluid水压液si'ah yeh
Hydraulic system液压系统yeh'ah yithon
We need maintenance support.阿拉需要维修保养ahlah shyū'iau vishieu pauyan
We need ___.阿拉需要___ahlah shyū'iau ___
400-cycle四百转sipahtzoe
3-phase三相sēshian
Alternating current交流电ciāulieudi
115-volt115伏iehpah zehng voh
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