I see two kinds of travelers in China. One group has figured out translation apps — they’ve gotten good, really good. The other group is still holding up Google Lens to a menu and hoping the waiter speaks English.
Language is the first real barrier most travelers hit in China. Young Chinese people start learning English in primary school — they just never get much real practice, so they’re nervous about their grammar too. But that doesn’t help when the delivery driver calls and you can’t find each other. When you’re standing in front of a bathroom and don’t know which door. When the waiter’s staring at you and your translation app won’t load.
I put together some cards for moments like these. Here are the phrases I’ve watched clients need, in the order you’ll actually use them. Save this page. Screenshot the cards. No grammar lessons.
🛬 Just Landed: Getting to Your Hotel
请带我去这里 — ching dai woh chyoo jay-lee
“Please take me here.” Show your phone with the hotel’s Chinese name and address. Point. Done. Save the address before you lose airport Wi-Fi.
我要去这里 — waw yow chyooh juh lee
“I want to go here.” Same idea, different structure. Works in a taxi when you pull up the destination on your map app.
🍜 Ordering Food
不要辣 — boo yow lah | No chili.
Hangzhou food is mild. Walk a province west and the chili count jumps. For “less spicy”: 少辣 — shaow la. The kitchen dials it back without removing the soul of the dish.
我对这些过敏 — waw dway juh shye gwor min | I’m allergic to these.
Fill in the blank. Fish, peanuts, shrimp — I’ve never seen a restaurant kitchen that wasn’t willing to help once they understood. Show them this card.
🚻 Bathroom
洗手间在哪里 — shee show jyen dzai nah lee
“Where’s the bathroom?” Literally “hand-washing room.” Keep a small pack of tissues in your bag.
男 — nahn | Men
女 — nyoo | Women
The two characters you see on doors.
💰 Paying
这个多少钱 — juh guh dwaw shao chyen | “How much?”
Markets. Street food stalls. That tea shop where nothing has a price tag. Point at the thing and ask. When the transaction happens, watch their fingers — they’ll show you the number too.
可以用支付宝吗 — kuh yee yong Alipay ma | “Can I pay with Alipay?”
Most places say yes. Carry a couple hundred RMB for the ones that don’t.
可以刷卡吗 — kuh yee shwah kah ma | “Can I pay by card?”
Some smaller shops and street vendors are card-friendly now, but always ask first.
可以退税吗 — kuh yee tway shway ma | “Can I get a tax refund?”
At large department stores, ask before you pay. Keep your passport handy — they’ll need it for the form.
🛵 Delivery & Takeout
Your delivery driver calls, you’re in a hotel lobby, and you can’t find each other.
放前台 — fahng chyen tai | “Leave it at the front desk.”
Put this in your hotel’s lobby chat or WeChat message. It solves 90% of delivery confusion.
我在酒店大堂 — woh dzai jyeou dyen dah tahng | “I’m at the hotel lobby.”
If the driver’s waiting outside and you’re in the lobby, this narrows it down. Text it to them.
听不懂 — ting boo dong, | “I don’t understand”
For when they’re speaking rapid Chinese through the phone. A WeChat text is much easier to translate than live speech.
🗺️ When You’re Lost
我迷路了 — waw mee loo luh | “I’m lost.”
AMap is solid — but batteries die. Wrong metro exit. Hotel on the other side of the street. This phrase, plus your hotel’s Chinese address, gets you pointed the right way.
帮帮我 — bahng bahng waw | “Help me.”
Lost phone. Need a police station. Someone will help — language or no language.
🔁 The One Nobody Packs
请说慢一点 — ching shwaw mahn ee dyan | “Please speak more slowly.”
This phrase goes both ways. Some Chinese people can understand slower English — if you hear someone say this to you, try slowing your English down to make it easier for them.
What They’ll Say Back
The problem with every phrase list: you can ask, but you can’t understand the answer. Here are the most common things you’ll hear back.
💰 After you ask “how much” (多少钱):
十五块 — shee woo kwai — 15 yuan
太贵了 — tai gway luh — “Too expensive” (if you want to haggle a little)
🍜 After you say “no spicy” (不要辣):
微辣行吗 — way la shing ma — “Is a little spicy okay?”
不辣不辣 — boo la boo la — “Not spicy, not spicy” (they got it)
🛵 After the delivery driver calls:
你下来了没有 — nee syah lai luh mayo — “Are you coming down yet?”
我到了 — woh dow luh — “I’m here”
🚕 In a taxi / DiDi:
到了 — dow luh — “We’re here” (driver’s telling you to get out)
谢谢 — syeh syeh | “Thank you.”
You’ll say this a hundred times a day. Say it with a smile and it works in every situation.
不好意思 — boo how ee suh | “Excuse me / Sorry”
Bump into someone on a crowded subway? Need to squeeze past? This is your word. More natural than 对不起 (dway boo chee) for minor bumps.
Don’t memorize. Don’t practice pronunciation. Just screenshot this whole page. When you need one, show the screen — the characters do the work.
Planning a trip to China? I guide in Hangzhou and can help with the parts a phrase list doesn’t cover. Get in touch →