13 Useful Chinese Phrases-TeachDiscoverChina

13 Useful Chinese Phrases

03 Mar 2022

Once you teach English in China, with these useful Chinese phrases, you won’t be lost. Enjoy and keep teaching (and learning)!

Are you worried about coming to China to teach English and not knowing a word of Chinese? Don’t sweat, it’s not a must to learn Chinese but it is extremely beneficial. So in that case, with the numbers of TEFL teachers, expats and travelers heading to China increasing year on year, our friends at Instant Mandarin have provided some useful Chinese phrases for traveling around China. So if you’re prepared and are carrying a little pocket guide of Chinese phrases then you may have seen some of these phrases before and it would be a handy recap, if not, then you should make some notes. In no particular order, let’s get learning.

Bù hǎo yìsi, wǒ tīng bù dǒng

不好意思，我听不懂

I’m sorry, I don’t understand

As a first time traveler or a frequent traveler to China, there is no doubt that there will be things you won’t understand. If someone says something to you in Chinese and you have no idea what they are saying, then you can use this phrase. Many Chinese will be understanding. However, if you do try to speak more of their language, locals will be positively surprised, very appreciative and will encourage you to speak more.

Zhè ge duōshǎo qián?

这个多少钱？

How much is this?

As a tourist or expat in China, of course, you will want to flutter some money on some souvenirs. It is absolutely inevitable that you will be spending money on your travels whether for luxury items or the bare necessities. If you want to know how much something is then this question is a must.

Wǒ yào…

我要…

I want…

Once you have settled on something you want to buy or something you want to do then you can use these two words + what you want or want to do – to express yourself. For example 我要蛋糕(I want cake) and 我要喝水 (I want to drink water).

Qǐng wèn, nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ ma

请问，你可以帮我吗

Excuse me, can you help me?

Do not be afraid to ask for help. Chinese people are some of the friendliest, especially if they see a foreign face. They will almost always be willing to assist you. If you need a little help then you can utter these useful words.

Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎ lǐ

洗手间在哪里？

Where is the bathroom/washroom/toilet

The first time you land in the city or enter a building at some point you might need to identify the location of the toilets. Well, the toilet is important, especially if you’re in a completely foreign place. Sure, sometimes you can spot the ‘male’ and ‘female’ signs but what happens if you can’t or you’re on the street and you need to go. You can use this handy little sentence here. It will save you.

Wǒ xiǎng qù…

我想去…

I want to go…

Do you know where you want to go but don’t know how to get there or are you having a friendly chat with a local and want to reveal the places you’d like to go. Either way you can use this phrase + the place you want to go to e.g. 我想去地铁站(I want to go to the metro station) and 我想去上海(I want to go to Shanghai).

Mǎi dān, xiè xie

买单，谢谢

Pay the bill, thank you!

You’ve tasted some of the culinary delights of China and filled your belly till your heart’s content. You’ve had a few sips of Oolong Chinese tea and allowed your tummy to settle. It’s time to pay the bill and continue on your journey. What do you do next? Wave your hand to catch the waiter’s attention and shout fúwùyuán (waiter), then you can ask for the bill.

Jiè guò yíxià

借过一下!

Please excuse me

China is a place with a famously large population. The chances are if you are traveling to China during peak tourist season, you will find yourself in the middle of a crowd sometime. During rush hour, you can get on the metro, and a block of people are between you and the door but don’t worry, you can take a deep breath. How do you get out, the polite way would be to say this – ‘please excuse me’.

Zhè lǐ yǒu WiFi ma?…WiFi mìmǎ shì shénme?

这里有WiFi吗?… WiFi密码是什么

Is there WiFi here?… What is the WiFi password?

Where would we be without our phones? Around the world, you see people glued to their screens and in China, it’s no different. We know it’s difficult to separate yourself from your phone. Especially going to a different country, it keeps you connected with home. It is definitely worth thinking about getting a local sim card to avoid expensive charges. However, you can also avoid using too much data by looking for local WiFi hotspots, in bars and restaurants.

Děng yíxià

等一下!

Wait a moment/hang on a sec

Waiting for a street vendor to cook some street food or waiting in line for a table at a busy restaurant? You will hear this sentence in many situations where you have to wait a certain amount of time. Of course, you can also use it yourself if you’re the one making someone wait

Today, the TeachDiscoverChina team is giving you a special taste of some traditional Sichuan snacks. Right in the city centre of Chengdu is Lan Kwai Fong, a great entertainment and lifestyle hotspot with plenty of great restaurants. We’ve been to one restaurant twice and this is a restaurant that will not only satisfy your taste buds but the prices will make you want to come again. The restaurant is called TianFu Zhanggui (天府掌柜) and it’s located on Jinguanyi Street, Jingjiang District, close by to the Shangri-La Hotel. The interior of the restaurant is nicely spaced with open floor plan of seats and tables so you can choose according to your preference. But if you want a private space to eat and chat with your family and friends, you can choose one of the rooms on the second floor. You should definitely give this fancy restaurant a try in Chengdu if you’d like to try some traditional Sichuan snacks. I’m hungry. Let’s see what dishes we’d recommend. 1. Tianfu Pandas (天府熊猫) The first thing we’d tell you to do is try eating some panda. No, we’re only joking. But seriously pandas are the symbol of Chengdu as the city is the hometown of these cute adorable animals, and you’ll often see these animals around in different forms. So what we’d definitely recommend is trying this delicious dessert which is designed like a panda with a creamy mango filling inside. It’s a pure delight! 2. Sweet Water Noodles（甜水面） The English translation of this famous Sichuan specialty snack is ‘sweet water noodles’ precisely because of how sweet and juicy it is. As you can see, the noodles are thicker than what we usually eat and usually appear as one long string in a bowl with a special sweet, spicy and nutty sauce filled with aromas of crushed peanuts, Sichuan Peppercorns, seasoned with red chilli oil, soy sauce, seasame paste, and mashed garlic. It’s a pleasure to chew these thick noodles and savour the juicy flavours. This is definitely one of my favourite dishes. 3. Tangyouguozi（糖油果子） Now onto one of the more traditional snacks in Chengdu. When in Chengdu, it’s a must try! These sweet rice balls are made from glutinous rice and brown sugar with a sprinkle of white sesame seed coating. Then it’s threaded with bamboo skewers and ready to be eaten. It’s crispy on the outside and sticky on the inside - sweet and delicious. One skewer has about four or five balls and costs only about 3-to-5 RMB on the street. Not bad for snacking whilst travelling the sites of the city. 4. Bobo’s Chicken（钵钵鸡） It wouldn’t be Sichuan without some spicy spicy food. That’s what our next dish is for – Bobo Chicken. This is traditional Han food of Chengdu, Sichuan. It has a history of hundreds of years since the Qing Dynasty. You might be wondering where the name of the dish comes from, well ‘Bobo’ actually refers to the crockpot that is traditionally used. A variety of meat and vegetables on bamboo skewers is chosen then placed in the pot and soaked in the sauce. It’s very convenient to eat. Typically the sauce is extremely spicy however there are lighter varieties of the sauce if spicy is not your thing. 5. Egg-baked Pancake (蛋烘糕) Another very popular Chengdu snack is the very savoury egg-baked pancake, usually you will see these sold on the streets. Eggs are mixed with flour and other ingredients, fried into a round shape, and folded into a semi-circle with a variety of filling inside. Common fillings include jam, meat and floss. Are you full yet? If not, there’s plenty more delicious traditional Sichuan cuisine waiting for you. If you’d like to try some whilst teaching English in China, join our program, and experience the wonderful culinary delights this special place has to offer. Find the perfect teaching placement for you via the following link: https://www.teachdiscoverchina.com/index.php?m=&c=jobs&a=jobs_list I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the saying: ‘Chengdu is a city you don’t want to leave when you come.’ This saying owes to many things and one of them is definitely the amazing food in the city. If you have any questions about teaching, working or living in Sichuan, feel free to send an email to [email protected]