People Around Town in Chinese 身边的人
shēnbiān de rén
People around you in Chinese is 身边的人 (shēn biān de rén).
Also searched for as: neighbour, stranger, people, man woman.
Who else do you see every day? 15 essential people around town words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Daily life in a Chinese city brings you into contact with many people, from the 快递员 (kuài dì yuán), the courier, and the 外卖员 (wài mài yuán) bringing your takeaway to the 保安 (bǎo ān) at the gate of your housing estate. This topic covers what to call them and how to address them politely, including the useful 师傅 (shī fu), a respectful way to address drivers and skilled workers.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 快递员 | kuài dì yuán | delivery courier |
| 外卖员 | wài mài yuán | food delivery rider |
| 保安 | bǎo ān | security guard |
| 店主 | diàn zhǔ | shop owner |
| 清洁工 | qīng jié gōng | cleaner |
| 路人 | lù rén | passer-by |
| 陌生人 | mò shēng rén | stranger |
| 老人 | lǎo rén | elderly person |
| 年轻人 | nián qīng rén | young person |
| 大人 | dà ren | adult |
| 小朋友 | xiǎo péng you | child; kid |
| 游客 | yóu kè | tourist |
| 顾客 | gù kè | customer |
| 熟人 | shú rén | acquaintance |
| 师傅 | shī fu | master; driver; skilled worker (polite address) |
Usage tips
- On the mainland, 师傅 (shī fu) is the standard polite way to address taxi drivers, repair people and other skilled workers: just start with it, as in 师傅，去火车站 (shī fu, qù huǒ chē zhàn).
- To speak to a child you don't know, say 小朋友 (xiǎo péng you); for adults of your parents' age, 叔叔 (shū shu) and 阿姨 (ā yí) are friendly and very common.
- 熟人 (shú rén) is someone you know but aren't necessarily close to, and 找熟人 (zhǎo shú rén), going through someone you know, is a common way to get things done in China.
Common mistakes
- Calling someone 陌生人 (mò shēng rén) to their face: it describes a stranger but is never used to address one. To get a passer-by's attention, say 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si) or use 叔叔 (shū shu) or 阿姨 (ā yí).
- Addressing an older person as 老人 (lǎo rén) sounds blunt; call them 叔叔 (shū shu) or 阿姨 (ā yí), or 爷爷 (yé ye) and 奶奶 (nǎi nai) if they're clearly of grandparent age.
Mini dialogue
- A师傅，去人民公园。Shī fu, qù Rén mín Gōng yuán.To People's Park, please.
- B好的。今天游客很多，路上有点儿堵。Hǎo de. Jīn tiān yóu kè hěn duō, lù shang yǒu diǎnr dǔ.Sure. There are lots of tourists today, so the traffic's a bit heavy.
- A没关系。公园里老人多吗？Méi guān xi. Gōng yuán lǐ lǎo rén duō ma?That's fine. Are there many older people in the park?
- B早上很多，都在打太极拳。Zǎo shang hěn duō, dōu zài dǎ tài jí quán.Lots in the morning, all doing tai chi.
Example sentences
- 快递员把包裹放在门口了。The courier left the parcel at the door.
- 外卖员骑车很快。The delivery rider cycles very fast.
- 保安在门口站着。The security guard is standing at the gate.
- 那个店主很好。That shop owner is very nice.
- 清洁工每天早上打扫街道。The cleaners sweep the streets every morning.
- 我问了一个路人怎么走。I asked a passer-by for directions.
- 不要给陌生人开门。Don't open the door to strangers.
- 公园里有很多老人在打太极拳。Lots of old people are doing tai chi in the park.
- 这家咖啡店年轻人很多。This café is full of young people.
- 大人和孩子都喜欢这部电影。Adults and children both like this film.
- 小朋友，你几岁了？How old are you, little one?
- 夏天这里游客很多。There are lots of tourists here in summer.
- 顾客在排队买咖啡。Customers are queuing for coffee.
- 在超市遇到了一个熟人。I ran into someone I know at the supermarket.
- 师傅，去火车站。Driver, to the train station please.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The People around town speaking island has 8 everyday questions about people around town to prepare your own answers to.