Basic Survival Phrases in Chinese 常用语
chángyòng yǔ
Common phrases in Chinese is 常用语 (cháng yòng yǔ).
Also searched for as: common phrases, basic chinese phrases, useful phrases, everyday phrases.
What if you get stuck? 15 essential survival phrases 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.
When a conversation gets ahead of you, a few phrases buy you time and help. 我听不懂 (wǒ tīng bu dǒng) tells people you didn't catch it, 请再说一遍 (qǐng zài shuō yī biàn) asks them to repeat, and 怎么说 (zěn me shuō) lets you ask for the Chinese word you're missing. These are the lines to memorise before your first trip, because they keep a conversation going instead of ending it.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我听不懂 | wǒ tīng bu dǒng | I don't understand (what I hear) |
| 我不知道 | wǒ bù zhī dào | I don't know |
| 请再说一遍 | qǐng zài shuō yī biàn | please say it again |
| 说慢一点 | shuō màn yī diǎn | speak a bit slower |
| 什么意思 | shén me yì si | what does it mean? |
| 怎么说 | zěn me shuō | how do you say it? |
| 怎么写 | zěn me xiě | how do you write it? |
| 等一下 | děng yī xià | wait a moment |
| 我明白了 | wǒ míng bai le | I see; I understand |
| 没问题 | méi wèn tí | no problem |
| 我中文不好 | wǒ Zhōng wén bù hǎo | my Chinese isn't good |
| 帮帮我 | bāng bāng wǒ | help me |
| 这是什么 | zhè shì shén me | what is this? |
| 对吗 | duì ma | is that right? |
| 我是外国人 | wǒ shì wài guó rén | I'm a foreigner |
Usage tips
- 听不懂 (tīng bu dǒng) is for speech you can't follow, while 看不懂 (kàn bu dǒng) is for text you can't read; faced with a menu, say 我看不懂 (wǒ kàn bu dǒng).
- To ask for a word, say the English first or point: 这个用中文怎么说？ (zhè ge yòng Zhōng wén zěn me shuō), 'how do you say this in Chinese?'
- 等一下 (děng yī xià) is the everyday 'hang on'; 稍等 (shāo děng) is more polite and is what staff say in shops, restaurants and on the phone.
Common mistakes
- Saying 我不明白 (wǒ bù míng bai) every time you miss something suggests you heard but can't follow the logic. If the problem is the language itself, 我听不懂 (wǒ tīng bu dǒng) is clearer.
- Replying with a bare 什么？ (shén me) when you didn't catch something can sound abrupt; 不好意思，请再说一遍 (bù hǎo yì si, qǐng zài shuō yī biàn) is much softer.
- Saying 请说慢 for 'please speak slowly': Chinese needs 一点 after the adjective, so say 请说慢一点 (qǐng shuō màn yī diǎn).
Mini dialogue
- A你好，这是什么？Nǐ hǎo, zhè shì shén me?Hi, what's this?
- B这是糖葫芦，很甜，很好吃。Zhè shì táng hú lu, hěn tián, hěn hǎo chī.It's tanghulu, very sweet and tasty.
- A对不起，我听不懂。请说慢一点。Duì bu qǐ, wǒ tīng bu dǒng. Qǐng shuō màn yī diǎn.Sorry, I don't understand. Please speak a bit slower.
- B没问题。糖葫芦，是一种小吃。Méi wèn tí. Táng hú lu, shì yī zhǒng xiǎo chī.No problem. Tanghulu, it's a kind of snack.
- A哦，我明白了，谢谢！Ò, wǒ míng bai le, xiè xie!Oh, I see, thanks!
Example sentences
- 对不起，我听不懂。Sorry, I don't understand.
- 这个问题我不知道。I don't know the answer to that.
- 请再说一遍，好吗？Could you say that again, please?
- 你可以说慢一点吗？Could you speak a bit slower?
- 这个字是什么意思？What does this character mean?
- "Thank you" 中文怎么说？How do you say "thank you" in Chinese?
- 你的名字怎么写？How do you write your name?
- 等一下，我马上来。Wait a moment, I'm coming.
- 哦，我明白了，谢谢！Oh, I see, thanks!
- 没问题，我帮你。No problem, I'll help you.
- 对不起，我中文不好。Sorry, my Chinese isn't very good.
- 帮帮我，我迷路了。Help me, I'm lost.
- 这是什么？好吃吗？What is this? Is it tasty?
- 我这样说，对吗？Is it right to say it like this?
- 我是外国人，在学中文。I'm a foreigner, I'm learning Chinese.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Survival phrases speaking island has 8 everyday questions about survival phrases to prepare your own answers to.