· 5 min read
Chinese Phrases for Travel: 28 in Pinyin
By Language Lab editorial team
28 Mandarin Chinese phrases for travel in pinyin: the basics, booking a room, finding a restaurant, pharmacy or supermarket, and getting help when stuck.
A traveller in China needs three kinds of Mandarin: the basics of politeness, the words for a room, and the words for finding things. The 28 phrases below cover those, written in pinyin, the system that spells Chinese sounds in Latin letters, and taken from the BBC's archived Chinese Quick Fix. The ones to learn before you land are nǐ hǎo, hello; xiè xiè, thank you; duō shǎo qián?, how much is it?; and cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?, where is the toilet? Mandarin has four tones, shown by the marks over the vowels, and tone is part of the word, so listen to a recording of each phrase and copy it.
The basics
| Chinese (pinyin) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| zàijiàn | Goodbye |
| xiè xiè | Thank you |
| huānyíng | Welcome |
| duì | Yes, that's correct |
| kěyǐ | Yes, I can |
| bù | No |
| hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ | Pleased to meet you |
| wǒ jiào... | My name is ... |
| nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? | What's your name? |
When you are stuck
| Chinese (pinyin) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma? | Do you speak English? |
| wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén | I'm sorry, I don't speak Chinese |
| wǒ bù dǒng | I don't understand |
| nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma? | Can you repeat, please? |
| nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma? | I need help, please |
| cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ? | Where is the toilet, please? |
These six will rescue most situations. Say wǒ bù dǒng early and without embarrassment; it invites the other person to slow down or to show you.
Booking a room
| Chinese (pinyin) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nǐ yǒu méi yǒu ? | Do you have ...? |
| dānrén fángjiān | A single room |
| shuāngrén fángjiān | A double room |
| ... gè rén fángjiān | A room for ... people |
| wǒ yào zhù ... tiān | I want to stay ... days |
| duō shǎo qián? | How much is it? |
Put a number in the gaps. Three is sān, so wǒ yào zhù sān tiān is I want to stay three days.
Finding things
| Chinese (pinyin) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| qǐng wèn | Excuse me, may I ask |
| zhè fùjìn yǒu ... ma? | Is there a ... near here? |
| cāntīng | A restaurant |
| chāoshì | A supermarket |
| xīyàofáng | A western pharmacy |
| duìbuqǐ | Excuse me, to get past someone or to say sorry |
Begin with qǐng wèn, then ask: qǐng wèn, zhè fùjìn yǒu chāoshì ma? Excuse me, is there a supermarket near here?
Manners that help
The Open University's beginners' course adds some context for visitors. Handshaking is seen as appropriate when greeting someone, while hugging or kissing in public is not comfortable for most people. The polite hello, used with someone older or senior, is nín hǎo. And the titles for Mr, Miss and Madam are used on formal occasions when you are unsure of a person's position.
How to learn them before you go
- Listen to each phrase and repeat it aloud, copying the tones.
- Learn the six rescue phrases first.
- Cover the pinyin and say each phrase from the meaning.
- Review after a day and again after a week.
Language Lab's Chinese course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, so you can rehearse a hotel check-in or asking for directions before you travel.
Frequently asked
What Chinese phrases do I need for travel?
Hello, thank you, how much is it, where is the toilet, I don't understand and do you speak English: nǐ hǎo, xiè xiè, duō shǎo qián?, cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?, wǒ bù dǒng and nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?
How do you ask how much something costs in Chinese?
duō shǎo qián?
How do you ask where the toilet is in Chinese?
cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?
How do you say I don't understand in Chinese?
wǒ bù dǒng. To ask someone to repeat, say nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?
How do I ask for a hotel room in Chinese?
Use nǐ yǒu méi yǒu, do you have, with dānrén fángjiān, a single room, or shuāngrén fángjiān, a double room.
Can I get by in China with pinyin only?
Pinyin lets you say the phrases. Signs and menus are in characters, so learn to recognise a few key words as well.
Sources: BBC Languages, Chinese Quick Fix: Basics, Accommodation and Shopping (archived pages); The Open University, OpenLearn, Beginners' Chinese: a taster course: Greetings, Introducing oneself and Basic numbers. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Great Wall at Jinshanling, Jakub Hałun / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
