Chinese Phrasebook

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The following table contains some of the most important basic Chinese words and phrases. The English meaning, intuitive English pronunciation, pinyin and the Chinese characters are included. Some entries have audio files in the right column to click and play.

English Pronounced Pinyin Chinese mp3
Hello Nee haoww ni3hao3 你好  
How are you? Nee haoww mah? ni3hao3 ma 你好吗  
Good/ok Haoww hao3 好  
Not good Boo haoww bu4hao3 不好  
Have you eaten? Nee chrr luh mah? ni3 chi1 le ma 你吃了吗  
I've eaten. Wor chrr luh wo3 chi1 le 我吃了  
I've not eaten yet. Wor hi may chrr wo3 hai2 mei2 chi1 我还没吃  
Good morning Dzaoww-shung haoww zao3shanghao3 早上好  
Good afternoon Sshyah-woo haoww xia4wu3 hao3 下午好  
Good evening Wan-shung haoww wan3shang hao3 晚上好  
Bye-bye. Bye-bye bai4bai4 拜拜  
See you later. Dzeye jyen zai4 jian4 再见 Click to listen the Audio Files
What is your surname? (formal) Neen gway sshing? nin2 gui4 xing4 ？ 您贵姓？ Click to listen the Audio Files
My surname is ... Wor sshing ... wo3 xing4 …… 我姓……  
What's your name? (informal) Nee jyaoww shnn-muh ming-zuh? ni3 jiao4 shen2me ming2zi ？ 你叫什么名字？  
I'm called ... Wor jyaoww ... wo3 jiao4 …… 我叫……  
Do you want ...? Yaoww-boo-yaoww yao4bu yao4 ……？ 要不要……？  
I want ... Wor yaoww ... wo3 yao4 …… 我要…… Click to listen the Audio Files
I don't want ... Wor bu yaoww ... wo3 bu4yao4 …… 我不要…… Click to listen the Audio Files
I want to go to... Wor yaoww chyoo... wo3 yao4 qu4 …… 我要去……  
I want to go to the toilet. Wor yaoww chyoo tser-swor. wo3 yao4 qu4 ce4suo3 。 我要去厕所。 Click to listen the Audio Files
Where is ...? ... dzeye nah-lee? ……zai4 na4li ？ ……在那里？  
Where is the bathroom? Sshee shoh jyen dzeye nah-lee? xi3 shou3 jian1 zai4 na4li ？ 洗手间在那里？  
I'm hungry. Wor urr luh wo3 er3 le 我饿了  
I'm thirsty. Wor ker luh wo3 ke3 le 我渴了  
I'm tired. Wor lay luh wo3 lei4 le 我累了  
What is this? Jer shrr shnn-muh? zhe4 shi4 shen2me ？ 这是什么？  
This is ... Jer shrr ... zhe4 shi4 …… 这是……  
I like... Wor sshee-hwan... wo3 xi3huan …… 我喜欢……  
I don't like ... Wor boo-sshee-hwan ... wo3 bu4xi3huan …… 我不喜欢……  
Please help me. Ching bung-joo wor qing3 bang1zhu4 wo3 请帮助我  
Have Yoh you3 有  
Don't have May-yoh mei2you3 没有  
I have... Wor yoh... wo3 you3 …… 我有……  
Do you have...? Yoh-may-yoh...? you3 mei2you3 …… 有没有…… Click to listen the Audio Files
Yes Shrr shi4 是 Click to listen the Audio Files
No Boo-shrr bu2shi4 不是 Click to listen the Audio Files
Right/correct Dway dui4 对 Click to listen the Audio Files
Wrong/incorrect Boo-dway bu4dui4 不对 Click to listen the Audio Files
No, thanks Boo-yong luh, sshyeah bu4yong4 le ，xie4 不用了，谢 Click to listen the Audio Files
Thank you Sshyeah-sshyeah xie4xie 谢谢 Click to listen the Audio Files
You are welcome Boo-yong sshyeah bu4yong4xie4 不用谢 Click to listen the Audio Files
Excuse me/sorry Dway-boo-chee dui4buqi3 对不起 Click to listen the Audio Files
I don't understand Wor ting boo-dong wo3 ting1 bu4dong3 我听不懂 Click to listen the Audio Files
1 Ee yi1 一  
2 Urr er4 二  
3 San san1 三  
3 yuan/RMB (formal) San ywen san1 yuan2 三元  
3 yuan/RMB (informal) San kwhy san1 kuai4 三块  
4 Srr si4 四  
5 Woo wu3 五  
6 Lyoh liu4 六  
7 Chee qi1 七  
8 Bah ba1 八  
9 Jyoh jiu3 九  
10 Shrr shi2 十  
11 Shrr-ee shi2yi1 十一  
20 Urr-shrr er4shi2 二十  
23 Urr-shrr-san er4shi2san1 二十三  
100 Ee-bye yi1bai3 一百  
125 Ee-bye-urr-shrr-woo yi1bai3er4shi2wu3 一百二十五  
How much money (does it cost)? Dwor-sshaoww chyen duo1shao3 qian2 多少前 Click to listen the Audio Files
Too expensive Tie gway luh tai4 gui4 le 太贵了 Click to listen the Audio Files
How long (time)? Dwor jyoh? duo1 jiu3 多久 Click to listen the Audio Files
One hour (hour) Ee-guh sshyaoww-shrr (jong-toh) yi1ge4 xiao3shi2 （zhong1tou2 ） 一个小时（钟头）  
2 hours Lyang (urr) guh sshyaoww-shrr liang3 （er4 ）ge4 xiao3shi2 两（二）个小时  
30 minutes San-shrr fnn-jong san1shi2 fen1zhong1 三十分钟  
What time? / What's the time? Jee-dyen jong ji1dian3 zhong4 几点种  
07:00 Ling-chee dyen jong ling2qi1dian3 zhong4 零七点种  
14:30 Shrr-srr dyen san-shrr shi2si4dian3san1shi2 十四点三十  

    Related Links:

    Chinese Pinyin

    Pinyin is equivalent to the pronunciation of an English word. Chinese words are written as characters and pronounced by pinyin. The pave have two tables to show you the Chinese pinyin system. more Chinese Pinyin

    Tone plays a very important role in the meaning of the characters. Different tones in pinyin will lead to different character and meaning of each Chinese word. more Tone of Pinyin

    Also read Chinese hip words.

    Chinese Lesson

    We have prepared an extensive collection of most frequently used daily expressions and sentences to help you. You will be able to simply communicate with Chinese as long as you remeber all of them. more Chinese Lesson

    Lesson 01: Greeting
    It is helpful to know some simple Chinese words and sentences when you meet Chinese people. They will be very happy when seeing a foreigner can speak some Chinese.

Chinese Calligraphy Experiences

FAQs About Learning Chinese

  1. How many people use Chinese?
    Chinese is used by approximately 1.3 billion people around the world, that is almost one sixth of the world’s population.
  2. Is it difficult to learn Chinese?
    Learning Chinese, like learning any other foreign languages, always poses a challenge for non-native speakers. It is important to practice on a regular basis, ideally spend some time on it every day or every week.
  3. How many Chinese characters do I need to know?
    Mastering 3000-4000 frequently used characters is enough to cover daily conversations and readings.
More FAQs »