🗣️Languagemedium✓Verified
I cannot understand Chinese — how do I communicate?
Need to talk to someone but they don't speak English? Use these tools and phrases to get your message across.
Diagnostic step 1 of 2
What do you need to communicate?
10 Essential Chinese Phrases
Save these in your phone's notes — they're your survival kit:
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | Nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | Xièxie |
| Where is...? | ...在哪里 | ...zài nǎlǐ |
| How much? | 多少钱 | Duōshao qián |
| Too expensive | 太贵了 | Tài guì le |
| Please speak English | 请说英语 | Qǐng shuō Yīngyǔ |
| I don't understand | 我不懂 | Wǒ bù dǒng |
| Help! | 救命 | Jiùmìng |
| Restroom | 卫生间 | Wèishēngjiān |
| Cash | 现金 | Xiànjīn |
Translation Apps Ranked for China
- WeChat Translation — built-in, works without Google
- Google Translate — best quality, but needs VPN
- Baidu Translate — works natively, but English translation quality is lower
Google Translate can also offer voice translation and offline language packs depending on the language and current app support.
Pro Tip: Show, Don't Tell
- Show your passport when confused — people will immediately realize you're foreign
- Show photos of what you want (restaurant dishes, landmarks)
- Point at things and say "zhège" (this one)