Mandarin Chinese is the world's most spoken language and a crucial skill for travel, business, and culture in China and beyond. This guide covers everyday vocabulary, useful phrases, and key cultural points to get you started quickly.
Basic Vocabulary
Basic vocabulary for common things and actions helps you navigate daily situations like greetings, numbers, food, and directions. Learn words that you can use immediately in simple sentences.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你 | nǐ | you | |
| 我 | wǒ | I / me | |
| 谢谢 | xièxiè | thank you | |
| 请 | qǐng | please / to ask | |
| 是 | shì | to be | |
| 不 | bù | not / no | |
| 吃 | chī | to eat | |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | |
| 多少钱 | duōshǎo qián | how much money? | |
| 厕所 | cèsuǒ | bathroom / toilet |
Please give me a cup of tea.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌅 早上好 | zǎoshang hǎo | Good morning | |
| 🧳 我来了 | wǒ lái le | I have arrived | |
| 🏨 酒店在哪儿？ | jiǔdiàn zài nǎr? | Where is the hotel? | |
| 🗺️ 看这里 | kàn zhèlǐ | Look here | |
| 🚶 我走路去 | wǒ zǒulù qù | I’m going on foot |
Useful Phrases
Useful phrases for everyday interactions include ways to introduce yourself, ask for help, order food, and thank people. Practice short set expressions so you can speak naturally in common scenarios.
| English Phrase | Chinese Phrase | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | 你好 | nǐ hǎo | |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | xièxiè | |
| Please | 请 | qǐng | |
| Sorry / Excuse me | 对不起 / 劳驾 | duìbuqǐ / láojià | |
| How much? | 多少钱？ | duōshǎo qián? | |
| Where is ...? | ... 在哪里？ | ... zài nǎlǐ? | |
| I want ... | 我要 ... | wǒ yào ... | |
| Do you speak English? | 你会说英语吗？ | nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma? | |
| Help! | 帮助！ | bāngzhù! |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🛫 飞机几点到？ | fēijī jǐ diǎn dào? | What time does the plane arrive? | |
| 🚌 公交车怎么坐？ | gōngjiāo chē zěnme zuò? | How do I take the bus? | |
| 🗣️ 请慢说 | qǐng màn shuō | Please speak slowly | |
| 🔄 请再说一遍 | qǐng zài shuō yí biàn | Please say it again | |
| 🙏 谢谢帮助 | xièxie bāngzhù | Thank you for your help |
Numbers
Numbers are essential for prices, time, dates, and quantities. Learn the Mandarin words for 1 to 10, plus common larger units like hundred and thousand to handle everyday counting.
| Number | Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一 | yī | one | |
| 2 | 二 | èr | two | |
| 3 | 三 | sān | three | |
| 4 | 四 | sì | four | |
| 5 | 五 | wǔ | five | |
| 6 | 六 | liù | six | |
| 7 | 七 | qī | seven | |
| 8 | 八 | bā | eight | |
| 9 | 九 | jiǔ | nine | |
| 10 | 十 | shí | ten | |
| 100 | 百 | bǎi | hundred | |
| 1000 | 千 | qiān | thousand |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🛬 一 | yī | One | |
| 🧭 二 | èr | Two | |
| 🚏 三 | sān | Three | |
| 🕒 四 | sì | Four | |
| 🗓️ 五 | wǔ | Five | |
| 🧑🤝🧑 六 | liù | Six | |
| 🚌 七 | qī | Seven | |
| 🛳️ 八 | bā | Eight | |
| 🧳 九 | jiǔ | Nine | |
| 🌟 十 | shí | Ten |
Food and Drink
Food and drink vocabulary lets you order meals, ask about ingredients, and enjoy local cuisine. Learn common dish names, how to say "water" and "tea," plus useful phrases for ordering and paying.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 水 | shuǐ | water | |
| 茶 | chá | tea | |
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | rice | |
| 面条 | miàntiáo | noodles | |
| 鸡肉 | jīròu | chicken | |
| 牛肉 | niúròu | beef | |
| 猪肉 | zhūròu | pork | |
| 菜 | cài | dish / vegetable | |
| 饭馆 | fànguǎn | restaurant | |
| 买单 | mǎidān | to pay the bill |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍜 面条 | miàntiáo | Noodles | |
| 🥟 饺子 | jiǎozi | Dumplings | |
| 🍵 茶 | chá | Tea | |
| 🥤 果汁 | guǒzhī | Juice | |
| 🍎 苹果 | píngguǒ | Apple |
Directions
Directions vocabulary helps you find places, ask for routes, and understand signs. Learn words for left, right, straight, near, and landmarks like station and hotel to get around confidently.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 左边 | zuǒbiān | left side | |
| 右边 | yòubiān | right side | |
| 直走 | zhí zǒu | go straight | |
| 前面 | qiánmiàn | in front / ahead | |
| 后面 | hòumiàn | behind / back | |
| 附近 | fùjìn | nearby | |
| 地铁站 | dìtiě zhàn | subway / metro station | |
| 公交站 | gōngjiāo zhàn | bus stop | |
| 出租车 | chūzū chē | taxi | |
| 酒店 | jiǔdiàn | hotel |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⬆️ 一直走 | yīzhí zǒu | Go straight | |
| ⬅️ 左转 | zuǒ zhuǎn | Turn left | |
| ➡️ 右转 | yòu zhuǎn | Turn right | |
| 🛑 停！ | tíng! | Stop! | |
| 📍 在那里 | zài nàlǐ | It’s over there |
Summary
Mandarin today is a practical skill for millions of travelers and professionals. Focus on basic vocabulary, everyday phrases, numbers, food terms, and directions to start speaking and understanding useful Chinese in real situations.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025