This guide covers Mandarin Chinese terms for money, market vocabulary, and useful expressions for handling currency in everyday situations.
Key Vocabulary
Familiarize yourself with basic currency units, common money-related nouns, and useful verbs so you can talk about prices, payments, and costs clearly.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💵 钱 | qián | money | |
| 🏧 取款机 | qǔkuǎn jī | ATM | |
| 🏦 银行 | yínháng | bank | |
| 💳 信用卡 | xìnyòngkǎ | credit card | |
| 🧾 收据 | shōujù | receipt | |
| 🛒 购物 | gòuwù | shopping | |
| 🛍️ 袋子 | dàizi | bag | |
| 🧑💼 店员 | diànyuán | shop assistant | |
| 💬 讨价还价 | tǎojià huánjià | to bargain | |
| 🔄 换钱 | huàn qián | to exchange money |
Please put your wallet on the table.
Units of Currency
The main unit is yuán (元), subdivided into jiǎo (角) and fēn (分) for smaller amounts; prices are commonly given in these units.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🪙 元 | yuán | yuan (basic unit) | |
| 角 | jiǎo | 1/10 yuan (jiao) | |
| 分 | fēn | 1/100 yuan (fen) | |
| 💴 美元 | měiyuán | US dollar | |
| 💶 欧元 | ōuyuán | Euro | |
| 💷 英镑 | yīngbàng | British pound | |
| 💰 人民币 | rénmínbì | Renminbi (official name) | |
| 🏧 港元 | gǎngyuán | Hong Kong dollar | |
| 💵 台币 | táibì | Taiwan dollar | |
| 💳 信用卡 | xìnyòngkǎ | credit card |
Useful Expressions
Phrases for asking prices, paying, and getting change help you navigate transactions smoothly in markets, shops, and restaurants.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🧾 买单 | mǎidān | to pay the bill | |
| 🔢 多少钱 | duōshǎo qián | How much is it? | |
| 🧮 算一算 | suàn yī suàn | Let’s calculate. | |
| 💸 便宜一点 | piányi yīdiǎn | A little cheaper, please. | |
| 🏷️ 打折 | dǎzhé | to discount / discount | |
| 🔙 找钱 | zhǎo qián | to give change | |
| 💳 能刷卡吗 | néng shuākǎ ma | Can I pay by card? | |
| 🏧 在哪里换钱 | zài nǎlǐ huàn qián | Where can I exchange money? | |
| ✅ 包括服务费吗 | bāokuò fúwù fèi ma | Does it include the service charge? | |
| 📦 可以发票吗 | kěyǐ fāpiào ma | Can I have a receipt? |
Summary
Learn basic money vocabulary, currency units like yuán, jiǎo, and fēn, and practice common expressions for price and payment to handle everyday purchases confidently.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025