Travel in China
Chinese for a trip to China
Leon & Qiqi·Updated November 10, 2026·8 minFacts checked on November 10, 2026. Sources are at the end of the page.
For a trip to China, learn the lines for the things you do every day: paying, getting a taxi, buying a train ticket, ordering food and asking for help. This page has about forty of them, grouped by task.
We make Dengdeng, an app with short stories from China at a Beginner level, so you can practice these words before you go.
We wrote this guide together. Leon studied in China, and Qiqi is Chinese.
Tap any Chinese on this page for its pinyin, meaning and audio.
To show these lines instead of saying them, print the China trip card. It has the address, paying, allergy and diet lines in large characters.
Before you fly
Entry rules change often. Check whether you need a visa on the National Immigration Administration's site and with the Chinese embassy in your country before you book. This page does not give visa advice.
These are the words you see at the airport and on the arrival card:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| hù zhào | passport | |
| qiān zhèng | visa | |
| rù jìng | entry into the country | |
| guò jìng | transit | |
| hǎi guān | customs | |
| rù jìng kǎ | arrival card |
Paying
In most shops and restaurants, people pay with a phone by scanning a QR code. Carry some cash in yuan as a backup.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| ？ | duō shao qián | How much is it? |
| ？ | kě yǐ yòng zhī fù bǎo ma | Can I pay with Alipay? |
| ？ | kě yǐ yòng wēi xìn fù ma | Can I pay with WeChat? |
| ？ | kě yǐ yòng wài guó xìn yòng kǎ ma | Can I pay with a foreign credit card? |
| 。 | wǒ fù xiàn jīn | I'll pay in cash. |
| ？ | wǒ sǎo nǐ hái shi nǐ sǎo wǒ | Do I scan your code, or do you scan mine? |
Say (foreign) when you ask. A yes to a general question about cards, such as ？, can mean Chinese bank cards only.
Two codes come up at the counter. is your payment code, the QR code in your app that the shop scans. is the shop's code, which you scan.
Taxis and the metro
Call a taxi driver . It is polite and normal, for any driver.
The easiest way to give an address is to show it on your phone, in Chinese characters. Ask your hotel to write it for you.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 。 | wǒ yào qù zhè lǐ | I want to go here. (Show the address.) |
| 。 | jiù zài zhè lǐ tíng | Stop right here. |
| ？ | dì tiě zhàn zài nǎ li | Where is the metro station? |
| chū kǒu | exit | |
| huàn chéng | change lines |
Trains
High-speed trains are called . Tickets are in your name. You need your passport to buy one: on the 12306 English website or app, by the booking hotline, or at a station ticket counter.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 。 | yì zhāng qù shàng hǎi de piào | One ticket to Shanghai. |
| chē cì | train number | |
| èr děng zuò | second-class seat | |
| zuò wèi | seat | |
| hòu chē shì | waiting room | |
| jiǎn piào kǒu | ticket gate |
Hotels
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 。 | wǒ yǒu yù dìng | I have a reservation. |
| bàn lǐ rù zhù | to check in | |
| tuì fáng | to check out | |
| Wi-Fi ？ | mì mǎ shì duō shǎo | What's the Wi-Fi password? |
Food
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 。 | wǒ bù chī là | I don't eat spicy food. |
| bú yào xiāng cài | no coriander (cilantro) | |
| 。 | wǒ duì huā shēng guò mǐn | I'm allergic to peanuts. |
| mǎi dān | the bill, please | |
| dǎ bāo | to take away |
Ordering has more steps: the number of people, spice levels, scan-to-order menus. How to order food in Chinese has all of them.
Shopping
In markets and small shops, you can ask for a lower price. In malls and chain stores, prices are fixed.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 。 | tài guì le | That's too expensive. |
| ？ | néng pián yi yì diǎn ma | Can you make it a bit cheaper? |
| ？ | yǒu xiǎo yì diǎn de ma | Do you have a smaller one? |
| ，。 | bú yòng le, xiè xie | No, thank you. |
Getting help
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 。 | wǒ tīng bu dǒng | I don't understand. |
| 。 | qǐng shuō màn yì diǎn | Please speak more slowly. |
| ？ | néng bāng wǒ yí xià ma | Could you help me? |
| 。 | wǒ mí lù le | I'm lost. |
| ？ | xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ li | Where is the restroom? |
| 。 | wǒ xū yào kàn yī shēng | I need to see a doctor. |
| 。 | qǐng bāng wǒ jiào jiù hù chē | Please call an ambulance for me. |
| yī yuàn | hospital | |
| yào diàn | pharmacy |
Emergency numbers
These numbers work everywhere in mainland China. Calls are free.
| Number | For |
|---|---|
| 110 | Police |
| 120 | Ambulance |
| 119 | Fire |
| 122 | Traffic accidents |
To call the police is .
Common questions
Do I need to speak Chinese to travel in China?
No. Many visitors get by with a translation app and an address on their phone. A few lines in Chinese help most with taxis, small shops and restaurants.
What is the most useful Chinese for a tourist?
(how much), (I want to go here) and (where is the restroom). With those and a phone showing the address, you can get most things done.
What is the emergency number in China?
110 for the police, 120 for an ambulance and 119 for fire.
Sources
- Beijing Municipal Government, Emergency numbers, updated 12 April 2023: 110, 119, 120 and 122.
- Hunan Provincial Government, Train tickets for foreign travelers, 8 June 2026: passports on the 12306 website, app, hotline and at counters.
- National Immigration Administration, en.nia.gov.cn: entry rules.
More guides for studying and traveling in China are on Study, travel and live in China.
If you want to practice before you go, Dengdeng's Beginner stories are short texts about food, travel and daily life in China. One Beginner story a day is free in the app.
Survival Chinese for your trip
The Chinese you need on a trip to China, one situation a day for a week.
