Chinese phrases
How to say how do you say this in Chinese in Chinese
How do you say this in Chinese is 这个用中文怎么说 (zhè gè yòng zhōng wén zěn me shuō). Point at the thing as you ask, or say the English word first.
这个用中文怎么说
how do you say this in Chinese?
Many speakers, mostly in the north, say 这个 as zhèi ge, especially in fast speech.
Ways to say how do you say this in Chinese
这个用中文怎么说
Everydayhow do you say this in Chinese?
Point at the thing, or put the English word in place of 这个: Lychee 用中文怎么说?
中文怎么说
Everydaywhat’s it in Chinese?
Shorter and just as common: Spicy 中文怎么说?
这个中文叫什么
Everydaywhat’s this called in Chinese?
For a thing you can point at: a dish, a fruit at the market, a tool.
这个字怎么读
Everydayhow do you read this character?
For a character you can see but can’t pronounce: on a menu, a sign or a name card.
这个字怎么写
Everydayhow do you write this character?
When you hear a name or a word and want to write it down. People often answer with a word that has the character in it: 高兴的兴.
Common mistakes
Saying 在中文 for “in Chinese”
在中文怎么说 copies English word for word, and it sounds wrong. Say 用中文怎么说, “say it using Chinese,” or just 中文怎么说.
Putting 怎么说 first
In English, “how” comes first. In Chinese, the thing you ask about comes first and 怎么说 comes last: 这个用中文怎么说, not 怎么说这个用中文.
Asking 怎么说 about written Chinese
If you point at characters on a menu and ask 用中文怎么说, the answer is “it’s already Chinese.” To ask how to pronounce them, say 这个怎么读.
At a fruit stall
你好，这个用中文怎么说？
Leon: Hi, how do you say this in Chinese?
火龙果。
Seller: Dragon fruit.
火龙果，多少钱一斤？
Leon: Dragon fruit. How much for half a kilo?
十块一斤。
Seller: Ten yuan for half a kilo.
