🧾 Extended Cheat Sheet

English Chinese Pronunciation Survival version
Hello 你好 Nǐ hǎo Ni hao
Hi (casual) 嗨 Hāi Hai
Thank you 谢谢 Xièxiè Shieh-shieh
Please 请 Qǐng Ching
Yes 是 / 对 Shì / Duì Shir / Dway
No 不 Bù Boo
Hotel 酒店 Jiǔdiàn Jyo-dyen
Guesthouse 招待所 Zhāodàisuǒ Jao-dai-swor
Convenience store 便利店 Biànlì diàn Byen-lee dyen
Bus station 公共汽车站 Gōnggòng qìchē zhàn Gong-gong che jan
Train station 火车站 Huǒchē zhàn Hwo-che jan
WiFi hotspot 无线网络热点 Wúxiàn wǎngluò rèdiǎn Woo-shyen wang-luo
WiFi password 无线网络密码 Wúxiàn wǎngluò mìmǎ Woo-shyen mee-ma
I don’t understand 我不明白 Wǒ bù míngbái Wo boo ming-bye
How much? 多少钱？ Duōshǎo qián? Dwo-shao chyen
Where is…? …在哪里？ … zài nǎlǐ? … dzai na-lee
No spicy! 不要辣！ Bù yào là! Boo yow la
How much is this? 这个多少钱？ Zhège duōshǎo qián? Juh-guh dwo-shao
I want to buy this 我要买这个 Wǒ yào mǎi zhège Wo yow my juh-guh
I need WiFi to pay using Alipay 我需要无线网络用支付宝付款 Wǒ xūyào wúxiàn wǎngluò yòng Zhīfùbǎo fùkuǎn Wo shoo-yow wifi, Alipay

🍞 Food & Water Essentials

English Chinese Pinyin Survival version
Water 水 Shuǐ Shway
Drinking water 饮用水 Yǐnyòng shuǐ Yin-yong shway
Boiled water 开水 Kāishuǐ Kai-shway
Bread 面包 Miànbāo Myen-bow
I want… 我要… Wǒ yào… Wo yow…
I want water 我要水 Wǒ yào shuǐ Wo yow shway
I want bread 我要面包 Wǒ yào miànbāo Wo yow myen-bow
One bottle of water 一瓶水 Yī píng shuǐ Ee ping shway

Quick notes:

  • In China, tap water isn’t drinkable — always ask for 开水 (boiled/hot water, which is free almost everywhere) or buy bottled.
  • 面包 literally means “noodle wrap” — bread is a somewhat Western import so you’ll mostly find it at convenience stores (7-Eleven, Family Mart are everywhere).
  • 一瓶 (ee ping) = “one bottle” — super useful pattern, swap in any drink.

🔢 Basic Numbers (0–10)

Arabic Chinese Pinyin English Pronunciation
0 零 líng leeng
1 一 yī ee
2 二 èr ar
3 三 sān sahn
4 四 sì suh
5 五 wǔ woo
6 六 liù lyo
7 七 qī chee
8 八 bā bah
9 九 jiǔ jee-oh
10 十 shí sher

🧮 Common Shopping Numbers

Arabic Chinese Pinyin English Pronunciation
11 十一 shí yī sher ee
12 十二 shí èr sher ar
20 二十 èr shí ar sher
30 三十 sān shí sahn sher
50 五十 wǔ shí woo sher
100 一百 yī bǎi ee bye
200 两百 liǎng bǎi lyang bye
500 五百 wǔ bǎi woo bye
1,000 一千 yī qiān ee chyen
10,000 一万 yī wàn ee wahn

💰 Money Phrases (Very Useful)

Meaning Chinese Pinyin English Pronunciation
yuan (currency) 元 / 块 yuán / kuài yoo-en / kwai
how much? 多少钱？ duō shǎo qián dwor shaow chyen
too expensive 太贵了 tài guì le tie gway luh
cheaper 便宜一点 pián yi yì diǎn pyen-ee ee dyen

🛒 Quick Tips for Shopping

  • 2 has two forms:

    • 二 (èr) → used in counting
    • 两 (liǎng) → used before measure words (e.g., 两百 = 200)
  • Prices are often said casually using 块 (kuài) instead of 元.
  • Chinese numbers are very pattern-based, so once you know 1–10, you can build most numbers easily.

🔤 Quick pronunciation tips

  • ǐ / ǐ = dipping tone (like saying “really?” skeptically)
  • è = sharp falling tone, like a quick “eh!”
  • ù = strong falling tone
  • ā = flat, high tone (hold it steady)
  • X (xi) ≈ soft “sh” (tongue forward, lighter)
  • Zh ≈ like “j” in jump
  • Q ≈ light “ch” (like cheese but softer)
  • C ≈ “ts” (like cats)
  • Z ≈ “dz”