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Cheat Sheet
Chinese For Dummies
Knowing some basic Chinese questions, expressions, and phrases to use in an emergency will help you interact with people and travel more confidently in a Chinese-speaking country. Learning the days and months of the Chinese calendar, along with Chinese numbers, will make it easier to make plans and keep tabs on your money.
Asking Some Basic Questions in Chinese
Learn how to ask these basic questions in Chinese to help you begin communicating with others and gather useful information regarding directions, time, and weather conditions:
How’s it going? Ni zenme yàng? (nee dzummuh yahng)
Do you speak English? Ni huì shu∂ Y∫ngyu ma? (nee hway shwaw eeng yew mah)
Can you help me? Néng bùnéng b≈ngmáng? (nung boo nung bahng mahng)
What is your name? Ni jiào shénme míngzi? (nee jyaow shummah meeng dzuh)
What time is it? Xiànzài ji dian zh∂ng? (shyan dzye jee dyan joong)
What’s the weather like? Ti≈nqi zenme yàng? (tyan chee dzummuh yahng)
How much is this? Zhèige du∂shao qián? (jay guh dwaw shaow chyan)
Where do I find . . . ? Zài nar zhao . . . ? (dzye nar jaow . . . )
Where is the bathroom? Cèsuo zài nar? (tsuh swaw dzye nar)
What time do you open/close? Nín ji dian zh∂ng k≈i/gu≈n mén? (neen jee dyan joong kye/gwahn mun)
Could you please talk more slowly? Qing ni shu∂ màn y∫diar. (cheeng nee shwaw mahn ee dyar)
Could you repeat that please? Qing ni zài shu∂ yícì. (cheeng nee dzye shwaw ee tsuh)
Useful Chinese Expressions
Getting a conversion started in Chinese begins with learning basic greetings and polite phrases. Practicing and using these basic phrases goes a long way in establishing a relationship and bridging the gap between the cultures — and is appreciated by Chinese-speaking people.
Hello. Ni hao. (nee how)
Good morning. Zao. (dzaow)
Good night. Wan ≈n. (wahn ahn)
Please. Qing. (cheeng)
Thank you. Xièxiè. (shyeh shyeh)
Excuse me. Duìbùqi. (dway boo chee)
I’m so sorry. Hen bàoqiàn. (hun baow chyan)
I don’t understand. Wo bùdong. (waw boo doong)
Chinese Phrases for Emergencies
If an emergency arises and you need help, or someone else does, these Chinese phrases will get the attention and help you need, so practice their pronunciation:
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Help! Jiù mìng! (jyo meeng)
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Stop, thief! Zhu≈ zéi! (jwah dzay)
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Fire! Zháohuo! (jaow hwaw)
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Call an ambulance! Jiào jiùhùch√! (jyaow jyo hoo chuh)
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Call the police! Jiào jingchá! (jyaow jeeng chah)
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I am sick. Wo bìng le. (waw beeng luh)
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Get a doctor. Kuài qù zhao y∫sh√ng. (kwye chyew jaow ee shung)
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I’m lost. Wo mílù le. (waw mee loo luh)
The Chinese Calendar
Get to know the days of the week and months of the year in Chinese. Remember Chinese people recognize seven days in the week just as Americans do, but the Chinese week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.
| Days |
|---|
| Monday X∫çngq∫çy∫ç (sheeng chee ee) |
| Tuesday X∫çngq∫ç’èr (sheeng chee are) |
| Wednesday X∫çngq∫çs≈n (sheeng chee sahn) |
| Thursday X∫çngq∫çsì (sheeng chee suh) |
| Friday X∫çngq∫çwu (sheeng chee woo) |
| Saturday X∫çngq∫çliù (sheeng chee lyo) |
| Sunday X∫çngq∫çti≈n (sheeng chee tyan) |
| Months |
| January Y∫çyuè (ee yweh) |
| February Èryuè (are yweh) |
| March S≈nyuè (sahn yweh) |
| April Sìyuè (suh yweh) |
| May Wuyuè (woo yweh) |
| June Liùyuè (lyo yweh) |
| July Q∫çyuè (chee yweh) |
| August B≈yuè (bah yweh) |
| September Jiuyuè (jyo yweh) |
| October Shíyuè (shir yweh) |
| November Shíy∫çyuè (shir ee yweh) |
| December Shí’èryuè (shir are yweh) |
Chinese Numbers
Learning to count in Chinese is important for handling your travel plans, money, dining and shopping. This table will help you learn to pronounce some basic numbers in Chinese.
| 0 líng (leeng) | 21 èrshíy∫ (are shir ee) |
| 1 y∫ (ee) | 22 èrshí’èr (are shir are) |
| 2 èr (are) | 23 èrshís≈n (are shir sahn) |
| 3 s≈n (sahn) | 24 èrshísì (are shir ssuh) |
| 4 sì (suh) | 25 èrshíwû (are shir woo) |
| 5 wû (woo) | 26 èrshíliù (are shir lyo) |
| 6 liù (lyo) | 27 èrshíq∫ (are shir chee) |
| 7 q∫ (chee) | 28 èrshíb≈ (are shir bah) |
| 8 b≈ (bah) | 29 èrshíjiû (are shir jyoe) |
| 9 jiû (jyoe) | 30 s≈nshí (sahn shir) |
| 10 shí (shir) | 40 sìshí (suh shir) |
| 11 shíy∫ (shir ee) | 50 wûshí (woo shir) |
| 12 shí’èr (shir are) | 60 liùshí (lyo shir) |
| 13 shís≈n (shir sahn) | 70 q∫shí (chee shir) |
| 14 shísì (shir suh) | 80 b≈shí (bah shir) |
| 15 shíwû (shir woo) | 90 jiûshí (jyoe shir) |
| 16 shíliù (shir lyo) | 100 yì bâi (ee bye) |
| 17 shíq∫ (shir chee) | 1,000 yì qi≈n (ee chyan) |
| 18 shíb≈ (shir bah) | 10,000 yí wàn (ee wahn) |
| 19 shíjiû (shir jyoe) | 100,000 shí wàn (shir wahn) |
| 20 èrshí (are shir) | 1,000,000 yì bâi wàn (ee bye wahn) |
| 100,000,000 yí yì (ee ee) |
