China: Essential phrases for travelers
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
IM
Hi everyone! I’m Tina, and I’ve organized French group trips to China for over 10 years. Over the years, I’ve noticed that the language barrier is the biggest stress for travelers—especially when ordering food, asking for directions, or negotiating in markets! Today, I want to share 5 essential Chinese phrases I’ve taught my travelers—they’re simple, easy to pronounce, and work in 90% of travel situations:

你好 (Nǐ hǎo) = Hello → Polite and useful with everyone (locals, drivers, vendors). 谢谢 (Xiè xie) = Thank you → Chinese people really appreciate this politeness—it makes communication smoother. 多少钱 (Duō shǎo qián) = How much does it cost → Essential for local markets or small shops (menus in French are rare!). 请问,地铁站在哪? (Qǐng wèn, dì tiě zhàn zài nǎ lǐ?) = Excuse me, where is the subway station? → Swap “subway station” for “hotel” or “restaurant”—it works! 我要这个 (Wǒ yào zhè ge) = I want this → Point at the item and say this phrase—no more misunderstandings!

Bonus tip: Pinyin (the Chinese phonetic alphabet) is super helpful for reading street signs or menus. For example, “Nǐ hǎo” is pronounced “Nee how”—easy to remember!

If you’re planning a trip to China and want more practical phrases or pronunciation tips (to avoid embarrassing mistakes), feel free to send me a private message. I’ve put together a little traveler-friendly guide that I’m happy to share with anyone who wants to prepare stress-free. Don’t hesitate to ask your questions in the comments either—if you’re unsure about a specific communication situation (e.g., in a temple, at the train station), I’d be happy to help! Happy planning for your trip to China—it’s going to be amazing!
IM Impressiont ·
A little essential greeting for your trip to China: 👋 nǐ hǎo (你好) = hello It’s the most commonly used phrase to greet locals.

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