Chinese Phrasebook

China Highlights

The following table contains some of the most important basic Chinese words and phrases. The English meaning,intuitive English pronunciation, pinyin and the Chinese characters are included. Some entries have audio files in the right column to click and play.

There are some words and sentences that can be pronounced by the phonetic English. Although there are some differences between the pronunciations, most Chinese people can still understand what you mean.

  • Listen to the Chinese Phrase Book in MP3 Format
  • Download the Chinese Phrase Book
English Pronounced Pinyin Chinese mp3
Hello Nee haoww ni3hao3 你好  
How are you? Nee haoww mah? ni3hao3 ma 你好吗  
Good/ok Haoww hao3  
Not good Boo haoww bu4hao3 不好  
Have you eaten? Nee chrr luh mah? ni3 chi1 le ma 你吃了吗  
I've eaten. Wor chrr luh wo3 chi1 le 我吃了  
I've not eaten yet. Wor hi may chrr wo3 hai2 mei2 chi1 我还没吃  
Good morning Dzaoww-shung haoww zao3shanghao3 早上好  
Good afternoon Sshyah-woo haoww xia4wu3 hao3 下午好  
Good evening Wan-shung haoww wan3shang hao3 晚上好  
Bye-bye. Bye-bye bai4bai 拜拜  
See you later. Dzeye jyen zai4 jian4 再见 Click to listen the Audio Files
What is your surname? (formal) Neen gway sshing? nin2 gui4 xing4 ? 您贵姓? Click to listen the Audio Files
My surname is ... Wor sshing ... wo3 xing4 …… 我姓……  
What's your name? (informal) Nee jyaoww shnn-muh ming-zuh? ni3 jiao4 shen2me ming2zi ? 你叫什么名字?  
I'm called ... Wor jyaoww ... wo3 jiao4 …… 我叫……  
Do you want ...? Yaoww-boo-yaoww yao4bu yao4 ……? 要不要……?  
I want ... Wor yaoww ... wo3 yao4 …… 我要…… Click to listen the Audio Files
I don't want ... Wor bu yaoww ... wo3 bu2yao4 …… 我不要…… Click to listen the Audio Files
I want to go to... Wor yaoww chyoo... wo3 yao4 qu4 …… 我要去……  
I want to go to the toilet. Wor yaoww chyoo tser-swor. wo3 yao4 qu4 ce4suo3 。 我要去厕所。 Click to listen the Audio Files
Where is ...? ... dzeye nah-lee? ……zai4 na3li ? ……在哪里?  
Where is the bathroom? Sshee shoh jyen dzeye nah-lee? xi3 shou3 jian1 zai4 na3li ? 洗手间在哪里?  
I'm hungry. Wor urr luh wo3 e4 le 我饿了  
I'm thirsty. Wor ker luh wo3 ke3 le 我渴了  
I'm tired. Wor lay luh wo3 lei4 le 我累了  
What is this? Jer shrr shnn-muh? zhe4 shi4 shen2me ? 这是什么?  
This is ... Jer shrr ... zhe4 shi4 …… 这是……  
I like... Wor sshee-hwan... wo3 xi3huan …… 我喜欢……  
I don't like ... Wor boo-sshee-hwan ... wo3 bu4xi3huan …… 我不喜欢……  
Please help me. Ching bung-joo wor qing3 bang1zhu4 wo3 请帮助我  
Have Yoh you3  
Don't have May-yoh mei2you3 没有  
I have... Wor yoh... wo3 you3 …… 我有……  
Do you have...? Yoh-may-yoh...? you3 mei2you3 …… 有没有…… Click to listen the Audio Files
Yes Shrr shi4 Click to listen the Audio Files
No Boo-shrr bu2shi4 不是 Click to listen the Audio Files
Right/correct Dway dui4 Click to listen the Audio Files
Wrong/incorrect Boo-dway bu2dui4 不对 Click to listen the Audio Files
No, thanks Boo-yong luh, sshyeah bu2yong4 le ,xie4 不用了,谢 Click to listen the Audio Files
Thank you Sshyeah-sshyeah xie4xie 谢谢 Click to listen the Audio Files
You are welcome Boo-yong sshyeah bu2yong4xie4 不用谢 Click to listen the Audio Files
Excuse me/sorry Dway-boo-chee dui4buqi3 对不起 Click to listen the Audio Files
I don't understand Wor ting boo-dong wo3 ting1 bu4dong3 我听不懂 Click to listen the Audio Files
1 Ee yi1  
2 Urr er4  
3 San san1  
3 yuan/RMB (formal) San ywen san1 yuan2 三元  
3 yuan/RMB (informal) San kwhy san1 kuai4 三块  
4 Srr si4  
5 Woo wu3  
6 Lyoh liu4  
7 Chee qi1  
8 Bah ba1  
9 Jyoh jiu3  
10 Shrr shi2  
11 Shrr-ee shi2yi1 十一  
20 Urr-shrr er4shi2 二十  
23 Urr-shrr-san er4shi2san1 二十三  
100 Ee-bye yi1bai3 一百  
125 Ee-bye-urr-shrr-woo yi1bai3er4shi2wu3 一百二十五  
How much money (does it cost)? Dwor-sshaoww chyen duo1shao3 qian2 多少钱 Click to listen the Audio Files
Too expensive Tie gway luh tai4 gui4 le 太贵了 Click to listen the Audio Files
How long (time)? Dwor jyoh? duo1 jiu3 多久 Click to listen the Audio Files
One hour (hour) Ee-guh sshyaoww-shrr (jong-toh) yi2ge4 xiao3shi2 (zhong1tou2 ) 一个小时(钟头)  
2 hours Lyang (urr) guh sshyaoww-shrr liang3 (er4 )ge4 xiao3shi2 两(二)个小时  
30 minutes San-shrr fnn-jong san1shi2 fen1zhong1 三十分钟  
What time? / What's the time? Jee-dyen jong ji3dian3 zhong1 几点钟  
07:00 Chee dyen jong qi1dian3 zhong1 七分钟  
14:30 Shrr-srr dyen san-shrr shi2si4dian3san1shi2 十四点三十  

Watch more videos about Chinese culture stories.

English Chinese Character / Pinyin Phonetic English Audio Files
Directions
Stop! Stop ting Click to listen the Audio Files
Turn left Left zaw Click to listen the Audio Files
Turn right Right yo Click to listen the Audio Files
Go straight Froward chee'an Click to listen the Audio Files
Here Here Jur lee Click to listen the Audio Files
At the restaurant
Chopstick Chopstick kwhy za Click to listen the Audio Files
Knife Knife dow Click to listen the Audio Files
Fork Fork char z Click to listen the Audio Files
Spoon Spoon sheow z Click to listen the Audio Files
Water Water shway Click to listen the Audio Files
Coke Coke kur la Click to listen the Audio Files
Bill Bill my dan Click to listen the Audio Files
Pronouns
I / Me I / Me wore Click to listen the Audio Files
You You knee Click to listen the Audio Files
He / She / It He / She / It tar Click to listen the Audio Files
Figures of speech
That's good That's good how Click to listen the Audio Files
That's not good That's not good boo how Click to listen the Audio Files
It was nice It was nice hun how Click to listen the Audio Files

There are some words and sentences that can be pronounced by the phonetic English. Although there are some differences between the pronunciations, most Chinese people can still understand what you mean.

English Chinese Character / Pinyin Phonetic English Audio Files
Directions
1 1 e Click to listen the Audio Files
2 2 r Click to listen the Audio Files
3 3 san Click to listen the Audio Files
4 4 sz Click to listen the Audio Files
5 5 oo Click to listen the Audio Files
6 6 leo Click to listen the Audio Files
7 7 chee Click to listen the Audio Files
8 8 bah Click to listen the Audio Files
9 9 jeo Click to listen the Audio Files
10 10 shr Click to listen the Audio Files
11 11 shr e Click to listen the Audio Files
12 12 shr r Click to listen the Audio Files
13 13 shr san Click to listen the Audio Files
14 14 shr sz Click to listen the Audio Files
20 20 r shr Click to listen the Audio Files
30 30 san shr Click to listen the Audio Files
100 100 ee bye Click to listen the Audio Files
1,000 1000 ee chee an Click to listen the Audio Files
10,000 10,000 ee wan Click to listen the Audio Files
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