You do not need to speak Mandarin to have a great trip in China. In major cities, English is available in hotels, airports, and many tourist-facing businesses. Translation apps have also made a real difference — pointing a phone camera at a menu or a street sign and getting an instant translation is now entirely reliable.That said, knowing a handful of phrases changes the dynamic of a trip in ways that go beyond pure utility. Locals respond warmly to any attempt at Mandarin, however imperfect. A correct tone on a greeting or a genuine attempt at "thank you" opens doors that a translation app simply does not.These are the 30 phrases we find ourselves recommending to clients most often — not a textbook list, but the ones that actually come up.## A Quick Note on TonesMandarin is a tonal language, meaning the same syllable pronounced with different tones carries completely different meanings. There are four tones plus a neutral tone. For the purposes of this guide, we have kept pronunciation notes simple and practical rather than technical. The goal is functional communication, not perfection. Most people you interact with will understand your intent even if the tones are not exact — and will appreciate the effort regardless.## Greetings and Basic CourtesyThese are the phrases that set the tone for every interaction. They require almost no context to use and land well every time.- Hello — Nǐ hǎo (你好) — pronounced "nee how"- Good morning — Zǎo shang hǎo (早上好) — pronounced "dzow shung how"- Thank you — Xièxiè (谢谢) — pronounced "shyeh shyeh"- You're welcome — Bú kèqì (不客气) — pronounced "boo kuh chee"- Sorry / Excuse me — Duìbuqǐ (对不起) — pronounced "dway boo chee"- No problem — Méi wèntí (没问题) — pronounced "may one tee"- Goodbye — Zàijiàn (再见) — pronounced "dzye jyen"## Getting AroundNavigation is where Mandarin makes the biggest practical difference. Even with a map app, being able to communicate a destination or ask a basic directional question helps enormously.- Where is...? — ...zài nǎlǐ? (...在哪里?) — pronounced "dzye na lee"- I want to go to... — Wǒ yào qù... (我要去...) — pronounced "woh yow choo"- How much is a taxi to...? — Qù...duōshǎo qián? (去...多少钱?) — pronounced "choo... dwoh shaow chyen"- Turn left — Zuǒ zhuǎn (左转) — pronounced "dzwoh jwahn"- Turn right — Yòu zhuǎn (右转) — pronounced "yo jwahn"- Go straight — Zhí zǒu (直走) — pronounced "jir dzoh"- Stop here — Jiù zài zhèlǐ tíng (就在这里停) — pronounced "jyo dzye juh lee ting"## At Restaurants and Food StallsFood is one of the great pleasures of traveling in China, and these phrases help you navigate it more confidently — whether you are at a night market or a local restaurant with no English menu.- One portion of this, please — Zhège lái yī fèn (这个来一份) — pronounced "juh guh lye ee fun" — pointing at the dish as you say it works perfectly- Do you have an English menu? — Yǒu méiyǒu yīngwén càidān? (有没有英文菜单?) — pronounced "yo may yo ying when tsye dan"- Not spicy, please — Bù yào là (不要辣) — pronounced "boo yow la"- A little spicy — Yīdiǎn là (一点辣) — pronounced "ee dyen la"- Delicious — Hǎochī (好吃) — pronounced "how chir" — saying this to a cook or vendor is always appreciated- The bill, please — Mǎidān (买单) — pronounced "my dan"- Do you accept mobile payment? — Kěyǐ sǎo mǎ ma? (可以扫码吗?) — pronounced "kuh ee saow ma ma"## ShoppingMost shopping in China now happens through scanning and tapping, but these phrases are useful in markets and smaller shops where negotiation or clarification happens in person.- How much does this cost? — Zhège duōshǎo qián? (这个多少钱?) — pronounced "juh guh dwoh shaow chyen"- Too expensive — Tài guì le (太贵了) — pronounced "tie gway luh"- Can you make it cheaper? — Piányí yīdiǎn ma? (便宜一点吗?) — pronounced "pyen ee ee dyen ma"- I'll take it — Wǒ yào zhège (我要这个) — pronounced "woh yow juh guh"- I'm just looking — Wǒ zhǐ shì kàn kàn (我只是看看) — pronounced "woh jir shir kan kan"## Emergencies and EssentialsThese are the phrases you hope you never need but will be glad to have.- I need help — Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù (我需要帮助) — pronounced "woh shoo yow bung joo"- Call the police — Jiào jǐngchá (叫警察) — pronounced "jyow jing cha"- I need a doctor — Wǒ xūyào yīshēng (我需要医生) — pronounced "woh shoo yow ee shung"- I am allergic to... — Wǒ duì...guòmǐn (我对...过敏) — pronounced "woh dway... gwoh min"- Where is the hospital? — Yīyuàn zài nǎlǐ? (医院在哪里?) — pronounced "ee ywen dzye na lee"## One Phrase That Does More Than Any OtherIf you only learn one thing before your trip, make it this:- Do you speak English? — Nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma? (你会说英语吗?) — pronounced "nee hway shwoh ying yoo ma"Asking in Mandarin whether someone speaks English is one of those small things that consistently surprises people. It signals respect, and the response — whether yes or no — usually comes with a smile and a genuine effort to help.## A Note on Translation AppsFor everything beyond these 30 phrases, a translation app is your best tool. Microsoft Translator works without a VPN and has a strong offline mode for Chinese. Google Translate's camera function is excellent for reading menus and signs, but requires either a VPN or a pre-downloaded offline language pack to function in China.We recommend downloading the Chinese language pack for your preferred app before you travel, so it works even without an internet connection.## What We Tell Our ClientsLearn the greetings, learn "thank you," and learn how to ask for the bill. Those five minutes of preparation will come up dozens of times over the course of your trip.The rest of the list is here when you need it. The point is not to become conversational — it is to show up with enough to make a genuine first move in every interaction. In our experience, that small effort changes how a trip feels, from the first morning to the last dinner.