Printable Chinese Phrases for Travelers – Free PDF Download
Essential Chinese phrases for travelers with pinyin and printable cards. Taxi directions, restaurant ordering, emergencies, shopping, and city-specific tips.
Printable Chinese Phrases for Travelers – Download & Print
Fifteen phrases. Five minutes of practice. The difference between pointing helplessly at a menu and ordering exactly what you want. These cards cover the situations where you'll actually need Chinese — taxis, restaurants, hotels, and emergencies. Screenshot them, print them, or download the PDF.
Interactive Phrase Card Generator (Coming Soon)
Select your destination cities and dietary needs — the generator produces a customized phrase card with only the phrases relevant to your trip. Until then, the complete set is below.
Essential Chinese Phrases
🚕 Taxi & Directions
English
Chinese
Pinyin
Please take me to [this address]
请送我到这个地址
Qǐng sòng wǒ dào zhège dìzhǐ
Where is the bathroom?
厕所在哪？
Cèsuǒ zài nǎ?
Where is the subway?
地铁站在哪？
Dìtiě zhàn zài nǎ?
Stop here
停这里
Tíng zhèlǐ
I'm lost. Can you help me?
我迷路了，你能帮我吗？
Wǒ mílù le, nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma?
How do I get to the airport?
机场怎么走？
Jīchǎng zěnme zǒu?
Go straight / Turn left / Turn right
直走 / 左转 / 右转
Zhí zǒu / Zuǒ zhuǎn / Yòu zhuǎn
🍜 Restaurant & Food
English
Chinese
Pinyin
I'll have this one (pointing)
我要这个
Wǒ yào zhège
No spicy / Less spicy
不辣 / 微辣
Bù là / Wēi là
I am vegetarian (Buddhist)
我吃素 (我吃斋)
Wǒ chī sù (Wǒ chī zhāi)
I am allergic to peanuts
我对花生过敏
Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn
The bill, please
买单
Mǎidān
Delicious!
好吃
Hǎochī
Do you have an English menu?
有英文菜单吗？
Yǒu Yīngwén càidān ma?
Too spicy! I can't eat this
太辣了！我吃不了
Tài là le! Wǒ chī bù liǎo
🏨 Hotel & Accommodation
English
Chinese
Pinyin
I have a reservation
我有预订
Wǒ yǒu yùdìng
Is there WiFi? What's the password?
有WiFi吗？密码是多少？
Yǒu WiFi ma? Mìmǎ shì duōshao?
Can you write the address in Chinese for the taxi?
请用中文写地址给出租车司机
Qǐng yòng Zhōngwén xiě dìzhǐ gěi chūzūchē sījī
The air conditioner isn't working
空调坏了
Kōngtiáo huài le
🆘 Emergencies
English
Chinese
Pinyin
Help!
救命！
Jiùmìng!
Call the police
报警
Bàojǐng
I need a doctor
我要看医生
Wǒ yào kàn yīshēng
I need a hospital
我要去医院
Wǒ yào qù yīyuàn
I lost my passport
我护照丢了
Wǒ hùzhào diū le
🛍️ Shopping
English
Chinese
Pinyin
How much is this?
多少钱？
Duōshao qián?
Too expensive! Can you lower the price?
太贵了！便宜一点吧？
Tài guì le! Piányi yīdiǎn ba?
I'm just looking, thank you
我随便看看，谢谢
Wǒ suíbiàn kànkan, xièxie
Do you accept WeChat Pay / Alipay?
可以用微信/支付宝吗？
Kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn / Zhīfùbǎo ma?
🚻 Other Essentials
English
Chinese
Pinyin
Hello
你好
Nǐ hǎo
Thank you
谢谢
Xièxie
Sorry / Excuse me
不好意思
Bù hǎoyìsi
I don't understand
听不懂
Tīng bù dǒng
Do you speak English?
你会说英语吗？
Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?
Where can I buy a SIM card?
哪里可以买SIM卡？
Nǎlǐ kěyǐ mǎi SIM kǎ?
Where can I exchange money?
哪里可以换钱？
Nǎlǐ kěyǐ huàn qián?
Pronunciation Guide
Chinese is a tonal language — the same syllable can mean completely different things depending on pitch. Mandarin has four tones + a neutral tone:
Tone
Mark
Example (ma)
Meaning
How It Sounds
1st (high, flat)
mā
妈 (mā)
Mother
Like singing a steady note
2nd (rising)
má
麻 (má)
Hemp
Like asking a question: "ma?"
3rd (dipping)
mǎ
马 (mǎ)
Horse
Your voice dips down then up
4th (falling)
mà
骂 (mà)
To scold
Sharp, falling, like a command
Neutral
ma
吗 (ma)
(question particle)
Quick and light, no emphasis
💡 Don't stress the tones: Context carries you 90% of the way. If you point at a menu and say "wǒ yào zhège" (I want this one), the tones barely matter — the pointing does all the work. For absolute beginners, focus on memorizing 5 phrases perfectly: "nǐ hǎo" (hello), "xièxie" (thank you), "zhège" (this one, while pointing), "mǎidān" (the bill), and "cèsuǒ zài nǎ?" (where's the bathroom?). Those five phrases, plus a smile, solve 80% of travel situations.
Shaanxi dialect for "excellent!" Use it after roujiamo or yangrou paomo
Download Options
Format
Contents
Best For
Complete PDF (coming soon)
All 40+ phrases organized by category
Printing before departure
Quick Reference Card (coming soon)
Top 15 phrases on one page
Screenshotting to your phone
Emergency Card (coming soon)
8 emergency phrases + hospital addresses in Chinese
Keeping in your wallet
Food Allergy Card (coming soon)
Customizable: select your allergens, print in Chinese
Dining safely
💡 Phone Beats Paper: Screenshot the phrase tables above and save them to your phone's photo gallery or a dedicated "China" album. You'll access them faster than a folded piece of paper, you won't lose them, and showing your phone screen to a taxi driver or waiter works better than reading aloud — the Chinese characters are what they actually need to see. [Full language guide with app recommendations →](/country/language-guide)
Language App Recommendations
App
Best For
Offline?
Pleco
Chinese-English dictionary. Point camera at any character → instant definition
✅ Yes (free)
Google Translate
Camera translation of menus and signs. Conversation mode for two-way dialogue
What are the most useful Chinese phrases for travelers?
The essential five: "nǐ hǎo" (你好 / hello), "xièxie" (谢谢 / thank you), "zhège" (这个 / this one, while pointing), "mǎidān" (买单 / the bill, please), and "cèsuǒ zài nǎ?" (厕所在哪? / where is the bathroom?). These plus a smile handle 80% of travel situations. See the full phrase tables above.
How do you say "thank you" in Chinese?
Xièxie (谢谢). Pronounced "shyeh-shyeh" — the "x" is like a soft "sh" sound. For extra politeness, add "nǐ" (你): "xièxie nǐ." In Cantonese (Guangzhou, Hong Kong): m̀hgòi (唔该).
How to say "I don't eat spicy" in Chinese?
Wǒ bù chī là (我不吃辣). If you can handle a little: wēi là (微辣 / mild spicy). In Sichuan and Chongqing, "wēi là" is still very hot — prepare accordingly. If you need zero spice: yīdiǎn là dōu bù yào (一点辣都不要 / no spice at all).
