Survival Chinese: 20 Phrases That Will Save Your Trip

You don't need to learn Chinese for a two-week trip. You need about twenty phrases, the confidence to mangle them cheerfully, and the humility to point at your phone screen when tones betray you. This table covers the moments that actually come up: getting a taxi to cooperate, eating without an ambulance ride, finding a bathroom, and calling for help.

A quick note on pronunciation: pinyin is not English. The rough rules that matter most — x sounds like "sh", q like "ch", c like "ts", and zh like the "j" in "judge". Tones matter, but context and pointing cover a multitude of sins.

Getting Around (Taxis & Directions)

English	Pinyin	Chinese
Please take me to this address.	Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhè ge dìzhǐ.	请带我去这个地址。
Please use the meter.	Qǐng dǎ biǎo.	请打表。
Stop here, please.	Qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíng.	请在这里停。
How much is it?	Duōshao qián?	多少钱？
Where is...?	...zài nǎlǐ?	……在哪里？
Is it far?	Yuǎn ma?	远吗？
Turn left / Turn right.	Zuǒ guǎi / Yòu guǎi.	左拐 / 右拐。
I'm going to the train station.	Wǒ qù huǒchē zhàn.	我去火车站。

Tip: For the taxi phrase, don't rely on pronunciation at all — show the driver your destination written in Chinese characters on your phone. Hotel staff will happily write down places for you; grab the hotel's business card at check-in for the return trip.

Eating (Including the Allergy Lines)

English	Pinyin	Chinese
I'd like this one. (pointing at menu)	Wǒ yào zhè ge.	我要这个。
Not spicy, please.	Bú yào là de.	不要辣的。
No peanuts, please. I have an allergy.	Bú yào huāshēng, wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn.	不要花生，我对花生过敏。
No cilantro/coriander.	Bú yào xiāngcài.	不要香菜。
I don't eat pork.	Wǒ bù chī zhūròu.	我不吃猪肉。
Water, please. / Hot water, please.	Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ. / Qǐng gěi wǒ rè shuǐ.	请给我水。/ 请给我热水。
The bill, please.	Mǎidān.	买单。
Delicious!	Hěn hǎochī!	很好吃！

Tip: "Bú yào là de" (no spice) is the single highest-value sentence on this page in Sichuan, Hunan, or Chongqing. Say it while ordering, not after the food arrives. And even then, expect a gentle background hum of chili — "not spicy" is relative there.

Emergencies and Practical Stuff

English	Pinyin	Chinese
Help!	Jiùmìng!	救命！
Call the police.	Bāng wǒ jiào jǐngchá.	帮我叫警察。
I need a doctor.	Wǒ xūyào kàn yīshēng.	我需要看医生。
Where is the bathroom?	Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?	厕所在哪里？
I'm lost.	Wǒ mílù le.	我迷路了。
I don't understand.	Wǒ tīng bù dǒng.	我听不懂。
Do you speak English?	Nǐ huì shuō Yīngyǔ ma?	你会说英语吗？
Thank you. / Excuse me.	Xièxie. / Bù hǎoyìsi.	谢谢。/ 不好意思。

Emergency numbers worth saving in your phone: 110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire. Operators rarely speak English — use your hotel's front desk or a translation app to bridge.

How to Actually Use This Table

1. Print it or screenshot it. A paper copy in your day bag works with zero battery and zero signal — which is exactly when you'll need it.
2. Point, don't perform. Showing the Chinese characters to a taxi driver or waiter beats any pronunciation you'll manage on day two. The pinyin is for when they ask you something.
3. Save the allergy lines as standalone screenshots (full-screen, large font) if you have a serious allergy. In a loud kitchen, a waiter reading "不要花生，我对花生过敏" off your phone is unambiguous in a way your spoken tones never will be.
4. Pair it with a translation app. Download the offline Chinese pack in your translator of choice before departure (Google Translate is blocked in China unless you have a VPN — Pleco and Microsoft Translator are safer bets).

Tip: Learn just three sounds properly — "xièxie" (thanks), "bù hǎoyìsi" (excuse me/sorry), and "duōshao qián" (how much). Locals respond visibly warmly to even clumsy attempts, and those three cover 80% of politeness.