Planning a trip to China?

You don’t need to speak fluent Chinese to travel more confidently. But learning a few practical Chinese phrases can make a huge difference when you’re ordering food, taking a taxi, checking into a hotel, riding a high-speed train, shopping, or visiting tourist attractions.

The Chinese you hear in real life can also be very different from the Chinese you learn from a textbook.

That’s why learning real-life Chinese phrases is so useful for travelers.

In this guide, you’ll learn 35 essential Chinese phrases for travel, with Pinyin, Chinese characters, and English meanings. Save these phrases and practice them before your next trip to China!

If you want structured speaking practice, consider booking a free 1-on-1 trial class with a native Chinese teacher.

1. Chinese Phrases You’ll Hear at Restaurants

Eating out is one of the best parts of traveling in China. While menus may sometimes include English, restaurant staff will often speak Chinese when serving you.

Here are some common restaurant phrases worth knowing.

Qǐng màn yòng.
请慢用。
Enjoy your meal.

You may hear restaurant staff say this when they bring your food. 慢用 is a polite expression used when wishing someone an enjoyable meal.

Hái xūyào shénme ma?
还需要什么吗？
Do you need anything else?

This is a useful phrase to recognize when a server checks whether you need anything more.

Yào dǎbāo ma?
要打包吗？
Would you like to pack the leftovers?

打包 (dǎbāo) means to pack food to take away. If you haven’t finished your meal, a restaurant employee may ask you this question.

Zhè shì nín de cān.
这是您的餐。
Here’s your meal.

Notice the use of 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ). 您 is a polite form of “you” and is commonly used by service staff.

Zhù nín yòngcān yúkuài.
祝您用餐愉快。
Enjoy your meal.

This is a more formal and polite expression you may hear in restaurants.

Travel tip: You don’t need to memorize every restaurant phrase. Start with 打包 (dǎbāo) because it’s especially useful when you want to take leftover food with you.

2. Chinese Phrases You’ll Hear in Taxis

Taking a taxi or ride-hailing service is another situation where knowing a few basic Chinese phrases can make your trip much easier.

Even if you don’t speak much Chinese, recognizing these phrases can help you understand what’s happening during your ride.

Dào le.
到了。
We’ve arrived.

This short phrase is commonly used to tell a passenger that they’ve reached the destination.

Kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ xià chē.
可以在这里下车。
You can get off here.

下车 (xià chē) means “to get out of the vehicle.”

Qiánmiàn yǒudiǎn dǔ.
前面有点堵。
There’s some traffic ahead.

堵 (dǔ) is commonly used when talking about traffic congestion.

Dàgài èrshí fēnzhōng.
大概二十分钟。
About twenty minutes.

大概 (dàgài) means “approximately” or “about.” It’s a very useful word when talking about time.

Màn zǒu.
慢走。
Take care.

Don’t be confused by the literal meaning of 慢走, which is “walk slowly.” In everyday Chinese, it’s a polite expression commonly used when saying goodbye to someone who is leaving.

3. Chinese Hotel Phrases You Should Know

Checking into a hotel can feel stressful when you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language.

Fortunately, hotel conversations often follow a predictable pattern. These phrases are among the most useful ones to recognize.

Qǐng chūshì hùzhào.
请出示护照。
May I see your passport?

护照 (hùzhào) means “passport.”

You may hear this during hotel check-in.

Zhè shì nín de fángkǎ.
这是您的房卡。
Here’s your room key.

房卡 (fángkǎ) means “room key” or “key card.”

Zǎocān zài èr lóu.
早餐在二楼。
Breakfast is on the second floor.

早餐 (zǎocān) means “breakfast,” while 二楼 (èr lóu) means “the second floor.”

Diàntī zài zuǒbiān.
电梯在左边。
The elevator is on your left.

电梯 (diàntī) means “elevator,” and 左边 (zuǒbiān) means “left side.”

Zhù nín rùzhù yúkuài.
祝您入住愉快。
Enjoy your stay.

入住 (rùzhù) means “to check in” or “to stay at a hotel.”

4. Chinese Phrases You’ll Hear on High-Speed Trains

China’s high-speed rail network is one of the most convenient ways to travel between cities.

If you’re taking a high-speed train, you’ll hear announcements and instructions like these.

Qǐng duìhào rùzuò.
请对号入座。
Please sit in your assigned seat.

对号入座 (duìhào rùzuò) means to sit in the seat that matches your ticket.

This is particularly important if you’re traveling by train for the first time.

Lièchē jíjiāng kāichū.
列车即将开出。
The train is about to depart.

This is the kind of formal announcement you may hear before the train leaves.

Xià yī zhàn.
下一站……
Next stop…

下一站 (xià yī zhàn) simply means “next stop.”

It’s a useful phrase to recognize if you’re worried about missing your station.

Qǐng dài hǎo suíshēn wùpǐn.
请带好随身物品。
Please take your belongings.

随身物品 (suíshēn wùpǐn) refers to your personal belongings or items you’re carrying with you.

Xiǎoxīn jiǎoxià.
小心脚下。
Watch your step. / Please mind the gap.

You’ll hear or see this phrase in many public places, not just train stations.

5. Chinese You’ll Hear While Shopping

Shopping in China can be a fun way to practice Chinese. You don’t need complicated sentences—these simple expressions can help you understand common interactions with shop staff.

Suíbiàn kàn.
随便看。
Feel free to look around.

A shop assistant may say this when you enter a store.

Here, 随便 (suíbiàn) has the sense of “feel free to.”

Xūyào dàizi ma?
需要袋子吗？
Do you need a shopping bag?

袋子 (dàizi) means “bag.”

Xūyào xiǎopiào ma?
需要小票吗？
Would you like a receipt?

小票 (xiǎopiào) refers to a small receipt, commonly used in retail situations.

Zhège hěn shòu huānyíng.
这个很受欢迎。
This one is very popular.

If you’re shopping for clothes, souvenirs, or gifts, you may hear this from a salesperson.

Huānyíng zàilái.
欢迎再来。
Hope to see you again. / Welcome again.

This is a friendly expression you may hear when leaving a store.

6. Chinese Phrases at Tourist Attractions

China has countless historical sites, museums, parks, temples, and other tourist attractions.

At popular destinations, you’ll often see signs or hear announcements giving instructions to visitors.

Zhèbiān qǐng.
这边请。
This way, please.

This is a polite way for staff to direct visitors.

Qǐng páiduì.
请排队。
Please line up.

排队 (páiduì) means “to line up” or “queue.”

You’ll see or hear this phrase in many busy tourist destinations.

Piào qǐng shōu hǎo.
票请收好。
Please keep your ticket.

票 (piào) means “ticket,” while 收好 (shōu hǎo) means to keep something safely.

Xiǎoxīn táijiē.
小心台阶。
Watch your step.

台阶 (táijiē) means “steps” or “stairs.”

It’s a useful phrase to recognize when walking around historical sites and tourist attractions.

Qǐng bùyào chùmō.
请不要触摸。
Please do not touch.

You may see this sign in museums, exhibitions, and historical sites.

7. Everyday Chinese Phrases You’ll Hear Everywhere

Some of the most useful Chinese expressions aren’t specific to one location.

They’re short phrases that appear in conversations everywhere in China.

These expressions are especially valuable because you may not find them emphasized in beginner textbooks, but native speakers use them constantly.

Bù jí.
不急。
No rush.

急 (jí) means “to be in a hurry” or “anxious.” So 不急 literally means “not in a hurry.”

Děng yīxià.
等一下。
Just a moment.

This is an extremely common everyday phrase.

You can use it when you need someone to wait briefly.

Méi shì.
没事。
It’s okay. / No problem.

You may hear 没事 after someone apologizes or when someone wants to reassure you that everything is fine.

Màn zǒu.
慢走。
Take care.

As mentioned earlier, 慢走 is a common way to say goodbye politely when someone is leaving.

Kěyǐ.
可以。
Sure. / No problem.

可以 is one of the most useful words in everyday Chinese. Depending on the context, it can mean “can,” “okay,” “sure,” or “that’s fine.”

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Why Learn Travel Chinese Before Your Trip?

You don’t need to become fluent before traveling to China.

Instead, focus on learning high-frequency Chinese phrases that match real situations.

Think about the moments when you will actually need Chinese:

• Ordering or eating at a restaurant
• Taking a taxi
• Checking into a hotel
• Taking a high-speed train
• Shopping
• Visiting tourist attractions
• Having everyday conversations

Learning vocabulary in context makes it easier to remember and much easier to use.

For example, instead of only memorizing:

袋子
Dàizi
Bag

learn the complete question:

需要袋子吗？
Xūyào dàizi ma?
Do you need a shopping bag?

When you hear the full sentence in a store, you’ll be much more likely to recognize what the staff member is asking.

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How to Practice Chinese for Travel

Before your trip, try these three simple steps.

1. Learn phrases, not just individual words

Instead of memorizing hundreds of isolated Chinese words, focus on short expressions you can actually use.

2. Listen before you travel

Reading Chinese is one skill. Understanding spoken Chinese is another.

Listen to each phrase several times and practice recognizing the sound without looking at the English translation.

3. Practice saying the phrases out loud

Don’t just read:

Qǐng páiduì.
请排队。
Please line up.

Say it out loud several times.

The goal isn’t perfect pronunciation. The goal is to become comfortable using practical Chinese in real situations.

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Start Speaking Real Chinese

Traveling in China becomes much easier when you can understand the language around you.

From “Please keep your ticket” at a tourist attraction to “Which floor are you going to?” in an elevator, real-life Chinese is everywhere.

You don’t need to know everything.

Start with the phrases you’re most likely to hear, practice them before your trip, and gradually build your confidence.

Want to learn more real Chinese for travel and everyday life?

Sign up for a free 1-on-1 Chinese lesson and start learning the Chinese you’ll actually use.