Common words in Chinese. Conversational phrases in Chinese that will allow you to relax and enjoy communication

Chinese Language History Chinese is a language with a rich history that dates back to 1122 BC. (BC). While today more than one billion people worldwide speak several variations of Chinese, the history of this language is associated with a more primitive, simpler language known as Proto-Sino-Tibetan. Modern linguists classify Chinese within the Sino-Tibetan group of languages.

Interestingly, the history of the Chinese language is a controversial issue among linguists, as many have conflicting notions of how the evolution of this language should be classified. However, despite ongoing scientific debate, many experts rely on the historical classification system developed by Swedish linguist Bernhard Carlgren in the early 20th century. Carlgren suggested seeing the history of the Chinese language in the following eras: Old Chinese Middle Chinese Modern Chinese Traditionally, Chinese characters are written in columns. These columns must be read from top to bottom and from right to left. Since it is a writing system that uses one character to represent a word or phrase, there are literally thousands of characters. In fact, Hanzi (literally Chinese for "Chinese characters") has over 50,000 characters. This is a huge number of counting characters, particularly for the high level of illiteracy in China. In an attempt to circumvent this problem, the People's Republic of China introduced a program to simplify the language into a set of commonly used characters. Today's notation system uses approximately 6,000 of these characters. Of course, proper names of symbols are also used, which rarely appear.

Numbers and numbers

Shops, hotels, transport

For different occasions

At the restaurant

Chinese video lessons for beginners

Do you know what is the most embarrassing moment for all foreigners learning Chinese? When they realize that “ni hao” is far from the most popular word that the people of the Middle Kingdom use to greet.

How do you say “hello” or “how are you” in Chinese? Just for you - six ways to say it.

Bonus! (ni hao!) / 您好 (Ning hao!) - “Hello!” / “Hello!”

In case you have just started learning Chinese, or you are a simple tourist who is not even going to learn the language, but has already applied for a visa to the Celestial Empire.

“Ni Hao” is the first thing all foreigners learn. And even those who are completely unfamiliar with the language know that if you want to say “hello” in Chinese, say “ni hao.” If translated literally, the meaning will be consonant with our “hello”: “neither” - you; "hao" - good.

In fact, locals rarely use this phrase, as it sounds too formal. “Ning hao” is a respectful form (“ning” means you). Most often used to greet teachers or superiors. In this form it is actively used.

Also, quite often, even in the first lessons of Chinese, they learn: if you add an interrogative particle to “ni hao”, then the greeting turns into the question “how are you” (“ni hao ma?”). However, this will immediately make you look like a foreigner. The Chinese use this phrase not to ask how things are, but to make sure that everything is fine. That is, when you say “ni hao ma,” you focus on the fact that the person looks, to put it mildly, unimportant and you want to find out if he is healthy.

早！(Zao!) - “Good morning!”

"Zao" is short for 早上好! (“Zao shang hao!”), which means “good morning.” This is one of the popular ways to say “hello” in Chinese. The only case when using this word is inappropriate is if it is evening outside.

你吃了吗？(Ni chi le ma?) - “Have you eaten?”

If you are asked, “Ni chi le ma?”, don’t rush to talk about the delicious sandwich you had for breakfast or look around for food.

For the Chinese, this is not an invitation to dinner, but a way to ask how you are doing. It is enough to simply answer: “Chi le. No ne? (“I’ve eaten, and you?”). This is how you express unobtrusive concern for the person. If you ask this way, no one will demand treats from you, but it is quite possible that the locals’ attitude towards you will become several degrees warmer. The Chinese love foreigners who not only know how to say “hello” in Chinese, but are also not surprised when asked about food.

最近好吗？(Zui jin hao ma?) - “How are things going?”

“Zui jin hao ma?” similar to Russian “how are you?” The answer may be the same as in your native language. You can limit yourself to a short “hao” - “good”, or simply nod your head affirmatively. Or, if your language level allows you, you can say a couple of phrases about how things are going.

喂 (Way!) - “Hello?”

This is how the Chinese answer phone calls. A very simple and pleasant sounding word. It is used by everyone, regardless of age, gender and social status.

去哪儿？(Chu nar?) - “Where are you going?”

“Ni chu nar?” is a way to say "hello" in Chinese if you bump into someone. By our standards, such a question may seem like excessive curiosity, especially when the interlocutor is a casual acquaintance. However, for the Chinese this is just a way to show concern and show some respect for a person.

Often a question form is used where the location is already specified. For example, when faced with a student or schoolchild, you can ask: “Chu shan ky le?” (“Are you going to class/classes?”).

好久不见！(Hao jou bu zen!) - “Long time no see!”

“Hao jou bu zen!” - this is how you can say “hello” in Chinese to an old acquaintance whom you have not seen for quite a long time. This phrase has a very positive emotional connotation.

Small "but"

As you probably know, Chinese is a tone language. The same word said in a different tone can mean something completely different. Of course, if you are a tourist, and even a fair-haired one, then the good-natured Chinese will definitely make a discount on this. But if you want to sound like a local, be warned: knowing how to say "hello" in Chinese isn't enough. Pronunciation also plays an important role.

There is a very simple option for those who are not going to seriously study the language - enter the phrase into an online translator with the ability to listen to the typed text and just try to copy the speaker’s intonation. It's much easier than understanding the nuances of one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world to learn.

Most importantly, don't be afraid to speak up. The Chinese will always be happy to tell you how to do it right. Especially if you respond by taking a photo with them and teaching them a few phrases in Russian or English. Or buy something since the noodle vendor helped you.

Tourists in China often encounter the problem of a language barrier. This is because even in big cities a limited number of Chinese speak English. And if in stores you can communicate using gestures and signs, then for communication in transport or in other public places it is better to memorize simple phrases and take with you a phrase book or a dictionary with transcription.

The most popular Chinese words

China is a country where live communication is valued. Here you cannot stand aside and be an outside observer. It is not easy for representatives of Western culture to get used to this way of life. A few of the most popular words should be learned by every person planning a trip to China. There are no words “yes” and “no” in this language; instead, more than 20 particles are used to express one’s attitude to a given issue.

Basic Chinese phrases with translation that will be useful in any situation:

When communicating with the Chinese, you can ask about the history and culture of their country, family and family traditions. But it is better not to touch upon political topics or discuss economic problems. Asking a Chinese person if it will rain can be an insult. The fact is that rain is predicted by a turtle, and identifying a person with this animal is an insult.

Simple phrases for children

Knowledge of basic expressions will help the child join the team and develop his social skills. It is important to be able to say hello, introduce yourself and get to know each other, express your attitude to what is happening, and maintain a conversation. Young people like to start phrases with the word “Hey”:

Among young people, the phrase “how are you” or “how is life” is often replaced with the informal “What’s going on here?” 诶, 什么事？(ēi, shén me shì?) Hey, sheng mi shi?

Chinese phrasebook with pronunciation in Russian

Depending on the situation, different phrases may be needed. The main thing is that the interlocutor understands what we are talking about, and he can answer with a gesture or show the direction with his hand.

Appeals

When addressing strangers, you should not use colloquial addresses such as “aunt” or “uncle” unnecessarily. When communicating with good friends, it is appropriate to use the first name, and in a more formal setting, the first and last names, and first you need to put the person’s status, then the last name and first name.

Some time ago, a popular address in China was the word “comrade”, by analogy with the USSR. It’s better not to use this word now, as it has a new meaning: “gay.”

Common phrases

Knowing common phrases will help you make new acquaintances. China has both standard formal phrases and youth slang expressions. You should not use them without understanding your surroundings.

At customs

Knowing basic phrases will help you pass customs inspection and prevent unpleasant situations when crossing the border. The rules for importing and exporting goods from the customs territory of China are very confusing. It is important to keep all receipts for goods purchased in China. All valuables and jewelry must be declared upon entering the country so that there are no problems with export.

At the station

There are a lot of checks at the train station in China, so it is better to carry your passport with you along with your ticket. All information about trains is displayed on a large illuminated board, which is located near the main entrance. Without knowing the language, there you can find the train number, its departure time and the floor to which you should go. All other information is indicated in hieroglyphs, so you should not delve into it without knowing how to read. There are waiting rooms for different trains on different floors of the station; you need to find yours and wait for the corresponding announcement.

The Chinese are always running to take up space. Therefore, as soon as the train is boarded, all passengers from the waiting room will grab their bags and run, pushing everyone in their path.

If you can’t find your carriage, you need to show your ticket to the conductor - he will direct you in the right direction.

When buying a ticket, you should write down your destination, the number of tickets and the desired date on a piece of paper and give it to the cashier.

In transport

To get to a hotel or other desired location, you can use the map and show the taxi driver the desired location. When using a business card or handwritten address, it is important to be sure that the spelling is correct.

Taxi drivers in China can take advantage of the fact that a tourist does not know the area and drive him around in circles to inflate the price. This can be avoided if you create your own route in the navigator and show it to the driver. Also, ordering an official taxi with checkers and a meter can protect you from troubles.

At the hotel

Hotel staff in China practically does not speak English or Russian. If the hotel is 4 stars or higher, then it must have English-speaking reception staff. Gestures and pictures will help you communicate with maids, porters and other staff. Before checking in, it is advisable to check the integrity of the furniture in the room, the presence of all equipment, and the fullness of the minibar, so that you do not have to pay for something that was damaged by someone else.

When you don’t need to rush, it’s convenient to use an electronic translator - a special program on your smartphone that translates all phrases and reproduces speech. It must work online, but in China there are difficulties with the Internet, some services are limited, messages in instant messengers are sometimes moderated.

Emergencies

If you ask something on the street, it is better to find a policeman or an older, intelligent-looking person and ask the question or show it written on paper.

In the event of unforeseen situations, you should not argue or speak rudely with government officials. You should remain calm and be polite.

It is important to have the phone number of your country's consulate on hand so that you can contact them in an emergency.

On the streets of large cities there are “people's telephones”, as well as telephone booths that charge money for a conversation from a card.

If a tourist falls ill during his stay in China, then before going to the doctor you need to:

• find all the symptoms on the Internet and write them down in Chinese on paper;
• Buy a protective mask from germs at the pharmacy, of which there are many in Asian medical institutions.

At the reception you need to present the prepared sheet, and the administrator will tell you how much you need to pay and which office to go to. If a foreigner does not have insurance, treatment can be expensive.

Dates and times

Time in Chinese is made up of the hour number from 1 to 12 and the word “hour” itself 点 (diǎn). The Chinese do not use a 24-hour time system. The days of the week in Chinese have no name - they are numbered. The name of the day of the week consists of the week (xinqi) and the number of the day of the week.

Numerals

You will have to use a lot of numbers during your trip to China, so it’s better to practice in advance.

• 10+1 = 11 (shi and)
• 10+5 = 15 (shi y)
• 3+10 = 30 (san shi)
• 4+10+5 = 45 (sy shi wu)

A popular Chinese way of showing numbers on the fingers. The fingers of one hand are used to represent prime numbers from 1 to 9:

While shopping

Trade in China is developing and is focused on Russian buyers. Therefore, in many boutiques, sellers know certain words, and some speak broken Russian. But the most proven way to bargain is a calculator.

In large shopping centers, where there are many Russian shoppers, you can meet Chinese traders who have taken European pseudonyms (Sasha, Natasha and others). They do this for the convenience of their clients. If we are talking about a business partner, then it is better to remember the Chinese name and pronounce it without errors.

While eating

The Chinese love to eat, they spend their weekends in cafes and meet friends there.

When visiting Chinese restaurants you need to be prepared for the following:

• most food is spicy;
• no menu in English;
• the waiters speak only Chinese.

A good way out of the situation would be to print out the names of dishes in hieroglyphs with the names of the products and display them for ordering. Separately, you need to prepare the phrase “I don’t eat spicy things.” If the menu says 辣, it means the dish is very spicy.

You should not rely on the taste of the waiter or ask for the best dish in the restaurant - most likely it will be aimed at the taste of the Chinese, not the European.

Conclusion

Tones are of great importance in the pronunciation of words. One word spoken with different intonations can take on a completely different meaning. Puntuhua has 4 syllabic tones that have symbols.

• The 1st tone is intonationally similar to an unfinished phrase;
• 2nd tone – short, similar to asking again;
• 3rd tone – like a puzzled question;
• The 4th tone is short and resembles an order.

We learn the melody of pronunciation of Chinese words like a song, then working on the tones will not be a problem.

To master the rules of pronunciation, you should listen to the speech of native speakers, watch video lessons or attend courses. The study should be based on the auditory level. Interrogative sentences in Chinese are pronounced with a rising intonation, while declarative sentences are pronounced with a falling intonation.
Basic knowledge of the Chinese language and some words will improve the quality of travel in this country.

Greetings and farewells
Hello - nihao - 你好
Hi all! - dajia hao - 大家好
Long time no see - haojiu bujian - 好久不见
How are you - ni zenmeyang - 你怎么样?
Excellent - henhao - 很好
Not bad - bucuo - 不错
So-so - mama huhu - 马马虎虎
No way - bu zenmeyang - 不怎么样
Goodbye - zaijian - 再见
See you - zaihui - 再会
See you tomorrow - mingtian jian - 明天见
Bye - baibai - 拜拜

Frequently used phrases
I love traveling on my own - wo xihuan ziji lvyou - 我喜欢自己旅游
Thank you - xiexie - 谢谢
Please - bukeqi - 不客气
Please (please) - qing - 请
Sorry - buhaoyisi - 不好意思
Sorry (I am sorry) - duibuqi - 对不起
Sorry, - qingwen - 请问,
Yes - dui - 对
No - bu (bu shi) - 不(不是)
I don't know - bu zhidao - 不知道
I don’t understand (what you are saying) - ting bu dong - 听不懂
I don’t understand (in general) - bu ming bai - 不明白
Where are you from (what country) - ni shi na ge guojia de - 你是哪个国家的?
I'm from Russia - wo shi eluosiren - 我是俄罗斯人
No problem - meiwenti - 没问题
Wait a minute - deng yixia - 等一下
Decide for yourself (up to you) - sui bian - 随便
Forget (give it up) - suan le - 算了
What? - shenme 什么?
Where? - nali - 哪里?
When? - shenme shihou - 什么时候?
How? - zenme - 怎么?
Why? - weishenme - 为什么?
Which? - neige - 哪个?
Who? - shui - 谁?
Give me - gei wo - *给我
Take - gei ni - 给你
Bad or good? - haobuhao - 好不好?
Yes or not? - 有没有?
What to do? - zenmeban - 怎么办?
Nothing can be done - meibanfa - 没办法

Languages ​​and communication
Do you speak English? - ni hui shuo yingwen ma - 你会说英文吗?
Does anyone here speak Russian? zheli you ren hui shuo eyu ma - 这里有人会说俄语吗?
How to say... in Chinese? - ... zhongwen zenme shuo - 。。。中文怎么说?
What means...? - ... shi shenme yisi - 。。。是什么意思?
I don't understand - ting bu dong - 听不懂

Transport
Airport - feijichang - 飞机场
Railway train station - huochezhan - 火车站
Bus station - qichezhan - 汽车站
Metro - ditie - 地铁
I need to get to the airport - wo yao qu feijichang - 我要去飞机场
I need a cheap ticket... - wo yao yi zhang qu ***pianyi de piao - 我要一张去***便宜的票
One way ticket - dan cheng piao - 单程票
Return ticket - wang fan piao - 往返票
I need two compartment tickets to Beijing - wo yao liang zhang dao bei jing de ruanwo piao - 我要两张到北京的软卧票
I need a plane ticket to Sanya (for other cities, see the next geographical branch) - wo yao yi zhang qu san ya de feiji piao - 我要一张去三亚的飞机票
I want to change my ticket - wo xiang huan wo de piao - *我想换我的票

Accommodation
I'm looking for an inexpensive hotel - wo yao zhao pianyi de lvguan - 我要找便宜的旅馆
Do you have any available rooms - nin zheli you fangjian ma - 您这里有房间吗?
I need an inexpensive double (single) room - wo yao pianyi de shuangrenjian (danrenjian) - 我要便宜的双人间(单人间)
What is the price? - duoshaoqian - 多少钱?
Sea view room - hai jing fang - 海景房
Can't it be cheaper? - keyi bu keyi pianyi yidian - 可以不可以便宜一点?
Is breakfast included in the price? - han zaocan ma - 含早餐吗?
I would like to pay, checkout - wo xiang tui fang - 我想退房

Directions
I'm lost - wo milule - 我迷路了
How to get? - zenmezou - 怎么走?
In which direction - wang na ge fangxiang - 往哪个方向?
Ahead - qianmian - 前面
From behind - houmian - 后面
On the right - youbian - 右边
Left -zuobian - 左边
Please tell me where is the bathhouse nearby - qingwen, zai zhe"er fujin youmeiyou yuchi - 请问,在这儿附近有没有浴池?
... sauna - sangna - 桑拿
... toilet - cesuo - 厕所
... hotel - bingguan - 宾馆
... internet cafe - wangba - 网吧
... diner - xiaochidian - 小吃店
... mail - youju- 邮局
... supermarket - chaoshi - 超市
... market - shichang - 市场
... bus stop - qichezhan - 汽车站
... ATM - qukuanji -取款机
... hospital - yiyuan - 医院
... police - jingchaju - 警察局
... Bank of China - zhongguo yinhang - 中国银行

Shopping
I want to buy... - wo xiang mai... - 我想买。。。
What is the price? - duo shao qian - 多少钱?
Can I have a look? - keyi kankan ma - 可以看看吗?
It's too expensive - tai guile - 太贵了
I don't like it - wo bu xihuan - 我不喜欢
Can I pay by credit card? - keyi yong xinyongka ma - 可以用信用卡吗?
Are you crazy? - ni feng le - 你疯了?

At the restaurant
Are you hungry? - ni e le ma - 你饿了吗?
I'm starving to death - wo e si le - 我饿死了
I'm hungry - wo yao chifan - 我要吃饭
I haven't eaten for three days - wo santian mei chi fan le - 我三天没吃饭了
I am a vegetarian - wo chi su - 我吃素
Waiter! - fuwuyuan - 服务员
Menu - caidan - 菜单
Not spicy - bu la - 不辣
Cold - bing de - 冰的
Eat - chi fan ba - 吃饭吧
Napkins - canjinzhi - 餐巾纸
Is it possible to smoke here? - zai zheli keyi chouyan ma - 在这里可以抽烟吗?
Where is the toilet? - xishoujian zai nali - 洗手间在哪里?
Meat - rou - 肉
Fish - yu - 鱼
Noodles - mian - 面
Steamed rice - mifan - 米饭
Fried rice - chaofan - 炒饭
Dumplings - jiaozi - 饺子
Chopsticks - kuaizi - 筷子
Can I have a fork (spoon) - nimen haiyou chazi (shaozi) ma - 你们还有叉子(勺子)吗?
Check! - maidan - 买单

In the supermarket
Bread - mianbao- 面包
Water - shui - 水
Package - daizi - 袋子
Shopping cart - gou wu lan - 购物篮
Shopping cart - gou wu che - 购物车
Membership card - hui yuan ka - 会员卡

Photo and video
Digital camera - shuma zhaoxiangji- 数码照相机
Memory card - cunshu ka - 存储卡
Camera bag - zhaoxiangji bao - 照相机包
I lost my camera - wo diushi le wo de zhaoxiangji - 我丢失了我的照相机
My camera was stolen - wo de zhaoxiangji bei tou le - 我的照相机被偷了

Useful things
Map - ditu - 地图
Flashlight - shoudian - 手电
Mobile phone - shouji - 手机
Toilet paper - wei sheng zhi - 卫生纸
Aspirin - asipilin - 阿司匹林
Sunscreen - fangshaiyou - 防晒油