Language
Although in most hotels and some restaurants it's possible to make yourself understood in English, here is a list of useful expressions in Mandarin that you can use during your trip.
The official language in Beijing is Mandarin Chinese, also known as pǔtōnghùa. Since 1979, Pinyin has been used as the phonetic transcription system of Mandarin Chinese using the Latin alphabet.
Greetings
- Hello
- Nǐ hǎo
- Goodbye
- Zàijiàn
- Good morning
- Nǐ zǎo
- Goodnight
- Wǎnshàng hǎo
- Please
- Quing
- Thank you
- Xiè-xiè
- You're welcome
- Bù yòng xiè
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Restaurant
- Starter
- Kāiwèi cài
- Ice cream
- Bīng
- Milk
- Niúnǎi
- Tea
- Chá
- Cooked
- Kǎo
- Cocido
- Shú
- Fried
- Yóu jiān
- Salt
- Yán
- Pepper
- Hújiāo
- Onion
- Yángcōng
- Garlic
- Dàsuàn
- Prawns
- Dà xiā
- Vegetable
- Shūcài
- Fish
- Yú lèi
- Lamb
- Yángròu
- Rice
- Dàmǐ
- Chicken
- Jī
- Pork
- Zhū ròu
- Beef
- Xiǎo niúròu
- Fruit
- Shuǐguǒ
- The bill
- Zhànghào
-
Days of the Week
- Monday
- Zhōuyī
- Tuesday
- Zhōu'èr
- Wednesday
- Zhōusān
- Thursday
- Zhōu sì
- Friday
- Zhōu wǔ
- Saturday
- Zhōu liù
- Sunday
- Zhōu rì
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Numbers
- One
- Yi
- Two
- Er
- Three
- San
- Four
- Si
- Five
- Wu
- Six
- Liu
- Seven
- Qi
- Eight
- Ba
- Nine
- Jiu
- Ten
- Shi
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