Chinese (Mandarin)/Common Phrases

Chinese languages Chinese, Cantonese (Sinitic) Note: Cantonese is a tonal language. Pronunciations provided below include numbers indicating tone. Tone 1 is high and level/falling; 2 is medium and rising; 3 is medium and level; 4 is low and falling; 5 is low and rising, 6 is low and level. For more info, see Standard Cantonese. The characters shown are Traditional Chinese characters. Pronunciation is given using Jyutping and IPA. However, non-use of the tones will not hinder comprehension for such simple phrases. Translation Phrase Jyutping IPACantonese:廣東話gwong2 dung1 waa2/kwɔːŋ2 tʊŋ1 wɑː2/hello你好nei5 hou2/nei5 hou2/good-bye再見zoi3 gin3/tsɔːi3 kiːn3/bye-bye拜拜baai1 baai3/pɑːi1 pɑːi3/please唔該m4 goi1/m̩4 kɔːi1/thank you (for gifts)多謝do1 ze3/tɔː1 tsɛː3/thank you (for services rendered)唔該m4 goi1/m̩4 kɔːi1/sorry對唔住deoi3 m4 zyu6/dɵy3 m̩4 tsyː6/this one呢個ni1 go3 or nei1 go3/niː1 kɔː3/ or /nei1 kɔː3/that one嗰個go2 go3/kɔː2 kɔː3/how much/many? (ask for quantity)有幾多個呀yau5 gei2 do1 go3 aa3/jɐu5 kei2 tɔː1 kɔː3 ɑː3/how much? (ask for amount of money)幾多錢呀gei2 do1 cin2 aa3/kei2 tɔː1 ts̚in2 ɑː3/yes係hai6/hɐi6/no唔係m4 hai6/m̩4 hɐi6/correct/right啱am1/a:m1/incorrect/wrong唔啱m4 am1/m̩4 a:m1/I don’t understand我唔明ngo5 m4 ming4/ŋɔː5 m̩4 mɪŋ4/Where's the washroom (toilet, lavatory)?洗手間喺邊度呀？sai2 sau2 gaan1 hai2 bin1 dou6 aa3/sɐi2 sɐu2 kɑːn1 hɐi2 piːn1 tou6 ɑː3/Do you speak English?你識唔識講英文呀？nei5 sik1 m4 sik1 gong2 jing1 man2 aa3/nei5 sɪk1 m̩4 sɪk1 kɔːŋ2 jɪŋ1 mɐn2 ɑː3/ Note: Cantonese, like most of the other Chinese languages, does not actually have words for “yes” and “no”. Translations for “yes” and “no” given above actually mean “it is” and “it is not” and can be used for questions asking for confirmation. However, for certain yes/no questions, one would normally respond with the verb or the negation of the verb. For instance, to respond to a question such as “do you want to go?” one would respond with “want” or “not want”. Chinese, Mandarin (Sinitic) Note || Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language. Tone 1 (e.g. mā) is high and level; 2 (e.g., má) is rising; 3 (e.g., mǎ) is low dipping; 4 (e.g., mà) is falling. Also note that the first set of characters preceding the slashes are in simplified Chinese characters and the ones following the slashes are in traditional characters. If the simplified- and traditional-character versions of a phrase are identical, only one phrase is shown. Translation Phrase Pinyin IPA Pronunciation Remarks Literal meaning Mandarin Chinese 国语 / 國語or 普通话 / 普通話 (Guóyǔ) (Pǔtōnghuà) [kwɔ̌ jỳ] [pʰù tʰʊ̋ŋ xwɑ̂] || (gwo yu) (poo-toong-hwa) || National language Common speech hello 你好 (ní hǎo) [nǐ xàw] (knee-how) You're good good-bye 再见 / 再見 (zàijiàn) [tsâj ʨjɛ̂n] (dzai-jyen) Meet again, lit “to the next sighting” please 请 / 請 (qǐng) [ʨʰìŋ] (cheeng) thank you 谢谢 / 謝謝 (xièxie) [ɕjɛ̂-ɕjɛ̂] (shyeh-shyeh) good morning 早安 (zǎo'ān) good night 晚安 (wǎn'ān) good luck （祝你）好运 / （祝你)好運 ((zhù nǐ) hǎoyùn) that one 那个 / 那個 (nèige) [nêj kə] (nay guh) See Usage Note 1 sorry 对不起 / 對不起 (duìbuqǐ) (dway boo chee) no problem 没关系 / 沒關係 (méiguānxì) (may gwan shee) how much? 多少 (duōshǎo) [twɔ̋ ʂàw] (dwo shahw) Many few English 英文 (Yīngwén) [jɪ̋ŋ wə̌n] (ing wen) Can you speak English? 你会说英文吗 / 你會說英文嗎 Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma? yes 是 ('shì) /ʂɻ̂/ (sher as in sherpa) See Usage Note 2 [It] is no 不 (bù) [pû] (boo) where's the toilet? 厕所在哪里 / 廁所在哪裏 (cèsuǒ zài nǎli?) [tsʰɤ̂ swɔ̀ tsâj nɑ̌ lì] (tsuh swo dzai nah lee?) Not the politest, but you'll get your point across! Bathroom at/in where generic toast 干杯 / 乾杯 (gānbēi) [ka̋n pe̋j] (gahn bay) Dry glass/cup The second syllable of “nèige” is actually a generic measure word; it is replaced by the appropriate measure word for the noun it refers to. You may therefore hear a number of different syllables after the initial nèi. In many parts of southern China, nèi is also pronounced nà. This actually means “it is” and can only be used in an answer to a question with the verb “to be” (in casual speech, this can be neglected). Languages like Chinese, Irish, Toki Pona, and Welsh do not have words for “yes” or “no”. Instead you repeat the main verb of the question in your answer. Shaking your head in affirmation or negation works as expected, though speakers should ensure they are answering negative questions as literally asked – answering in the negative to “You don’t like him?” would indicate that you do like him. Chinese, Shanghainese (Sinitic) Note: Chinese characters for Shanghainese are not standardized and are provided for reference only. IPA transcription is for the Middle period of modern Shanghainese (中派上海话), pronunciation of those between 20 and 60 years old. translationNorthern WuLumaziIPASimplified ChineseShanghainese (language):ZanheghaewoZanheireiwo[zɑ̃.'he.ɦɛ.ɦʊ]上海咸话Shanghainese (people):ZanhegninZanheinin[zɑ̃.'he.ɲɪɲ]上海人I ghoo, gnouwo, ngu[ɦʊ], [ŋu]我we or Iáláaelae[ɐˑ.lɐʔ]阿拉he/shejiyi[ɦi]伊theyjilayila[ɦi.la]伊拉you (sing.)nonnon[noŋ]侬you (plural)nana[na]人那hello:non honon ho[noŋ hɔ]侬好good-bye: tsewetzeiwei[ˈtse.ɦue]再会thank you: ziaja nonzhaya non[ʑ̻ia.ja noŋ]谢谢侬sorry:tevéchiteivechi[te.vəˑ.ʨʰi]对勿起but, however:daezu, daezu nedeizi, deizi nei[dɛ.zɿ], [dɛ.zɿ.ne]但是, 但是呢please:tshinchin[ʨʰɪɲ]请that one:etsá, itsáeitzae, itzae[ˈe.tsɐʔ], [i.tsɐʔ]哎只, 伊只there:etá, itáeitae, itae[ˈe.tɐʔ], [i.tɐʔ]哎耷, 伊耷over there:emitá, imitáeimitae, imitae[ˈe.mi.tɐʔ], [i.mi.tɐʔ]哎米耷, 伊米耷here:gétágetae[gəˑ.tɐʔ]搿耷to havejeutéyoute[ɦiɤɯ.təʔ]有得to exist, here, present:láhelaehei[lɐˑ.he]辣海now, current:jiezeyizei[ɦi.ze]现在what time is it?:jieze citie tson?yizei citi tzon?[ɦi.ze ʨi.ti 'tsoŋ]现在几点钟？where:ghalitá, sadifanralitae, sadifan[ɦa.ɺi.tɐʔ], [sa.di.fɑ̃]何里耷, 啥地方what:sasa[sa]啥who:sagninsanin[sa.ɲɪɲ]啥人why:wesaweisa[ɦue.sa]为啥when:sazencuansazenkuan[sa.zəɲ.kuɑ̃]啥辰光how:nanen, nana, nanencananen, nana, nanenka[na.nəɲ], [na.na], [na.nəɲ.ka]哪能, 哪哪, 哪能家 how much?:cidie a?cidi a?[ʨi.di 'a]几钿啊?yes: ehei[ˈe]哎no: m, vézu, mmé, viom, vezi, mme, vio[m̩], [vəˑ.zɿ], [m̩məʔ], [viɔ]呒、勿是、呒没telephone number: diewo ghodeudiwo rodou[di.ɦʊ ɦɔ.dɤɯ]电话号头home: ólihianoelishan[oˑ.ɺi.ɕiã]屋里向Come to our house and play.to álá ólihian le bésian.to aelae oelishan lei beshan.[tɔ ɐˑ.lɐʔ oˑ.ɺi.ɕiɑ̃ le bəˑ.ɕiã]到阿拉屋里向来孛相（白相）！Where's the restroom?:daseucae lélá ghalitá?dasoukei lelae ralitae?[da.sɤɯ.kɛ ɺəˑ.ɺɐʔ ɦa.ɺi.tɐʔ]汏手间勒勒何里耷?Have you eaten dinner?: javae chícoulé va?yavei chiekule va?[ɦia.vɛ ʨʰɪˑ.ku.ləʔ va]夜饭吃过了伐?I don’t know:ghoo véhioté.wo veshote.[ɦʊ vəˑ.ɕiɔ.təʔ]我勿晓得Do you speak English?: non Inven weté can va?non Inven weite kan va?[noŋ ˈɪn.vəɲ ɦue.təʔ kã va]侬英文会得讲伐?I love you:ghoo e non!wo ei non.[ɦʊ e noŋ]我爱侬！I adore you:ghoo emó non.wo eimoe non.[ɦʊ e.moʔ noŋ]我爱慕侬I like you a lot:ghoo lo huoehi non ghé!wo lo hueushi non re.[ɦʊ ɺɔ ˈhuø.ɕi noŋ ɦəʔ]我老欢喜侬个！newssinven shinven[ɕɪɲ.vəɲ]新闻deadsithélé shithele[ɕi.tʰəˑ.ləʔ]死脱了alivewéláhewelaehei[ɦuəˑ.lɐˑ.he]活辣海 Unlike Mandarin, Shanghainese actually has the direct “yes” (eh/ei) similar to English. Chinese, Min Nan / Taiwanese (Sinitic) The Han characters provided below are for reference only. They are not necessarily standard. Translation Characters Romanization Remarks Min Nan 閩南語 Bân-lâm-gú Taiwanese 臺灣話 Tâi-oân-oē Hokkien 福建話 Hok-kiàn-oē Hello. 食飽未? Chia̍h pá boeh? (literally, Eaten full yet? Note: This greeting came about at a time when most of Taiwan was in poverty, so to say that one has had enough to eat would be to imply that the person is “doing well”.) Goodbye. 平安 Pêng-an. (literally, Peace, can also be used as a greeting; primarily Christian usage.) Please 拜託 Pài-thok Thank you 勞力 Ló·-la̍t 感謝 (Kám-siā) (literally, "be grateful for, praise") or 感恩 (Kám-ún) is more common in Taiwan. That one 彼個 Hit-ê how much? 若濟? goā choē? is 是 Sī not 唔是 m̄-sī (literally, "not is") Sorry 失禮 Sit-le Embarrassed! 歹勢! Pháiⁿ-sè! (often used in response when offered/given something by a host) I don't understand. 我聽無. Goá thiaⁿ bô. (literally, "I hear not") Where's the bathroom? 便所佇叨? Piān-só· tī toh? (literally "bathroom is where?") Cheers! 呼乾啦! Hō· ta lah! (literally, Let it [the cup/glass] be dry [empty]!) Do you speak English? 你咁講英語? Lí kám kóng Eng-gú?