The Dragon Boat Festival or Duānwǔ jié（端午节） occurs on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. During this holiday people eat rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves known as Zòngzi（粽子）and race dragon boats. The origins of this festival are most popularly believed to be a commemoration to Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet who was loved by the nation. However the Emperor disapproved of Qu Yuan and sent him into exile. Qu Yuan became so sad that he committed suicide by jumping into a great river. The Chinese people were so shocked by this that they rowed their boats out onto the river to try and rescue him. Reaching him too late, the death of Qu Yuan was said to upset the local people so much that they would throw rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river so that, with the fish unable to eat through the bamboo, the rice would reach Qu Yuan in the afterlife. The Dragon Boat Festival has, since 2008, been celebrated as a statutory public holiday. If you are in China at this time, here are some phrases to help you get through the day:

1) Where is the dragon boat championship being held this year?
今年的龙舟锦标赛在哪里？
Jīnnián de lóngzhōu jǐnbiāosài zài nǎlǐ?

2) Are the boats really shaped like dragons?
龙舟就是象 龙一样的船吗？
Lóngzhōu jiùshì xiàng lóng yīyàng de chuán ma?

3) Which team are you supporting?

支持哪个队？
Nǐ zhīchí nǎge duì?

4) I want some rice dumplings.
我要有一些粽子。
Wǒ yào yǒu yīxiē zòngzi.

5) No, I don’t know any Chinese poems.
不，我不知道任何中国的诗歌。
Bù, wǒ bù zhīdào rènhé zhōngguó de shīgē.

Rice Dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival

Racing！

There is a saying in China “人山人海” (Rénshānrénhǎi) which describes a sea of people or a huge crowd of people. This description of China is not only used in a central city but is most often used at tourist sites. Whether you’re in some remote national heritage sight such as Wǔyí Shān or in the centre of the Forbidden City you will not be alone. China has many wonderful tourist sites on offer as their country boasts one of the biggest internal domestic tourist industries in the world. This means one is likely to come across Chinese tourists, hotel owners and guides more frequently when travelling. For this, we have prepared some handy phrases to keep you above the sea of people.

1) Where is the entrance to the Forbidden City?
故宫 的入口 在哪儿？
Gùgōng de rùkǒu zài nǎ’er?

2) Where is information？
服务台在哪儿？
Fúwù tái zài nǎ’er

3) How much does a ticket cost?
一张票多少钱？
Yī zhāng piào duōshǎo qián?

4) Where can I find an English tour guide?
我在哪儿能找到一个英语的导游？
Wǒ zài nǎ’er néng zhǎodào yīgè yīngyǔ de dǎoyóu?

5) I am lost! Where is the exit of the Forbidden City?
我迷路了！故宫 的出口在哪儿？
Wǒ mílùle! Gùgōng de chūkǒu zài nǎ’er

“人山人海” in Beijing’s Forbidden City.

The Great of Wall of China (长城), which started building as early as the 7th Century BC, is one of China’s most famous landmarks. It spans almost 8, 800 kilometers. The current wall, which many tourists visit was mostly reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty. The most popular area today is called Badaling (八达岭）which is just north of Beijing. Thousands and thousands of tourists flock here every year to experience the amazing construction. There is famous saying, (不到长城非好汉) “You are not a man if you haven’t climbed the great Wall”. Going to Great Wall is good at any time of the year, but remember that summer and winter can be extreme up north in China. Also brings some trainers as the walls get very steep at times. Here are some phrases to help you at the Great Wall.

1) The Great Wall is very majestic.
长城很雄伟。
Chángchéng hěn xióngwěi.

2) Apparently you can see the Great Wall of China from space.
我听说在太空看长城。
Wǒ tīng shuō zài tàikōng kàn chángchéng.

3) Wait! Slow down. I’m tired.
等一下，登慢一点，我很累
Děng yīxià, dēng màn de yīdiǎn, wǒ hěn lèi

4) The mountains are so beautiful.
山很漂亮。
Shān hěn piàoliang.

5) There are too many tourists, I can’t see it.
太多游客，我不能看长城。
Tài duō yóukè, wǒ bùnéng kàn chángchéng.

The Chinese markets are known to harbour the cheapest goods and knockoff items, but you can definitely find some great buys among the markets. The markets are usually claustrophobic with tight spaces, stubborn and aggressive shopkeepers as well hoards of tourists. You can buy anything there. Sometimes the markets have items ranging from jewelry to tech gadgets on one floor. It’s definitely an interesting experience! Now, how can you set yourself apart from the average tourist and come back home to boast a good bargain? Apart from being as stubborn as the shopkeeper and giving prices as low as possible, some Chinese phrases might get your point across or even warm the heart of the shopkeeper to give you a good deal.

1) How much is it?

多少钱?

Duōshǎo qián?

2) Another shop has a cheap price.

别的货摊有便宜的价格。

Bié de huòtān yǒu piányi de jiàgé.

3) I really don’t have money.

我真没有钱。

Wǒ zhēn méiyǒu qián.

4) You are cheating me.

你骗我。

Nǐ piàn wǒ.

5) Forget it! Too expensive.

算了! 太贵了!

Suànle! Tài guìle!

Having originated in China, tea is the country’s long lasting claim to fame. Not only was this gem of the east immensely popular for its taste but also for the health benefits that came along with it. With age and history comes tradition and the drinking of Chinese tea has become somewhat of an everyday ceremony conducted as often as possible. The art of drinking tea involves tea-houses, little cups, specific techniques and depending on where you are in China a certain etiquette (in some regions, conversely from the West, it is polite to slurp at ones tea as loudly as possible). There are mainly four categories of Chinese tea which include white, red, oolong and post-fermented tea. One will when travelling undoubtedly wind up in a tea-house in China wanting to partake in this important ritual and in order to avoid a muck up here are some simple lines to get you through the procedure:

Where is the nearest tea house?
茶座在那儿？
Chá zuò zài nà’er?

I would like some tea
我要一杯茶。
Wǒ yào yībēi chá.

This is delicious
这杯很好喝。
Zhè bēi hěn hǎo hē.

What type of tea is this?
这是什么类型的茶？
Zhè shì shénme lèixíng de chá?

I want to buy some Oolong tea
我要买乌龙茶。
Wǒ yāomǎi wūlóngchá.

China covers a humongous amount of land to the size of 9,596,961 Sq Km. This statistic leaves China only slightly smaller than the entire US. Additionally, China also has over 650 cities, 55 of which hold a population of over a million people. It is then quite explainable as to how one can get easily lost not only from one city to the next but deep within their boundaries. Here are some phrases that should guide you out of a sticky situation:

Which way is the museum?
博物馆在哪儿？
Bówùguǎn zài nǎ’er?

So I must go straight and then turn right at the traffic lights?
一直走， 到红路灯往左拐 吗？
Yīzhí zǒu, dào hóng lùdēng wǎng zuǒ guǎi ma?

Thank you!
谢谢！
Xièxiè!

I must have taken a wrong turn.
我 拐错。
Wǒ guǎi cuò.

I’m not a spy, I am just lost.
我不是间谍，我只迷路的。
Wǒ bùshì jiàndié, wǒ zhǐ mílù de.

The Chinese have many a way of celebrating, one which is more similar to the western way involves Chinese beers (Píjiǔ) such as Tsingtao and Suntory or Chinese spirits such as Báijiǔ or rice wine (Mǐjiǔ). And however you accompany this drinking tradition whether it be singing Karaoke (Kǎ lā O) or dancing on tables, here are some helpful translations to help you the next morning:

I am hungover

我有宿醉

Wǒ yǒu sù zuì

Where is McDonalds

麦当劳在哪儿？

Màidāngláo zài nǎ’er?

I want a Cheese burger

我要芝士汉堡。

Wǒ yào zhīshì hànbǎo。

I want a headache pill

我 要一片头疼的药。

Wǒ yào yīpiàn tóuténg di yào.

Where is the hospital?

一家医院在那儿？

Yījiā yīyuàn zài nà’er?

Any Chinese person will readily tell you that because China occupies many degrees of latitude, the temperature, terrain and cultures within China are vastly different. It can noted that summer in central China (encompassing cities such as Shànghǎi and Wǔhàn) as well as Southern China have an intense heated humidity whereas Northern China is more commonly known for long dry days accompanied by soaring temperatures. Thus, the bottom line that needs to be obtained with this information is that a Chinese summer is hot. To equip any traveller for a hot summer’s day in China, here are a few handy translations:

I want an ice-cream

我要一份冰淇淋。

Wǒ yào yī fèn bīngqílín.

Where can I find a swimming pool?

游泳池在那儿？

Yóuyǒngchí zài nà’er?

I want to buy sunscreen

我想购买防晒油。

Wǒ xiǎng gòumǎi fángshài yóu.

I want a Coke

我要一个 可乐

Wǒ yào yīgè kělè.

I want a glass of cold water

我要一杯冷水。

Wǒ yào yībēi lěngshuǐ.

China is known for its shopping. One can always be guaranteed to find hundreds of stalls offering bargains in any City centre and you may want to do some last minute gift shopping with your limited amount of Yuan or buy an exotic scorpion on a stick to eat. These you may buy at a night market (Yèshì) or within the city centre at your average market (Shìchǎng), whatever the case is here are some helpful translations when trying to stumble through the Chinese bargaining etiquette.

How much is this?

这个是多少钱？

Zhège shì duōshǎo qián?

That is too expensive!

太贵了！

Tài guìle!

Can you make it cheaper?

便宜点儿行吗？

Piányi diǎn er xíng ma?

I only have ten Yuan.

我有只十元。

Wǒ yǒu zhǐ shí yuán

I will come back later

我以后回来。

Wǒ yǐhòu huílái.

I might have head into the posts a bit too quick. Before we start with beer and food, how do you say I in Chinese? Or we? Or you?

First off:

我 (Wǒ) – I.
你 (Nǐ) – You.
他 (Tā) – He.
她 (Tā) – She.
它 (Tā) – It.

They are easy. Notice the small difference in the characters between He and She in Chinese? She has the radical 女 in front which means woman. Now, if you want to make these plural, you just add “们” to it, which is the plural marker for pronouns in Chinese.

我们 (Wǒmen) – We
你们 (Nǐmen) – You all
他们 (Tāmen) – Them/they
她们 (Tāmen) – Them/they (predominantly female)
它们 (Tāmen) – Them/they (mostly used for animals)

It should be noted that there are two we’s in Chinese. 我们 which is exclusive and 咱们 which is inclusive. This means that when you use 咱们 you are including the addressee.

There you go! Those are the basic pronouns translated in Chinese. So now you know how to say I chinese among a few others!

If I have made an error or if you want a sentence translated, email me info@translationinchinese.com