How to say “My card doesn't work” in Chinese
“My card doesn't work” in Chinese is 我的卡不能用。, written in pinyin as Wǒ de kǎ bù néng yòng.
我的卡不能用。
Wǒ de kǎ bù néng yòng.
My card doesn't work.
Word by word
What each part of 我的卡不能用。 actually means.
- 我wǒI / me
- 的depossessive particle
- 卡kǎcard
- 能néngcan / to be able to
- 用yòngto use
When you use it
- Use it when a foreign card declines — the default experience in China, since most terminals read UnionPay only.
- It also sets up the graceful pivot to the payment app, which staff suggest the moment you say it.
Use 我的卡不能用。 in money situations. Pay like a local: QR codes, Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash and cards.
Other ways people say it
The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.
卡刷不了。
Kǎ shuā bu liǎo
The card won't swipe.
这卡刷不过去。
Zhè kǎ shuā bu guòqù
This card won't go through.
我用支付宝吧。
Wǒ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ba
I'll just use Alipay.
What usually trips people up
- Retrying five times — foreign Visa and Mastercard rarely pass a POS terminal; two tries, then switch rails.
- Blaming the merchant — their terminal genuinely cannot read the card; it is infrastructure, not attitude.
- Forgetting bank ATMs — foreign cards usually DO work in bank machines for cash withdrawal, which is the reliable backup.
What you might hear back
- 刷不了国外的卡。Shuā bu liǎo guówài de kǎForeign cards don't go through here.
- 旁边就有ATM。Pángbiān jiù yǒu ATMThere's an ATM right nearby.
- 您用支付宝吧，都能付。Nín yòng Zhīfùbǎo ba, dōu néng fùJust use Alipay — it works everywhere.
Common questions
- How do you say "My card doesn't work" in Chinese?
- "My card doesn't work" in Chinese is 我的卡不能用。 — written in pinyin as Wǒ de kǎ bù néng yòng. It is a money phrase you would use in China.
- What does 我的卡不能用。 mean in Chinese?
- 我的卡不能用。 (Wǒ de kǎ bù néng yòng) means "My card doesn't work". Broken down word by word: 我 (wǒ) means "I / me"; 的 (de) means "possessive particle"; 卡 (kǎ) means "card"; 能 (néng) means "can / to be able to"; 用 (yòng) means "to use".
- When would you use "My card doesn't work" in Chinese?
- Use it when a foreign card declines — the default experience in China, since most terminals read UnionPay only. It also sets up the graceful pivot to the payment app, which staff suggest the moment you say it.
Where you'll use it
我的卡不能用。 comes up in these situations, in this order.
More Money phrases
Learn all 17 Money phrases
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