What to say, in the order you'll need it

The phrase lists tell you what exists. These walk you through a real situation from beginning to end — what you say, what the other person is likely to say back, and what usually goes wrong. Everything here uses phrases you can already hear on this site, so nothing is new vocabulary.

12 situations · 82 steps · no sign-up

  1. Step 1Arriving at the airportImmigration, questions and getting out of the terminal.6 steps
  2. Step 2Taking a taxi or DidiGive the address, check the price, pay by QR code.7 steps
  3. Step 3Checking into a hotelBooking, passports, rooms and leaving your bags.8 steps
  4. Step 4Ordering foodMenu, recommendations, spice and the bill.9 steps
  5. Step 5Paying for thingsQR codes, cash and what to do when a card fails.8 steps
  6. Step 6Getting aroundTickets, trains, directions and asking people to slow down.8 steps
  7. Step 7At the pharmacyFind a pharmacy, say what hurts, get the right medicine.5 steps
  8. Step 8Bargaining at a marketBrowse politely, ask the price, talk it down a little.7 steps
  9. Step 9Changing money and ATMsFind a bank, check the rate, dodge the fees.5 steps
  10. Step 10When travel goes wrongMissed stops, dead key cards, refunds and lost bags.6 steps
  11. Step 11Checking out of a hotelLate check-out, the deposit, luggage storage and the ride out.6 steps
  12. Step 12Buying clothesFitting rooms, sizes, colors and exchanges in a real shop.7 steps

Before you fly

The 17-point checklist covers the paperwork, payments and data you should sort out at home — the things no phrase can fix once you've landed.

Start the China travel checklist

Two cards to prepare

Fill them in at home, show them in China: an address card for taxi drivers, and an emergency card with your blood type, allergies and emergency contact. Both are saved on your own device and work offline.

🏨 Address card🚨 Emergency card

Chinese numbers 0–10,000Your saved phrases