Simple Chinese Phrases for Your Self-Driving Trip in China

A few key Chinese phrases can make your road trip across China much easier — from refueling and checking into hotels to asking for directions or ordering food. Here's a compact guide with useful words and phrases to help you along the way.

Basic Greetings

• 你好 (Nǐ hǎo) – Hello
• 谢谢 (Xièxiè) – Thank you
• 对不起 (Duìbùqǐ) – Sorry / Excuse me
• 没关系 (Méi guānxi) – It's okay / No problem
• 再见 (Zàijiàn) – Goodbye
• 请问 (Qǐng wèn) – May I ask…

On the Road & Logistics

• 租车 (Zū chē) – Rent a car
• 取车 (Qǔ chē) – Pick up the car
• 还车 (Huán chē) – Return the car
• 加油 (Jiā yóu) – Refuel
• 充电 (Chōng diàn) – Charge (for EVs)
• 停车 (Tíng chē) – Park
• 收费站 (Shōu fèi zhàn) – Toll station
• 高速公路 (Gāo sù gōng lù) – Highway
• 买票 (Mǎi piào) – Buy a ticket

Hotels & Check-In

• 入住 (Rù zhù) – Check in
• 退房 (Tuì fáng) – Check out
• 预订 (Yù dìng) – Reservation / Booking
• 护照 (Hù zhào) – Passport
• 房卡 (Fáng kǎ) – Room key

Asking for Directions

• 怎么走？(Zěnme zǒu?) – How do I get there?
• 在哪里？(Zài nǎ lǐ?) – Where is it?
• 左转 (Zuǒ zhuǎn) – Turn left
• 右转 (Yòu zhuǎn) – Turn right
• 直走 (Zhí zǒu) – Go straight
• 停一下 (Tíng yī xià) – Stop for a moment

Eating & Shopping

• 多少钱？(Duō shǎo qián?) – How much is it?
• 太贵了！(Tài guì le!) – Too expensive!
• 便宜一点可以吗？(Pián yí yī diǎn kě yǐ ma?) – Can it be cheaper?
• 现在营业吗？(Xiàn zài yíng yè ma?) – Are you open now?
• 有什么菜推荐？(Yǒu shénme cài tuījiàn?) – Any dishes you recommend?
• 不要辣 (Bú yào là) – No spicy
• 我要这个 (Wǒ yào zhè gè) – I'll take this one
• 买单 (Mǎi dān) – The bill, please

Emergencies & Help

• 帮帮我！(Bāng bāng wǒ!) – Help me!
• 发生事故了 (Fāshēng shìgù le) – There's been a traffic accident
• 医院 (Yī yuàn) – Hospital
• 警察 (Jǐng chá) – Police
• 报警 (Bào jǐng) – Call the police
• 打电话 (Dǎ diàn huà) – Make a phone call

Don't worry if you only know a few words — locals will love that you're trying! Before you travel, practice the pronunciation with any translation app you like (just tap the speaker icon and repeat). Once you're in China, keep in mind that Google services are blocked without a VPN, so it's worth having a translation app that works locally — WeChat has translation built in, and Baidu Translate is a popular choice. Mix a few phrases with a smile, and you'll be amazed how much smoother — and friendlier — your trip across China becomes.