🗣️ Daily Transactions in Chinese: Your Survival Toolkit
Imagine you’re a friendly explorer landing in China. You have a magic phrase book that opens doors, fills your belly, and helps you get things done. Let’s build that magic book together!
🎯 The Big Picture
Think of Chinese daily conversations like ordering from a restaurant menu. Each situation has a “menu” of phrases. Once you know the pattern, you can mix and match!
graph TD A["Daily Transactions"] --> B["📅 Making Appointments"] A --> C["📞 Phone Calls"] A --> D["🍜 Ordering Food"] A --> E["🛒 Shopping"]
📅 Making Appointments
The Story
Little Ming wants to see the doctor. He can’t just walk in—he needs an appointment! Just like booking a playdate, you need to ask, suggest a time, and confirm.
The Magic Pattern
1. State what you want
2. Ask about available time
3. Confirm the details
Essential Phrases
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 我想预约 | Wǒ xiǎng yùyuē | I want to make an appointment |
| 什么时候方便？ | Shénme shíhou fāngbiàn? | When is convenient? |
| 明天可以吗？ | Míngtiān kěyǐ ma? | Is tomorrow okay? |
| 几点？ | Jǐ diǎn? | What time? |
| 好的，没问题 | Hǎo de, méi wèntí | Okay, no problem |
Real Example Dialogue
You: 你好，我想预约看医生。 (Nǐ hǎo, wǒ xiǎng yùyuē kàn yīshēng.) Hello, I want to make an appointment to see a doctor.
Staff: 好的，星期几方便？ (Hǎo de, xīngqī jǐ fāngbiàn?) Okay, which day is convenient?
You: 星期三下午可以吗？ (Xīngqīsān xiàwǔ kěyǐ ma?) Is Wednesday afternoon okay?
Staff: 可以，三点怎么样？ (Kěyǐ, sān diǎn zěnmeyàng?) Yes, how about 3 o’clock?
You: 好的，谢谢！ (Hǎo de, xièxie!) Great, thank you!
💡 Pro Tips
- Always start with 你好 (nǐ hǎo) — it’s like saying “excuse me” politely
- Use 可以吗 (kěyǐ ma) to make polite questions
- Confirm by repeating the time back
📞 Telephone Conversations
The Story
Phone calls are like playing walkie-talkie! But in Chinese, there’s a special word just for answering the phone: 喂 (wéi). It’s like saying “Hello? Are you there?”
Phone Call Pattern
1. Answer: 喂？
2. Identify yourself
3. State your purpose
4. Handle the conversation
5. Say goodbye properly
Essential Phrases
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 喂？ | Wéi? | Hello? (phone only!) |
| 请问是…吗？ | Qǐng wèn shì… ma? | May I ask, is this…? |
| 我是… | Wǒ shì… | I am… |
| 他/她在吗？ | Tā zài ma? | Is he/she there? |
| 请稍等 | Qǐng shāo děng | Please wait a moment |
| 我打错了 | Wǒ dǎ cuò le | I dialed the wrong number |
| 再见 | Zàijiàn | Goodbye |
Real Example Dialogue
You: 喂？请问是王先生吗？ (Wéi? Qǐng wèn shì Wáng xiānsheng ma?) Hello? May I ask, is this Mr. Wang?
Answer: 是的，请问您是哪位？ (Shì de, qǐng wèn nín shì nǎ wèi?) Yes, may I ask who is calling?
You: 我是李明，关于明天的会议… (Wǒ shì Lǐ Míng, guānyú míngtiān de huìyì…) I am Li Ming, about tomorrow’s meeting…
Answer: 好的，请说。 (Hǎo de, qǐng shuō.) Okay, please go ahead.
💡 Pro Tips
- 喂 (wéi) is ONLY for phones — don’t use it in person!
- Always ask 请问 (qǐng wèn) before questions — it’s super polite
- If wrong number, say 对不起，打错了 (duìbuqǐ, dǎ cuò le)
🍜 Ordering Food
The Story
Imagine you’re at a food festival. Your tummy is growling like a hungry tiger! 🐯 The menu is like a treasure map, and you need the right words to unlock the delicious treasure.
The Ordering Pattern
1. Get attention
2. Ask for menu / recommendations
3. Order your food
4. Specify quantity
5. Ask for the bill
Essential Phrases
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 服务员！ | Fúwùyuán! | Waiter/Waitress! |
| 菜单 | Càidān | Menu |
| 我要… | Wǒ yào… | I want… |
| 请给我… | Qǐng gěi wǒ… | Please give me… |
| 一份/一碗/一杯 | Yī fèn/wǎn/bēi | One portion/bowl/cup |
| 这个多少钱？ | Zhège duōshao qián? | How much is this? |
| 买单 | Mǎidān | Bill please |
| 打包 | Dǎbāo | Take away (pack up) |
Real Example Dialogue
You: 服务员，菜单，谢谢！ (Fúwùyuán, càidān, xièxie!) Waiter, menu please, thank you!
Waiter: 好的，这是菜单。 (Hǎo de, zhè shì càidān.) Okay, here is the menu.
You: 我要一碗牛肉面，还有一杯可乐。 (Wǒ yào yī wǎn niúròu miàn, háiyǒu yī bēi kělè.) I want one bowl of beef noodles, and a cup of cola.
Waiter: 好的，还要别的吗？ (Hǎo de, hái yào biéde ma?) Okay, anything else?
You: 不用了，谢谢。买单！ (Bùyòng le, xièxie. Mǎidān!) No, thank you. Bill please!
💡 Pro Tips
- Point at pictures if you can’t read — it works!
- 一份 (yī fèn) = one serving (general)
- 一碗 (yī wǎn) = one bowl (for soups/noodles)
- 一杯 (yī bēi) = one cup (for drinks)
- 辣/不辣 (là/bú là) = spicy/not spicy
🛒 Shopping Dialogues
The Story
Shopping is like a treasure hunt! You find something shiny, ask the price, maybe bargain a little, and bring home your prize. In China, asking prices and bargaining is totally normal—like a fun game!
The Shopping Pattern
1. Ask about the item
2. Ask the price
3. Try bargaining (optional)
4. Decide to buy
5. Pay and thank
Essential Phrases
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 这个多少钱？ | Zhège duōshao qián? | How much is this? |
| 太贵了！ | Tài guì le! | Too expensive! |
| 便宜一点 | Piányi yīdiǎn | A bit cheaper |
| 有没有…？ | Yǒu méiyǒu…? | Do you have…? |
| 我看看 | Wǒ kànkan | Let me look |
| 可以试穿吗？ | Kěyǐ shìchuān ma? | Can I try it on? |
| 我要这个 | Wǒ yào zhège | I want this one |
| 可以刷卡吗？ | Kěyǐ shuā kǎ ma? | Can I pay by card? |
| 微信支付 | Wēixìn zhīfù | WeChat Pay |
Real Example Dialogue
You: 你好，这件衣服多少钱？ (Nǐ hǎo, zhè jiàn yīfu duōshao qián?) Hello, how much is this piece of clothing?
Seller: 两百块。 (Liǎng bǎi kuài.) 200 yuan.
You: 太贵了！便宜一点可以吗？ (Tài guì le! Piányi yīdiǎn kěyǐ ma?) Too expensive! Can it be a bit cheaper?
Seller: 一百五十块，最低了。 (Yī bǎi wǔshí kuài, zuìdī le.) 150 yuan, that’s the lowest.
You: 好的，我要了。可以微信支付吗？ (Hǎo de, wǒ yào le. Kěyǐ Wēixìn zhīfù ma?) Okay, I’ll take it. Can I pay with WeChat?
Seller: 可以，扫这个码。 (Kěyǐ, sǎo zhège mǎ.) Yes, scan this code.
💡 Pro Tips
- Bargaining is okay in markets, not in malls
- 块 (kuài) is casual for yuan (like “bucks”)
- Start at 50% of asking price when bargaining
- 刷卡 (shuā kǎ) = swipe card
- Most places accept 微信 (Wēixìn) or 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo)
🎓 Quick Reference: The Universal Patterns
Polite Request Formula
请 (qǐng) + 给我 (gěi wǒ) + [thing]
= Please give me [thing]
Asking Price Formula
[Item] + 多少钱？(duōshao qián?)
= How much is [item]?
Can I…? Formula
可以 (kěyǐ) + [action] + 吗 (ma)?
= Can I [do something]?
🌟 Your Confidence Checklist
After learning this section, you can:
- ✅ Make appointments for doctors, salons, restaurants
- ✅ Handle basic phone calls
- ✅ Order any food at a restaurant
- ✅ Shop and bargain at markets
- ✅ Pay using various methods
You’re not just learning phrases—you’re gaining the power to connect, explore, and experience life in Chinese. Every conversation is an adventure. Go make some magic! ✨