Dictionary of spoken Chinese with pronunciation. Chinese from scratch: the most compact phrasebook

All dialogues begin with a greeting. From the person with whom we are going to communicate, we choose the form of address. In addition to greetings, there are other common phrases that will help you start and maintain a conversation with a resident of the Middle Kingdom over a cup of Chinese tea. Sentences are constructed differently from the Russian language and are appropriate in specific situations. A large number of Dialects in China create difficulties for communication, but Putonghua is a common spoken dialect that is understood by all residents.

Hello in Chinese

Tones in Chinese speech determine the meaning of the spoken phrase. Correct pronunciation will make you understand clearly. For this purpose, transliteration of hieroglyphs in Russian letters and Latin alphabet is presented, but it does not convey tones. The square brackets indicate how the transcription is written. How to pronounce it in quotes. It is much easier to fill in the correct sound of words if you regularly listen to audio recordings of dialogues in Chinese. This is how you need to learn a language.

The most common greeting in China is “ni hao” - hello. This is a formal phrase, appropriate when addressing strangers. Literally “you” and “good”. Such treatment is acceptable in a letter.

Respectful address, to people of age or out of respect, “ning hao”. Rarely used in modern China.

Or "hai" is the same as saying "hello" in Chinese, but is influenced by English and is a more common form.

Say “hello” to the company: “nimen hao”. Or - hello everyone.

You can greet your acquaintances by simply calling them by name. If this is an official relationship, then the positions are: doctor, professor or boss.

How to introduce yourself in Chinese

Introduction is a basic form of politeness. It is enough to say your name. Literally this can be translated as “they call me.” “Vo” + (Name). The hieroglyph has the meaning of the pronoun “I”.

For interrogative constructions in Chinese, the particle “ne” is used. More often they are not used for simple questions that require a monosyllabic answer. The meaning is given by the context; when pronounced, the particle is emotionally colored. Also used in rhetorical questions. In affirmative sentences it has an incentive meaning.

So, having introduced yourself, there is no need to repeat the question for the interlocutor to clarify his name. It is enough to add a particle. The meaning is like in Russian: “and you?” or “and you?”

Example: Wǒ + (Name), nǐ ne?

“Vo + (Name) ni ne?”

Other common phrases

Traditional universal expressions exist in all languages. And in Chinese there are several variants of greetings and farewells. Each has its own case.

Good morning!

Morning is the period from five to twelve o'clock. Until nine o'clock - early morning. At this time it is appropriate to say: Good morning- “Zaoshan hao.” The rest of the time, the well-known “ni hao” - “hello” as in “good afternoon” - is acceptable.

Goodbye

It is customary to say goodbye: goodbye – [ zài jiàn ] “tszai jien.” Or “bye” – [bái bái] “bye bye”.

Good evening

From six o'clock in the evening to midnight the expression is appropriate: Good evening- “wang shang hao.”

Good night

Night time begins at midnight and lasts until five o'clock in the morning. Good night– “van an”, they wish when a person retires for a night’s sleep.

What is your name

It is not customary to meet people on the street in China. There is a tradition: on weekends, a dating fair is held in Shanghai Park. They post questionnaires for those who want to get married. They indicate age, gender and range of interests. But the most important information- height. Sometimes they come in person. An exception is for foreigners with a typical European appearance. The Chinese happily welcome them, are ready to make acquaintances and add them as friends on social networks.

What is your name? – [nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?] “ni jiao shen ma min zi?”

Nice to meet you! – [ rèn shi nǐ hěn gāo xìng ] “zheng shi ni heng gao xing.”

Have you eaten?

A traditional question asked out of politeness is not an offer to have a snack or share a meal. Have you eaten? - “ni chi le ma?” A type of greeting that originated in rural areas. Showing attention without committing to anything. The answer is also provided by etiquette: “chi le, ne?” Statement and return question.

How are things going?

There is a version that the phrase “how are you?” The colonists introduced Chinese speech into use. It is customary for the British to be interested in how things are going even with unfamiliar people. What can't you say about oriental culture. This expression is widespread and can be found in any phrasebook. But it is mainly tourists who use it in everyday speech. As a continuation of the greeting. A question is formulated with a question particle added at the end.

In Chinese, "How are you?" - “ni hao ma?” It is appropriate to use if you are inquiring about the health of a patient or want to offer help. More comparable to the Russian, interrogative version of “is everything okay?” A question similar in meaning: “ni hai hao ba”.

In China they ask “how are things going?”, “how are you?” in two ways: “ni tszenme?” And “Zui jin hao ma?” . They are synonymous in meaning. The answer depends on what kind of relationship you are in. As in Western culture, this question is asked not out of idle interest, but out of politeness. An old acquaintance can bring you up to date. They often respond with affirmative nods.

Hello?

When communicating on the phone, you can use the universal expression “ni hao” - hello. Or "wayi", which also means "hello", but is not used in personal communication. An analogue of the Russian “hello”.

Where are you going?

Another way to say hello is when communicating with people you know. Where are you going? - “chi nali ya.” Or "chi nar". Also tribute speech etiquette. Does not oblige you to dialogue.

Long time no see!

You can address a person you know and haven’t seen for a while: “hao jou bu zen!” - long time no see.

Thank you

I thank you - “gan sie ni” or thank you - “sie sie”.

In the tea tradition, it is customary to tap as a sign of gratitude. With outstretched fingers, index and middle, right hand- they hit the table a couple of times. Thus expressing to the tea master that he liked everything. In response, for gratitude they say “mei shi” - please.

“Please” as a request – “in order.”

Conclusion

It’s not enough to say “hello” in Chinese. The same word or hieroglyph in a translator can mean completely different things. This is influenced by the intonation or, more precisely, tone with which you pronounce it. There are hieroglyphs with the same spelling and pronunciation. But with different translations. To avoid making mistakes, you need to be able to read the transcription and know the pronunciation. Otherwise, you risk getting into a funny situation.

The Pinyin table will help you write how words sound in Chinese. Writing transcriptions of unknown words trains you to pronounce correctly.

A Chinese phrasebook with pronunciation will definitely be useful to you, and the more detailed it is, the better. Make it a habit to carry it with you everywhere. This will greatly facilitate your journey through this vast and multifaceted country. It is better to take a Russian-Chinese phrasebook with hieroglyphs, although there may be confusion if you remember how extensive the Chinese hieroglyphic alphabet is (from 40 to 70 thousand characters). Many of them form identical-looking words with different meanings, which depend on pronunciation.

However, a Chinese phrasebook will help you bargain in the market, the Chinese can appreciate your weak knowledge and take advantage of it, so use the phrasebook with more confidence. We have collected a small number for you useful phrases in Chinese so you have a basis for mutual understanding at your fingertips.

Even if you learn words and expressions, no one can guarantee that you have learned them correctly. And almost certainly something you say will turn out to be untranslatable for the Chinese themselves. IN best case scenario they will be able to guess, or at worst misinterpret.

If you don’t set global goals for yourself, you can master the simplest set of phrases for basic communication, and correct your pronunciation in China.

We advise you to print it out and point your finger at it. the right word. In any situation and under any circumstances, learn to pronounce the word “budun,” which means “I don’t understand.” This will help avoid many conflicts; the Chinese treat those who “don’t understand” with humor and are ready to help.

Chinese History of Chinese language rich history, which dates back to 1122 BC. (BC). While today more than one billion people around the world speak several variations of Chinese, the history of this language is associated with a more primitive, more in simple language, known as Proto-Sino-Tibetan. Modern linguists classify Chinese within the Sino-Tibetan group of languages.

Interestingly, the history of the Chinese language is a controversial issue among linguists, as many have conflicting notions of how the evolution of this language should be classified. However, despite ongoing scientific debate, many experts rely on the historical classification system developed by Swedish linguist Bernhard Carlgren in the early 20th century. Carlgren suggested seeing the history of the Chinese language in the following eras: Old Chinese Middle Chinese Modern Chinese Traditional chinese characters are written in columns. These columns must be read from top to bottom and from right to left. Since it is a writing system that uses one character to represent a word or phrase, there are literally thousands of characters. In fact, Hanzi (literally, Chinese for " Chinese characters") has more than 50,000 characters. This great amount counting symbols, in particular for high level illiteracy in China. In an attempt to get around this problem, People's Republic China has introduced a program to simplify the language into a set of commonly used characters. Today's notation system uses approximately 6,000 of these characters. Of course, they are also used proper names characters that rarely appear.

Numbers and numbers

Shops, hotels, transport

For different occasions

At the restaurant

Chinese video lessons for beginners

Greetings and farewells
Hello - nihao - 你好
Hi all! - dajia hao - 大家好
Long time no see - haojiu bujian - 好久不见
How are you - ni zenmeyang - 你怎么样?
Excellent - henhao - 很好
Not bad - bucuo - 不错
So-so - mama huhu - 马马虎虎
No way - bu zenmeyang - 不怎么样
Goodbye - zaijian - 再见
See you - zaihui - 再会
See you tomorrow - mingtian jian - 明天见
Bye - baibai - 拜拜

Frequently used phrases
I love traveling on my own - wo xihuan ziji lvyou - 我喜欢自己旅游
Thank you - xiexie - 谢谢
Please - bukeqi - 不客气
Please (please) - qing - 请
Sorry - buhaoyisi - 不好意思
Sorry (I am sorry) - duibuqi - 对不起
Sorry, - qingwen - 请问,
Yes - dui - 对
No - bu (bu shi) - 不(不是)
I don't know - bu zhidao - 不知道
I don’t understand (what you are saying) - ting bu dong - 听不懂
I don’t understand (in general) - bu ming bai - 不明白
Where are you from (what country) - ni shi na ge guojia de - 你是哪个国家的?
I'm from Russia - wo shi eluosiren - 我是俄罗斯人
No problem - meiwenti - 没问题
Wait a minute - deng yixia - 等一下
Decide for yourself (up to you) - sui bian - 随便
Forget (give it up) - suan le - 算了
What? - shenme 什么?
Where? - nali - 哪里?
When? - shenme shihou - 什么时候?
How? - zenme - 怎么?
Why? - weishenme - 为什么?
Which? - neige - 哪个?
Who? - shui - 谁?
Give me - gei wo - *给我
Take - gei ni - 给你
Bad or good? - haobuhao - 好不好?
Yes or not? - 有没有?
What to do? - zenmeban - 怎么办?
Nothing can be done - meibanfa - 没办法

Languages ​​and communication
Do you speak English? - ni hui shuo yingwen ma - 你会说英文吗?
Does anyone here speak Russian? zheli you ren hui shuo eyu ma - 这里有人会说俄语吗?
How to say... in Chinese? - ... zhongwen zenme shuo - 。。。中文怎么说?
What means...? - ... shi shenme yisi - 。。。是什么意思?
I don't understand - ting bu dong - 听不懂

Transport
Airport - feijichang - 飞机场
Railway train station - huochezhan - 火车站
Bus station - qichezhan - 汽车站
Metro - ditie - 地铁
I need to get to the airport - wo yao qu feijichang - 我要去飞机场
I need a cheap ticket... - wo yao yi zhang qu ***pianyi de piao - 我要一张去***便宜的票
One way ticket - dan cheng piao - 单程票
Return ticket - wang fan piao - 往返票
I need two compartment tickets to Beijing - wo yao liang zhang dao bei jing de ruanwo piao - 我要两张到北京的软卧票
I need a plane ticket to Sanya (for other cities, see the next geographical branch) - wo yao yi zhang qu san ya de feiji piao - 我要一张去三亚的飞机票
I want to change my ticket - wo xiang huan wo de piao - *我想换我的票

Accommodation
I'm looking for an inexpensive hotel - wo yao zhao pianyi de lvguan - 我要找便宜的旅馆
Do you have any available rooms - nin zheli you fangjian ma - 您这里有房间吗?
I need an inexpensive double (single) room - wo yao pianyi de shuangrenjian (danrenjian) - 我要便宜的双人间(单人间)
What is the price? - duoshaoqian - 多少钱?
Sea view room - hai jing fang - 海景房
Can't it be cheaper? - keyi bu keyi pianyi yidian - 可以不可以便宜一点?
Is breakfast included in the price? - han zaocan ma - 含早餐吗?
I would like to pay, checkout - wo xiang tui fang - 我想退房

Directions
I'm lost - wo milule - 我迷路了
How to get? - zenmezou - 怎么走?
In which direction - wang na ge fangxiang - 往哪个方向?
Ahead - qianmian - 前面
From behind - houmian - 后面
On the right - youbian - 右边
Left -zuobian - 左边
Please tell me where is the bathhouse nearby - qingwen, zai zhe"er fujin youmeiyou yuchi - 请问,在这儿附近有没有浴池?
... sauna - sangna - 桑拿
... toilet - cesuo - 厕所
... hotel - bingguan - 宾馆
... internet cafe - wangba - 网吧
... diner - xiaochidian - 小吃店
... mail - youju- 邮局
... supermarket - chaoshi - 超市
... market - shichang - 市场
... bus stop - qichezhan - 汽车站
... ATM - qukuanji -取款机
... hospital - yiyuan - 医院
... police - jingchaju - 警察局
... Bank of China - zhongguo yinhang - 中国银行

Shopping
I want to buy... - wo xiang mai... - 我想买。。。
What is the price? - duo shao qian - 多少钱?
Can I have a look? - keyi kankan ma - 可以看看吗?
It's too expensive - tai guile - 太贵了
I don't like it - wo bu xihuan - 我不喜欢
Can I pay by credit card? - keyi yong xinyongka ma - 可以用信用卡吗?
Are you crazy? - ni feng le - 你疯了?

At the restaurant
Are you hungry? - ni e le ma - 你饿了吗?
I'm starving to death - wo e si le - 我饿死了
I'm hungry - wo yao chifan - 我要吃饭
I haven't eaten for three days - wo santian mei chi fan le - 我三天没吃饭了
I am a vegetarian - wo chi su - 我吃素
Waiter! - fuwuyuan - 服务员
Menu - caidan - 菜单
Not spicy - bu la - 不辣
Cold - bing de - 冰的
Eat - chi fan ba - 吃饭吧
Napkins - canjinzhi - 餐巾纸
Is it possible to smoke here? - zai zheli keyi chouyan ma - 在这里可以抽烟吗?
Where is the toilet? - xishoujian zai nali - 洗手间在哪里?
Meat - rou - 肉
Fish - yu - 鱼
Noodles - mian - 面
Steamed rice - mifan - 米饭
Fried rice - chaofan - 炒饭
Dumplings - jiaozi - 饺子
Chopsticks - kuaizi - 筷子
Can I have a fork (spoon) - nimen haiyou chazi (shaozi) ma - 你们还有叉子(勺子)吗?
Check! - maidan - 买单

In the supermarket
Bread - mianbao- 面包
Water - shui - 水
Package - daizi - 袋子
Shopping cart - gou wu lan - 购物篮
Shopping cart - gou wu che - 购物车
Membership card - hui yuan ka - 会员卡

Photo and video
Digital camera- shuma zhaoxiangji- 数码照相机
Memory card - cunshu ka - 存储卡
Camera bag - zhaoxiangji bao - 照相机包
I lost my camera - wo diushi le wo de zhaoxiangji - 我丢失了我的照相机
My camera was stolen - wo de zhaoxiangji bei tou le - 我的照相机被偷了

Useful things
Map - ditu - 地图
Flashlight - shoudian - 手电
Mobile phone- shouji - 手机
Toilet paper- wei sheng zhi - 卫生纸
Aspirin - asipilin - 阿司匹林
Sunscreen - fangshaiyou - 防晒油

Often tourists in the Middle Kingdom encounter a problem language barrier. This is due to the fact that even in big cities a limited number of Chinese speak English. And if in stores you can communicate using gestures and signs, then for communication in transport or in other in public places It’s better to memorize simple phrases and take a phrasebook or dictionary with transcription with you.

The most popular Chinese words

China is a country where live communication is valued. Here you cannot stand aside and be an outside observer. It is not easy for representatives of Western culture to get used to this way of life. Some of the most popular words every person planning a trip to China should learn. There are no words “yes” and “no” in this language; instead, more than 20 particles are used to express one’s attitude to a given issue.

Basic Chinese phrases with translation that will be useful in any situation:

When communicating with the Chinese, you can ask about the history and culture of their country, family and family traditions. But it's better not to touch political topics and do not discuss economic problems. Asking a Chinese person if it will rain can be an insult. The fact is that rain is predicted by a turtle, and identifying a person with this animal is an insult.

Simple phrases for children

Knowledge of basic expressions will help the child join the team and develop his social skills. It is important to be able to say hello, introduce yourself and get to know each other, express your attitude to what is happening, and maintain a conversation. Young people like to start phrases with the word “Hey”:

Among young people, the phrase “how are you” or “how is life” is often replaced with the informal “What’s going on here?” 诶, 什么事？(ēi, shén me shì?) Hey, sheng mi shi?

Chinese phrasebook with pronunciation in Russian

Depending on the situation, different phrases may be needed. The main thing is that the interlocutor understands what we are talking about, and he can answer with a gesture or show the direction with his hand.

Appeals

When addressing strangers, you should not use colloquial addresses such as “aunt” or “uncle” unnecessarily. When communicating with good friends, it is appropriate to use the first name, and in a more formal setting, the first and last names, and first you need to put the person’s status, then the last name and first name.

Some time ago, a popular address in China was the word “comrade”, by analogy with the USSR. It’s better not to use this word now, as it has a new meaning: “gay.”

Common phrases

Knowledge common phrases will help you make new acquaintances. China has both standard formal phrases and youth slang expressions. You should not use them without understanding your surroundings.

At customs

Knowing basic phrases will help you pass customs inspection and prevent unpleasant situations when crossing the border. Rules for the import and export of goods from customs territory China is very confusing. It is important to keep all receipts for goods purchased in China. All valuables Jewelry You need to declare it when entering the country so that there are no problems with export.

At the station

There are a lot of checks at the train station in China, so it is better to carry your passport with you along with your ticket. All information about trains is displayed on a large illuminated board, which is located near the main entrance. Without knowing the language, there you can find the train number, its departure time and the floor to which you should go. All other information is indicated in hieroglyphs, so you should not delve into it without knowing how to read. There are waiting rooms for different trains on different floors of the station; you need to find yours and wait for the corresponding announcement.

The Chinese are always running to take up space. Therefore, as soon as the train is boarded, all passengers from the waiting room will grab their bags and run, pushing everyone in their path.

If you can’t find your carriage, you need to show your ticket to the conductor - he will direct you in the right direction.

When buying a ticket, you should write down your destination, the number of tickets and the desired date on a piece of paper and give it to the cashier.

In transport

To get to a hotel or other desired location, you can use the map and show the taxi driver the desired location. When using a business card or handwritten address, it is important to be sure that the spelling is correct.

Taxi drivers in China can take advantage of the fact that a tourist does not know the area and drive him around in circles to inflate the price. This can be avoided if you create your own route in the navigator and show it to the driver. Also, ordering an official taxi with checkers and a meter can protect you from troubles.

At the hotel

Hotel staff in China practically does not speak English or Russian. If the hotel is 4 stars or higher, then it must have English-speaking reception staff. Gestures and pictures will help you communicate with maids, porters and other staff. Before checking in, it is advisable to check the integrity of the furniture in the room, the presence of all equipment, and the fullness of the minibar, so that you do not have to pay for something that was damaged by someone else.

When you don’t need to rush, it’s convenient to use an electronic translator - a special program on your smartphone that translates all phrases and reproduces speech. It must work online, but in China there are difficulties with the Internet, some services are limited, messages in instant messengers are sometimes moderated.

Emergencies

If you ask something on the street, it is better to find a policeman or an older, intelligent-looking person and ask the question or show it written on paper.

In the event of unforeseen situations, you should not argue or speak rudely with government officials. You should remain calm and be polite.

It is important to have the phone number of your country's consulate on hand so that you can contact them in an emergency.

On the streets major cities There are “people's telephones”, as well as telephone booths that charge money per conversation from a card.

If a tourist falls ill during his stay in China, then before going to the doctor you need to:

• find all the symptoms on the Internet and write them down in Chinese on paper;
• Buy a protective mask from germs at the pharmacy, of which there are many in Asian medical institutions.

At the reception you need to present the prepared sheet, and the administrator will tell you how much you need to pay and which office to go to. If a foreigner does not have insurance, treatment can be expensive.

Dates and times

Time in Chinese is made up of the hour number from 1 to 12 and the word “hour” itself 点 (diǎn). The Chinese do not use a 24-hour time system. The days of the week in Chinese have no name - they are numbered. The name of the day of the week consists of the week (xinqi) and the number of the day of the week.

Numerals

You will have to use a lot of numbers during your trip to China, so it’s better to practice in advance.

• 10+1 = 11 (shi and)
• 10+5 = 15 (shi y)
• 3+10 = 30 (san shi)
• 4+10+5 = 45 (sy shi wu)

A popular Chinese way of showing numbers on the fingers. To indicate prime numbers From 1 to 9, fingers of one hand are used:

While shopping

Trade in China is developing and is focused on Russian buyers. Therefore, in many boutiques, sellers know certain words, and some speak broken Russian. But the most proven way to bargain is a calculator.

In large shopping centers, where there are many Russian buyers, you can meet Chinese traders who have taken European pseudonyms (Sasha, Natasha and others). They do this for the convenience of their clients. If we are talking about a business partner, then it is better to remember Chinese name and pronounce it without errors.

While eating

The Chinese love to eat, they spend their weekends in cafes and meet friends there.

When visiting Chinese restaurants you need to be prepared for the following:

• most food is spicy;
• no menu in English;
• the waiters speak only Chinese.

A good way out of the situation would be to print out the names of dishes in hieroglyphs with the names of the products and display them for ordering. Separately, you need to prepare the phrase “I don’t eat spicy things.” If the menu says 辣, it means the dish is very spicy.

Don't rely on the waiter's taste or ask best dish restaurant - most likely it will be aimed at the taste of the Chinese, not the European.

Conclusion

Tones are of great importance in the pronunciation of words. One word spoken with different intonations can take on a completely different meaning. Puntuhua has 4 syllabic tones that have symbols.

• The 1st tone is intonationally similar to an unfinished phrase;
• 2nd tone – short, similar to asking again;
• 3rd tone – like a puzzled question;
• The 4th tone is short and resembles an order.

We learn the melody of pronunciation of Chinese words like a song, then working on the tones will not be a problem.

To master the rules of pronunciation, you should listen to the speech of native speakers, watch video lessons or attend courses. The study should be based on the auditory level. Interrogative sentences in Chinese are pronounced with a rising intonation, while declarative sentences are pronounced with a falling intonation.
Basic knowledge of the Chinese language and some words will improve the quality of travel in this country.