# How to say it in Chinese

URL: https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/
Updated: 2026-11-05

One page per everyday phrase: what it means, how to say it, when to use it and what people say back.

Everyday Mandarin phrases from the game. Each page gives the pinyin as people say it, when to use the phrase, what people say back and common mistakes. Also a list of 50 phrases for the first week in China, by situation.

## Pages

- [How to say hello in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/hello-in-chinese/): The everyday greeting, why its first syllable rises, and the greetings people use in the morning, in the evening and with older people.
- [How to say goodbye in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/goodbye-in-chinese/): The standard goodbye, the everyday “bye-bye”, and the “take care” that shopkeepers say as you leave.
- [How to say thank you in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/thank-you-in-chinese/): The word for thanks, how its soft second syllable sounds, when to use it, and what people say back.
- [How to say no thank you in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/no-thank-you-in-chinese/): The polite way to turn down drivers, sellers and offers, and why it sounds softer than a plain “don’t want”.
- [How to say excuse me in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/excuse-me-in-chinese/): What to say before you stop a stranger or after a small mistake, how it differs from a real “sorry”, and how people address strangers.
- [How to say how much in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/how-much-in-chinese/): How to ask a price, how to ask about one thing or a price per half kilo, and how prices are said back.
- [How to say this one in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/this-one-in-chinese/): The word for ordering food you cannot name: point, say it, then answer how many.
- [How to say no spicy in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/no-spicy-in-chinese/): What to answer when a cook asks if you want it spicy: none, a little or extra, and how to ask whether a dish is spicy.
- [How to say delicious in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/delicious-in-chinese/): The word for tasty food, the different word for tasty drinks, and what happens if you tell a cook her food is not good.
- [How to say cheers in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/cheers-in-chinese/): The word for cheers, what it means word for word, how a toast goes at a Chinese meal, and how to keep your glass small.
- [How to say I’m full in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/i-am-full-in-chinese/): What to say when your bowl keeps being refilled, why you may need to say it twice, and how to say “enough”.
- [How to say I don’t understand in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/i-dont-understand-in-chinese/): How to say “I don’t understand, please slow down”, and what people do when you say it.
- [How to say I speak a little Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/i-speak-a-little-chinese/): The modest answer to “can you speak Chinese?” and to praise, and how to say its tricky last three syllables.
- [How to say where is the bathroom in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/where-is-the-bathroom-in-chinese/): How to ask for the restroom, the polite word and the everyday word for it, and the short directions you will get back.
- [How to say I have a reservation in Chinese](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/say/i-have-a-reservation-in-chinese/): What to say at a hotel desk, why the receptionist may ask for an ID card, and how to get them to take your passport.
- [50 Chinese phrases for your first week in China](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/phrases/first-week-in-china/): 50 everyday Mandarin phrases, grouped by situation. Each has pinyin as it is said, English, and when to use it. Free CSV download.