Learning Chinese doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially when you start with the most useful and common phrases. Whether you’re preparing for a family trip to China, introducing your child to a new language, or studying for a school project, mastering everyday Mandarin phrases can build confidence and spark interest in Chinese culture. In this guide, we’ve selected the most popular Chinese expressions that are easy to learn and use—perfect for kids, students, and beginners alike.
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Common Greetings in Chinese
1. Hello
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English: Hello
Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo
Pronunciation (English-like): Nee how
Example Sentence:
你好，我是Lucy。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì Lucy.
Hello, I’m Lucy.
2. Good Morning
How to say good morning in Chinese?
早上好
English: Good morning
Pinyin: Zǎo shàng hǎo
Pronunciation: Dzow shahng how
Example Sentence:
早上好，今天你感觉怎么样？
Zǎo shàng hǎo, jīn tiān nǐ gǎn jué zěn me yàng?
Good morning, how are you feeling today?
3. Nice to Meet You
How to say nice to meet you in Chinese?
很高兴认识你
English: Nice to meet you
Pinyin: Hěn gāo xìng rèn shí nǐ
Pronunciation: Hen gow shing ren shrr nee
Example Sentence:
很高兴认识你，我叫Mike。
Hěn gāo xìng rèn shí nǐ, wǒ jiào Mike.
Nice to meet you, my name is Mike.
Everyday Polite Expressions
4. Thank You
How to say thank you in Chinese？
谢谢
English: Thank you
Pinyin: Xiè xie
Pronunciation: Shyeah shyeah
Example Sentence:
谢谢你帮我。
Xiè xie nǐ bāng wǒ.
Thank you for helping me.
5. You’re Welcome
How to say you’re welcome in Chinese?
不客气
English: You’re welcome
Pinyin: Bú kè qì
Pronunciation: Boo kuh chee
Example Sentence:
不客气，这是我应该做的。
Bú kè qì, zhè shì wǒ yīng gāi zuò de.
You’re welcome, it’s what I should do.
6. Please
请
English: Please
Pinyin: Qǐng
Pronunciation: Cheeng
Example Sentence:
请给我一杯水。
Qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ.
Please give me a glass of water.
Celebrations & Special Days
7. Happy Birthday
How to say happy birthday in Chinese?
生日快乐
English: Happy birthday
Pinyin: Shēng rì kuài lè
Pronunciation: Shung rrr kwai luh
Example Sentence:
生日快乐，祝你开心每一天！
Shēng rì kuài lè, zhù nǐ kāi xīn měi yī tiān!
Happy birthday, wish you happiness every day!
8. Happy New Year
How to say happy new year in Chinese？
新年快乐
English: Happy New Year
Pinyin: Xīn nián kuài lè
Pronunciation: Sheen nyen kwai luh
Example Sentence:
新年快乐，恭喜发财！
Xīn nián kuài lè, gōng xǐ fā cái!
Happy New Year, wish you wealth and prosperity!
9. Merry Christmas
How to say Merry Christmas in Chinese?
圣诞快乐
English: Merry Christmas
Pinyin: Shèng dàn kuài lè
Pronunciation: Shuhng dahn kwai luh
Example Sentence:
圣诞快乐，你收到礼物了吗？
Shèng dàn kuài lè, nǐ shōu dào lǐ wù le ma?
Merry Christmas, did you receive your gift?
Expressions of Emotion
10. I Love You
How to say I love you in Chinese?
我爱你
English: I love you
Pinyin: Wǒ ài nǐ
Pronunciation: Wuh eye nee
Example Sentence:
妈妈，我爱你！
Mā ma, wǒ ài nǐ!
Mom, I love you!
11. You Are Beautiful
How to say you’re beautiful in Chinese?
你很漂亮
English: You are beautiful
Pinyin: Nǐ hěn piào liàng
Pronunciation: Nee hen pyow lyang
Example Sentence:
你今天真的很漂亮。
Nǐ jīn tiān zhēn de hěn piào liàng.
You look really beautiful today.
12. Oh My God
我的天啊
English: Oh my god
Pinyin: Wǒ de tiān a
Pronunciation: Wuh duh tyen ah
Example Sentence:
我的天啊，你太棒了！
Wǒ de tiān a, nǐ tài bàng le!
Oh my god, you’re amazing!
Everyday Social Phrases
13. Welcome
How to say you’re welcome in Chinese?
欢迎
English: Welcome
Pinyin: Huān yíng
Pronunciation: Hwan ying
Example Sentence:
欢迎来到中国！
Huān yíng lái dào Zhōng guó!
Welcome to China!
14. Goodbye
How to say Goodbye in Chinese?
再见
English: Goodbye
Pinyin: Zài jiàn
Pronunciation: Zai jyen
Example Sentence:
再见，明天见！
Zài jiàn, míng tiān jiàn!
Goodbye, see you tomorrow!
15. How Are You?
How to say How are you in Chinese?
你好吗？
English: How are you?
Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo ma?
Pronunciation: Nee how mah?
Example Sentence:
你好吗？今天过得怎么样？
Nǐ hǎo ma? Jīn tiān guò de zěn me yàng?
How are you? How was your day?
Common Chinese Function Words
Before diving into nouns and verbs, it is crucial to understand the “glue” that holds Chinese sentences together. These characters appear constantly and dictate the grammatical structure of your speech.
1. 的 (de)
As the undisputed champion of frequency in the Chinese language, “的” serves as the essential structural glue. It primarily functions as a possessive marker—similar to adding ‘s in English—and acts as a bridge connecting adjectives to the nouns they describe. Without it, relationships between words would be unclear.
Examples:
- 我的书 (Wǒ de shū) – My book
- 美丽的花 (Měilì de huā) – Beautiful flowers
2. 了 (le)
“了” is a modal particle that signals a change of state or the completion of an action. While learners often associate it strictly with the past tense, its true power lies in indicating that an action is finished or that a situation has shifted from what it was before. It is the key to expressing dynamic changes in a sentence.
Examples:
- 我吃了 (Wǒ chī le) – I have eaten (The action is complete)
- 下雨了 (Xià yǔ le) – It started raining (A change in weather state)
3. 是 (shì)
This is the verb “to be” (am, is, are), used to link a subject to a specific identity or noun. However, there is a golden rule for “是”: it is generally not used when linking a subject to an adjective. In Chinese, you don’t say “I am happy”; you simply say “I happy” (我很好). Use “是” only when equating two nouns.
Examples:
- 我是学生 (Wǒ shì xuéshēng) – I am a student
- 这是茶 (Zhè shì chá) – This is tea
4. 不 (bù)
“不” is the universal negator. It is the character you need to turn any positive statement into a negative one. Placed directly before a verb or an adjective, it effectively cancels out the meaning, serving as the primary tool for refusal or denial in both present and future contexts.
Examples:
- 我不知道 (Wǒ bù zhīdào) – I do not know
- 我不去 (Wǒ bù qù) – I am not going
Common Chinese Pronouns and Numbers
To form a sentence, you need subjects and quantifiers. These characters are the foundation of identifying who is speaking and counting objects.
5. 我 (wǒ)
This is the first character most learners encounter, representing the self. “我” is the singular first-person pronoun used for both subject (“I”) and object (“me”) positions. It is the anchor of your personal perspective in conversation.
Examples:
- 我爱你 (Wǒ ài nǐ) – I love you
- 给我 (Gěi wǒ) – Give me
6. 你 (nǐ)
To communicate, you need someone to speak to. “你” is the second-person pronoun, meaning “you.” It is used for singular address. In casual conversation, it serves as the direct counterpart to “我” (I).
Examples:
- 你好 (Nǐ hǎo) – Hello (Literally: “You good”)
- 你是 (Nǐ shì) – You are…
7. 他 (tā) & 8. 她 (tā)
In spoken Chinese, gender distinction in the third person is non-existent. Both “他” (he) and “她” (she) are pronounced exactly the same way (tā). The distinction is purely visual in the written text: “他” is used for males (and generally for mixed groups), while “她” is used specifically for females.
Examples:
- 他是谁？ (Tā shì shéi?) – Who is he?
- 她是老师 (Tā shì lǎoshī) – She is a teacher
9. 我们 (wǒ men)
To expand from “I” to “We,” Chinese simply adds the suffix “们” (men) to the pronoun. Therefore, “我们” means “we” or “us.” This suffix can also be added to nouns to pluralize them, such as adding it to “人” (person) to make “人们” (people).
Examples:
- 我们是朋友 (Wǒmen shì péngyǒu) – We are friends
- 等我们 (Děng wǒmen) – Wait for us
10. 一 (yī)
“一” means “one.” It is the simplest number and the foundation of counting. Beyond just the number 1, it can also imply “once” or “same.” It is the starting point for all numerical expressions.
Examples:
- 一个人 (Yī gè rén) – One person
- 第一 (Dì yī) – First
11. 二 (èr) vs. 12. 两 (liǎng)
Chinese has two words for “two,” and choosing the right one is a common stumbling block. “二” is the standard number used for counting (1, 2, 3) or ordinal numbers (second). However, “两” is used specifically when counting objects with a measure word (e.g., “two apples”). You generally use “两” to indicate a quantity of things.
Examples:
- 一二三 (Yī èr sān) – One, two, three (Counting)
- 两个 (Liǎng gè) – Two (items/people)
13. 三 (sān)
“三” represents the number three. It is a straightforward character with no complex usage rules like “two.” It is frequently used in idioms and phrases to indicate a small number or plurality (similar to “three times” or “many”).
Examples:
- 三天 (Sān tiān) – Three days
- 三本书 (Sān běn shū) – Three books
14. 个 (gè)
This is the “universal” measure word. In English, you might have “a slice of bread” or “a herd of cows”; Chinese requires a measure word between the number and the noun. While there are specific measure words for specific items, “个” is the generic fallback. If you don’t know the specific classifier, “个” is usually a safe bet, especially for people and general objects.
Examples:
- 一个苹果 (Yī gè píngguǒ) – One apple
- 这个 (Zhè ge) – This one
High-Frequency Verbs and Adjectives
Once you have your subject and your grammar particles, you need action words and descriptors to convey meaning.
15. 有 (yǒu)
“有” is the verb of possession and existence. It translates to “to have” or “there is/are.” Unlike English, where you might say “I don’t have,” in Chinese, the negation of “有” is unique: it becomes “没有” (méi yǒu), not “不有”. It is the essential character for claiming ownership or stating that something exists.
Examples:
- 我有钱 (Wǒ yǒu qián) – I have money
- 没有人 (Méi yǒu rén) – There is no one / Nobody
16. 在 (zài)
“在” indicates location or an action in progress. It functions similarly to “at,” “in,” or “on” in English. When placed before a location, it tells you where someone or something is. It can also be used before a verb to indicate that an action is currently happening (e.g., “I am eating”).
Examples:
- 我在家 (Wǒ zài jiā) – I am at home
- 他在做什么？ (Tā zài zuò shénme?) – What is he doing?
17. 去 (qù)
If you want to go somewhere, you need “去”. This character means “to go.” It indicates movement away from the speaker toward a specific destination. It is often paired with locations or other verbs to indicate purpose (e.g., “go eat”).
Examples:
- 去学校 (Qù xuéxiào) – Go to school
- 我想去 (Wǒ xiǎng qù) – I want to go to…
18. 来 (lái)
The counterpart to “去” (go) is “来” (come). This character indicates movement toward the speaker or a reference point. While “去” is about leaving, “来” is about arriving or approaching.
Examples:
- 快来 (Kuài lái) – Come quickly
- 回来 (Huí lái) – Come back / Return
19. 吃 (chī)
“吃” means “to eat.” It is one of the most vital verbs for survival, used not just for meals but often metaphorically (e.g., “eating a loss” means to suffer a disadvantage). It is the standard verb for consuming food.
Examples:
- 吃饭 (Chī fàn) – To eat a meal / Have a meal
- 我不吃辣 (Wǒ bù chī là) – I don’t eat spicy food
20. 做 (zuò)
“做” is the generic verb for “to do” or “to make.” When you perform an action, create an object, or work on a task, you are using “做”. It is a versatile verb that covers a wide range of activities.
Examples:
- 做什么？ (Zuò shénme?) – Do what? / What are you doing?
- 做饭 (Zuò fàn) – To cook (Literally: “make food”)
21. 好 (hǎo)
“好” means “good.” It is the standard adjective for positive quality. Uniquely, in Chinese grammar, you generally do not need the verb “to be” (是) before it. You simply say “I good” (我很好) rather than “I am good.” It is also used in greetings like “你好” (Hello).
Examples:
- 很好 (Hěn hǎo) – Very good
- 你好吗？ (Nǐ hǎo ma?) – How are you?
22. 大 (dà) & 23. 小 (xiǎo)
These two characters represent the fundamental contrast of size. “大” means “big” or “great,” while “小” means “small” or “little.” They are often used to describe physical size, age (older/younger), or importance.
Examples:
- 大象 (Dà xiàng) – Elephant (Literally: “Big elephant”)
- 小孩 (Xiǎo hái) – Child (Literally: “Small child”)
24. 多 (duō) & 25. 少 (shǎo)
“多” means “many” or “much,” while “少” means “few” or “little” (in quantity). “多” is frequently used in questions to ask “how much” or “how many” (e.g., “多少”).
Examples:
- 多少钱？ (Duō shao qián?) – How much money?
- 很少 (Hěn shǎo) – Very few / Very little
Learn authentic Chinese from those who live and breathe the culture.
Specially tailored for kids aged 3-18 around the world!
Get started free!
I have been deeply involved in the K12 education field for many years, acquiring rich professional knowledge and experience. My extensive understanding of Chinese culture and education enhances my ability to integrate diverse educational methodologies. I hold a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Melbourne, which bolsters my expertise and pedagogical skills. Passionate about fostering educational environments that inspire and empower, I am committed to creating inclusive learning experiences. My aim is to positively impact students’ lives and equip them with tools for success in a globalized world.