Chinese Words and Phrases Handout
Making an effort to write a few words in Chinese will give you an awareness and appreciation of the language. It may seem awkward at first, but try to pronounce the words as
you write them. The words are shown in English, Pinyin, and approximate sound in
English. Pinyin is the official Chinese system developed to simulate the sound of the
Chinese word using the English alphabet.
| Word or Phrase | Pinyin | Approximate Sound in English |
| Hello | ni hao | nee how |
| Good morning | zao an | dzao an |
| Good evening | wahn an | wan an |
| Good-bye | zai jian | dzai jee-en |
| Please | qing | ching |
| Thank you | xie xie | shee-eh shee-eh |
| I'm sorry | dui buqi | doo-ay boo-chee |
| May I please ask your name? | qingwen guixing | ching-win gway-shing |
| My name is... | wode mingzi shi | waw-duh ming-dzih shur |
| I am | wo shi | waw shir |
| Good; very good | hao; hen hoa | hao; hun hao |
Excerpt from Africa, Europe & Asia: Ready to Use Interdisciplinary Lesson and Activities for Grades 5-12.
Return to Chinese Words and Phrases.

