Making Out in Chinese. Ray Daniels
Kàn
看
Smell
Wén
Wén
闻
Touch.
Mō
Mō
摸
Listen to me!
Tīng wǒ shuō!
Tīng wǒ shuō!
听我说！
Have you seen Lee?
Nǐ kàn dào lǐ le ma?
Nǐ kàn dòw lěe lůh må?
你看到李了吗？
I saw Lee.
Wǒ kàn dào lǐ le.
Wǒ kàn dòw lěe lůh.
我看到李了。
I want to go and see you!
Wó xiǎng qù kàn nǐ!
Wó shiǎng chìu kàn nǐ!
我想去看你！
I want to meet you!
Wó xiǎng jiàn nǐ!
Wó shiǎng jièn nǐ!
我想见你！
I’ll show it to you.
Wó gěi nǐ kàn.
Wó gǎy nǐ kàn.
我给你看。
Please (polite)
Qǐng.
Chǐng.
请。
Please (begging)
Bài tuō.
Bài-tuō.
拜托。
Also means “please” as in “What do you take me for?”
Thank you.
Xiè xie.
Shièh-shièh.
谢谢。
You’re welcome.
Bú-xiè.
Bú-shièh.
不谢。
Another way to say “You’re welcome” is
Bú yòng xiè
Bú yòng shièh
不用谢。
Don’t mention it.
Bú kè qì.
Bú kùh-chèe.
不客气。
Where is the toilet?
Cè suǒ zài nǎ ér?
Tsè-suǒ zài nǎr?
厕所在哪儿？
Where is the washroom?
Xí shǒu jiān zài nǎ ér?
Shí shǒu jiān zài nǎr?
洗手间在哪儿？
In China, public toilets often have an English sign that says “WC.”
What is this?
Zhè shì shén me?
Jùh shèr shém-můh?
这是什么？
What is this/that called?
Zhè ge/Nà ge jiào shén me?
Jùh-gůh/Nàh-gůh jiòw shém-můh?
这个／那个叫什么？
What does ... mean?
… shì shén me yì si?
… shèr shém-můh ì-sż?
…是什么意思？
How do you pronounce this?
Zhè ge zěn me niàn?
Jùh gůh dzěm-můh nièn?
这个怎么念？
I have a question.
Wǒ yǒu yí ge wèn tí.
Wǒ yǒ í-gůh wèn-tí.
我有一个问题。
Do you understand?
Dǒng bu dǒng?
Dǒng bů dǒng?
懂不懂？
Are you clear about it?
Nǐ míng-bai ma?
Nǐ míng-båi må?
你明白吗？
I don’t understand.
Wǒ bù dǒng.
Wǒ bù dǒng.
我不懂。
I am not clear (on this matter)
Wǒ bù míng bai.
Wǒ bù míng-båi.
我不明白。
I know.
Wǒ míng bai.
Wǒ míng-båi.
我明白。
I understand.
Wó dǒng.
Wó dǒng.
我懂。
Please explain.
Qǐng jiě shì.
Chǐng jiěh shèr.
请解释。
Please clarify.
Qǐng shuō míng.
Chíng shuō míng.
请说明。
Complex
Fù zá
Fù-záh
复杂
Simple, easy
Jiǎn dān
Jiěn-dān
简单
Difficult
Kùn nan
Kwèn-nån
困难
No wonder.
Guài bu dé.
Guài bů dúh.
怪不得。
It’s obvious.
Hěn míng xiǎn.
Hǔn míng shiěn.
很明显。
I know.
Wǒ zhī dào.
Wǒ jēr-dòw.
我知道。