style="font-size:15px;"> = “Why aren’t you speaking?”
7. Xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng le?
Now what time already
= “What’s the time now?”
8. Nǐ shénme shíhou láide?
You what hour come
= “When did you arrive?”
13 Yes and no
There are no specific words in Chinese for expressing “yes” and “no” in a question. The closest equivalent is shìde 是的 “is”and búshì 不是 “is not” respectively. Usually, when the Chinese ask a question such as Nǐ yào qù Běijīng ma? 你要去北京吗？“Do you want to go to Beijing?”, the person answering uses the same verb. For example, the verb in the question is qù 去 “go”, thus the answer would be Wǒ yào qù Běijīng. 我要去北京。“I want to go to Beijing.” To answer in the negative, you add bù 不 before the verb used in the sentence, e.g., Wǒ bùyào qù Běijīng. 我不要去北京。“I don’t want to go to Beijing.”
Nǐ lèi bú lèi?
You tired not tired
= “Are you tired?”
“Yes” answer:
Hěn lèi.
Very tired
= “Yes, I’m very tired.”
“No” answer:
Bú lèi.
Not tired
= “No, I’m not tired.”
Nǐ gāoxìng bú gāoxìng?
You happy not happy
= “Are you happy?”
“Yes” answer:
Gāoxìng.
Happy
= “Yes, I’m happy.”
“No” answer:
Bù gāoxìng.
Not happy
=“No, I’m not happy.”
Alternatively you can use the words duì 对 meaning “correct” and bùduì 不对 “not correct” (often shortened to bù 不 “no”) in replies. For example:
Nǐ shì Měiguórén ma?
You are American (question marker)
= “Are you American?”
Duì, wǒ shì Měiguórén
Correct, I am American
= “Yes, I’m American” or
Bù, wǒ shì Yīngguórén
No, I am British
= “No, I’m British.”
1. The Basics
1.1 Personal details
1.2 Today or tomorrow?
1.3 What time is it?
1.4 One, two, three...
1.5 The weather
1.6 Here, there...
1.7 What does that sign say?
1.8 Legal holidays
1.1 Personal details
In China the family name comes first and the given name next. Titles come after the name. For example, Mr Wang is Wáng xiānsheng 王先生 and Ms Wang is Wáng xiǎojie 王小姐. The title tàitai 太太 is given to married women and is placed after the husband’s surname. This is the convention still used by Chinese women in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and outside China. In Mainland China, however, Chinese women now do not adopt their husband’s surname after marriage. Overseas Chinese and foreigners will have to get used to this new convention and address married women by their maiden name, e.g., if her surname is Lǐ 李 she should be addressed as Lǐ xiǎojie 李小姐 or Lǐ nǚshì 李女士 (for an older woman). However, you may also use the older title tàitai 太太 after the husband’s surname in formal situations.
surname
xìng
姓
first name
míngzi
名字
initials
xìngmíng suōxiě
姓名缩写
address
dìzhǐ
地址
street
jiē
街
unit number
ménpáihào
门牌号
postal code
yóubiān
邮编
town
chéngshì
城市
sex (gender)
xìngbié
性别
male
nán
男
female
nǚ
女
nationality/citizenship
guójí
国籍
date of birth
chūshēng
