LANGUAGE / FIRST CONTACT
The first phrases that help
Learn a compact set, then collect the language your own route keeps asking you to use.
THE SHORT VERSION
- Use a greeting, thanks, excuse me and may I ask before chasing perfect sentences.
- Save hotel and destination addresses in written Chinese.
- Build a personal phrase list from repeated real situations.
Five useful beginnings
Start with nǐ hǎo (hello), xièxie (thank you), bù hǎoyìsi (excuse me/sorry), qǐngwèn (may I ask) and zhège (this one). Tone and context matter; use them as openings, not a performance.
Prepare the nouns you cannot improvise
Save the Chinese names and addresses for your hotel, stations and booked destinations. Screenshots remain useful when mobile data or an app fails.
Collect, review, repeat
At the end of each day, keep the phrases you needed more than once. Ask a speaker or reliable language tool to correct them before making them part of your routine.
SOURCE DESK
How to read this guide
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