Getting around
地铁
请站稳扶好。
Hold on and stand firm.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Beijing
China
Beijing is China's capital, a city of broad avenues, old courtyards, and palace grounds.
How the language is used
Mandarin, called Putonghua, is the official language and the one you hear in public.
In this city
- Language
- Chinese
- Also heard
- Mostly Chinese
- A local word
- 胡同 — A hutong, an old alley.
- Writing
- simplified Chinese characters
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
面馆
来一碗牛肉面。
A bowl of beef noodles.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
胡同
你好。
Hello.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The counter
商店
多少钱？
How much is it?
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The language through the day
Mandarin, called Putonghua, is the public language. The accent here is close to what many textbooks aim at.
Around the hutongs, Chaoyang, Haidian, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Beijing can run on four lines: “请站稳扶好。”, “来一碗牛肉面。”, “你好。”, and “多少钱？”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in simplified Chinese characters.
- 你 is the ordinary you. 您 is the polite one, for older people and in service.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Beijing, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: 胡同. It means A hutong, an old alley..
Places you can see
- Forbidden City — The former imperial palace at the centre of the old city.
- Temple of Heaven — A ritual complex in a large park south of the palace.
- Hutongs — Narrow alley neighbourhoods of courtyard houses.
Food
You order noodles, dumplings, and roast dishes in Mandarin.
Getting around
A large metro covers the city. Announcements and signs use Chinese, and you follow them.
Daily life
You read a menu, ask a platform, and thank a shopkeeper in Mandarin.
A few everyday phrases
Chinese
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | Nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| 谢谢 | Xièxie | Thank you |
| 早上好 | Zǎoshang hǎo | Good morning |
| 我叫… | Wǒ jiào… | My name is… |
