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.
How the language is used
Mandarin is the public language. Sichuanese is common in everyday talk.
In this city
- Language
- Chinese
- Also heard
- Mostly Chinese
- A local word
- 要得 — All right.
- Writing
- simplified Chinese characters
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
馆子
来一份麻婆豆腐。
A plate of mapo tofu.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The counter
茶馆
喝茶。
Let's have tea.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The street
街
要得。
All right.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
Announcements and schools use Chinese. At home and in the market around Jinli, Kuanzhai, Chunxi, you still hear Sichuanese.
Around Jinli, Kuanzhai, Chunxi, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Chengdu can run on four lines: “请站稳扶好。”, “来一份麻婆豆腐。”, “喝茶。”, and “要得。”. 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 Chengdu, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: 要得. It means All right..
Places you can see
- Giant Panda Base — A conservation centre on the edge of the city. A visit does not promise a panda.
- People's Park — A central park where people sit with tea.
- Kuanzhai Alleys — Restored lanes of old courtyard houses.
Food
Sichuan cooking is hot and fragrant. You order in Mandarin, and you may hear dialect around you.
Getting around
The metro and buses cover the plain. Announcements use Mandarin, and you listen for your stop.
Daily life
You ask for a dish with chilli or without it, 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… |
