Getting around
地铁
下一站。
Next stop.
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 what you use in shops, on boats, and on the bus.
In this city
- Language
- Chinese
- Also heard
- Mostly Chinese
- A local word
- 龙井 — A cup of Longjing tea.
- Writing
- simplified Chinese characters
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The street
船
西湖在哪里？
Where is West Lake?
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The counter
店
来一杯龙井。
A cup of Longjing tea.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
Food
街
你好。
Hello.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The language through the day
Chinese is the language of the ride, the shop, and the street.
Around West Lake, Hefang Street, the Grand Canal, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Hangzhou can run on four lines: “下一站。”, “西湖在哪里？”, “来一杯龙井。”, and “你好。”. 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 Hangzhou, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: 龙井. It means A cup of Longjing tea..
Places you can see
- West Lake — A broad lake ringed by paths, causeways, and low hills.
- Lingyin — A historic temple set against a wooded hillside.
- Grand Canal — The southern reach of the old canal still runs through the city.
Food
You try vinegar fish and tea from the nearby hills. You name them in Mandarin.
Getting around
Metro, buses, and boats on the lake get you around. You ask the stop in Mandarin.
Daily life
You greet a boatman and order tea with a short Mandarin phrase.
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… |
