Social Interactions: Vocabulary for speaking, helping, and everyday social exchanges

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Pinyin is the standard romanisation used to show Mandarin pronunciation using the Latin alphabet. You’ll often see tone marks on the vowels to show the four tones (plus the neutral tone), for example mā / má / mǎ / mà / ma. “Numbered pinyin” shows the same tones using a number after the syllable instead of tone marks, for example ma1 / ma2 / ma3 / ma4 / ma (sometimes written as ma5 for the neutral tone). Numbered pinyin is handy when you can’t easily type tone marks, while tone-mark pinyin is usually easier to read once you’re used to it.

帮助

• Pinyin: bāng zhù
• Numbered pinyin: bang1 zhu4
• English translation: to help, help

表示

• Pinyin: biǎo shì
• Numbered pinyin: biao3 shi4
• English translation: to express, indicate

不要

• Pinyin: bú yào
• Numbered pinyin: bu2 yao4
• English translation: don’t (do something)

不好意思

• Pinyin: bù hǎo yì si
• Numbered pinyin: bu4 hao3 yi4 si5
• English translation: sorry, embarrassed

称

• Pinyin: chēng
• Numbered pinyin: cheng1
• English translation: to call, to name

答应

• Pinyin: dā ying
• Numbered pinyin: da1 ying5
• English translation: to agree, promise

点头

• Pinyin: diǎn tóu
• Numbered pinyin: dian3 tou2
• English translation: to nod

短信

• Pinyin: duǎn xìn
• Numbered pinyin: duan3 xin4
• English translation: text message

对话

• Pinyin: duì huà
• Numbered pinyin: dui4 hua4
• English translation: dialogue

发

• Pinyin: fā
• Numbered pinyin: fa1
• English translation: to send, to emit

服务

• Pinyin: fú wù
• Numbered pinyin: fu2 wu4
• English translation: to serve, service

干杯

• Pinyin: gān bēi
• Numbered pinyin: gan1 bei1
• English translation: to toast, cheers

感谢

• Pinyin: gǎn xiè
• Numbered pinyin: gan3 xie4
• English translation: to thank, gratitude

喊

• Pinyin: hǎn
• Numbered pinyin: han3
• English translation: to shout

欢迎

• Pinyin: huān yíng
• Numbered pinyin: huan1 ying2
• English translation: to welcome

加油

• Pinyin: jiā yóu
• Numbered pinyin: jia1 you2
• English translation: cheer up, refuel

见到

• Pinyin: jiàn dào
• Numbered pinyin: jian4 dao4
• English translation: to see, to meet

见过

• Pinyin: jiàn guò
• Numbered pinyin: jian4 guo4
• English translation: have seen (before)

讲

• Pinyin: jiǎng
• Numbered pinyin: jiang3
• English translation: to speak, to explain

讲话

• Pinyin: jiǎng huà
• Numbered pinyin: jiang3 hua4
• English translation: to talk, speech

交

• Pinyin: jiāo
• Numbered pinyin: jiao1
• English translation: to hand in, to make (friends)

交给

• Pinyin: jiāo gěi
• Numbered pinyin: jiao1 gei3
• English translation: to hand over to

交朋友

• Pinyin: jiāo péng yǒu
• Numbered pinyin: jiao1 peng2 you3
• English translation: to make friends

叫作

• Pinyin: jiào zuò
• Numbered pinyin: jiao4 zuo4
• English translation: to be called

举手

• Pinyin: jǔ shǒu
• Numbered pinyin: ju3 shou3
• English translation: to raise a hand

礼物

• Pinyin: lǐ wù
• Numbered pinyin: li3 wu4
• English translation: gift, present

请客

• Pinyin: qǐng kè
• Numbered pinyin: qing3 ke4
• English translation: to invite (someone to a meal)

请求

• Pinyin: qǐng qiú
• Numbered pinyin: qing3 qiu2
• English translation: to request

求

• Pinyin: qiú
• Numbered pinyin: qiu2
• English translation: to beg, to request

让

• Pinyin: ràng
• Numbered pinyin: rang4
• English translation: to let, to allow

商量

• Pinyin: shāng liang
• Numbered pinyin: shang1 liang5
• English translation: to discuss

说明

• Pinyin: shuō míng
• Numbered pinyin: shuo1 ming2
• English translation: to explain, explanation

送给

• Pinyin: sòng gěi
• Numbered pinyin: song4 gei3
• English translation: to give (as a gift)

讨论

• Pinyin: tǎo lùn
• Numbered pinyin: tao3 lun4
• English translation: to discuss

提

• Pinyin: tí
• Numbered pinyin: ti2
• English translation: to raise, to mention

提出

• Pinyin: tí chū
• Numbered pinyin: ti2 chu1
• English translation: to put forward, to propose

提到

• Pinyin: tí dào
• Numbered pinyin: ti2 dao4
• English translation: to mention

听说

• Pinyin: tīng shuō
• Numbered pinyin: ting1 shuo1
• English translation: to be told, to hear of

通知

• Pinyin: tōng zhī
• Numbered pinyin: tong1 zhi1
• English translation: to notify, notification

晚安

• Pinyin: wǎn ān
• Numbered pinyin: wan3 an1
• English translation: good night

喂

• Pinyin: wèi
• Numbered pinyin: wei4
• English translation: hello, hey (phone call / attention)

问路

• Pinyin: wèn lù
• Numbered pinyin: wen4 lu4
• English translation: to ask for directions

小声

• Pinyin: xiǎo shēng
• Numbered pinyin: xiao3 sheng1
• English translation: in a low voice

信

• Pinyin: xìn
• Numbered pinyin: xin4
• English translation: letter, mail

要求

• Pinyin: yāo qiú
• Numbered pinyin: yao1 qiu2
• English translation: to request, demand

一路平安

• Pinyin: yí lù píng ān
• Numbered pinyin: yi2 lu4 ping2 an1
• English translation: bon voyage, have a safe trip

一路顺风

• Pinyin: yí lù shùn fēng
• Numbered pinyin: yi2 lu4 shun4 feng1
• English translation: have a pleasant journey, bon voyage

意见

• Pinyin: yì jiàn
• Numbered pinyin: yi4 jian4
• English translation: opinion, suggestion

意思

• Pinyin: yì si
• Numbered pinyin: yi4 si5
• English translation: meaning, idea

怎么办

• Pinyin: zěn me bàn
• Numbered pinyin: zen3 me5 ban4
• English translation: what to do, how to handle

怎么样

• Pinyin: zěn me yàng
• Numbered pinyin: zen3 me5 yang4
• English translation: how is it, how about

怎样

• Pinyin: zěn yàng
• Numbered pinyin: zen3 yang4
• English translation: how, what kind

照顾

• Pinyin: zhào gù
• Numbered pinyin: zhao4 gu4
• English translation: to look after

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