✈ NETCHAI HOSPITALITY CHINESE

Numbers and Money (for Customer Service)数字与金钱

LESSON
44

01Scene

In this lesson you'll learn the big numbers (hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands) that come up constantly at the register, along with the discount word 打折dǎzhé. The Chinese way of stating a discount works in reverse compared with English, so let's get it right here.

02Service Phrases

一共yígòng三千sānqiān日元rìyuán。

That comes to 3,000 yen in total.

一共yígòng一万yíwàn日元rìyuán。

That comes to 10,000 yen in total.

这zhè个ge一千yìqiān两百liǎngbǎi日元rìyuán。

This one is 1,200 yen.

现在xiànzài打dǎ八bā折zhé。

It's 20% off right now (80% of the list price).

可以kěyǐ打折dǎzhé吗ma？

Could you give me a discount? (said by the customer)

找zhǎo您nín八百bābǎi日元rìyuán。

Here's your change — 800 yen.

这zhè个ge比bǐ那nà个ge便宜piányi。

This one is cheaper than that one.

03Dialogue

SCENE　Is there a discount?

顾客gùkèCustomer

这zhè个ge可以kěyǐ打折dǎzhé吗ma？

店员diànyuánStaff

现在xiànzài打dǎ八bā折zhé。

顾客gùkèCustomer

一共yígòng多少duōshao钱qián？

店员diànyuánStaff

一共yígòng四千sìqiān日元rìyuán。

04Key Vocabulary

百bǎihundred (first seen in Lesson 4)

千qiānthousand

万wànten thousand

打折dǎzhéto give a discount

打八折dǎ bā zhé20% off (80% of the list price)

日元rìyuánJapanese yen (first seen in Lesson 13)

05Today's Grammar Point

Today's Grammar Point

Big numbers (百・千・万) / The discount pattern 打X折

Learn to build the big numbers you'll use constantly when quoting prices.

① 百・千・万 (building them up)

Stack "number + place word" from the largest place downward: 一千yìqiān两百liǎngbǎi (1,200) / 一万yíwàn五千wǔqiān (15,000). For "2" in these place positions, use 两liǎng (两百, 两千).

② The discount pattern 打X折 — it works in reverse!

In Chinese, 打dǎX折zhé means "sell at X-tenths of the list price".

打dǎ八bā折zhé80% of the list price = 20% off (not "80% off"!).
打dǎ五wǔ折zhé50% of the list price = half price.

Watch out: 打八折 = 20% off (the customer pays 80% of the price). The number points to what the customer pays, not what they save, so confirm amounts with your customer carefully.

Service tip: Quote prices in 日元rìyuán (yen). If a customer asks about a discount, answer with 现在打X折 or 不打折 (no discount available).

06Practice

Say the following amounts in Chinese. 1200日元（一千两百日元）／15000日元（一万五千日元）
Practice announcing discounts with 现在打八折 and 不打折.
Confirm what discount 打八折 and 打五折 actually give (八折 = 20% off / 五折 = half price).

07Reference Translation

Dialogue — Reference Translation

CustomerCan you give me a discount on this?

StaffIt's 20% off right now (you pay 80% of the price).

CustomerHow much is it altogether?

StaffIt comes to 4,000 yen altogether.

↑Top