Hospitality Chinese Phrases 99
接待会话
For staff welcoming Chinese-speaking guests — restaurants, shops, hotels and tours — organized by scene. Each phrase comes with pinyin, a usage note and native teacher audio.
Welcoming Guests 10
First impressions in the guest's own language. 欢迎光临 at the door and 请稍等 while they wait — these few phrases instantly change how Chinese-speaking customers feel about your shop.
The universal shop greeting — call it out as guests walk in.
The service phrase you'll say most — polite pause before any action.
Say it when returning after ANY wait — hospitality gold.
Lead with an open palm — never a pointing finger.
位 is the polite counter for people — answer comes as 两位, 三位…
Directing guests to their table or seat.
预约 = reservation — the door question at busy places.
客满 = guests full — soften with 不好意思 before it.
拼桌 = combine tables — common and accepted in casual spots.
The service counter opener — 您 keeps it respectful.
Restaurant Service 14
Taking orders, serving and checking in on the table. Chinese diners will happily ask for recommendations — 这是本店的招牌菜 (our signature dish) is your best sales line.
Hand it over with both hands for extra polish.
点 = order dishes — the table-side standard.
点餐 = place the order — checking readiness politely.
点 here means "a little" — casual and friendly.
马上 = immediately — reassures the hungry.
Literally "please eat slowly" — said when serving dishes.
The upsell-slash-courtesy check after taking orders.
加 = add — attentive table service in one syllable.
卖完 = sold out — offer an alternative right after.
招牌 = shop sign → signature — your strongest recommendation line.
Checking spice tolerance up front prevents returned dishes.
烫 = scalding hot — say it with every sizzling plate.
收 = collect — announcing before reaching is good manners.
点单 = ordering — the gentle closing-time warning.
At the Register 12
Totals, change, receipts and payment — the countdown of every purchase. Saying the numbers clearly in Chinese prevents the most common service misunderstandings.
结账 = settle the bill — table-side or at the counter.
一共是 + amount — say totals slowly and clearly.
收 = receive — confirming the bill handed to you.
找 = give change — count it back visibly.
付款 = make payment — directing to the register.
或 = or — listing the payment options.
小费 = tip — worth saying in no-tipping countries like Japan.
密码 = PIN/password — for card terminals.
签名 = signature — point to the line as you say it.
收据 = receipt — hand over with both hands.
袋子 = bag — the checkout classic.
收费 = charge a fee — clearer said upfront.
Shop Floor Service 12
Helping customers find, try and choose. 请随便看 (browse freely) sets a relaxed tone — Chinese shoppers often prefer to look first and ask later.
The approach line for browsing customers — gentle, not pushy.
随便 = as you like — gives customers welcome breathing room.
受欢迎 = well received — social proof, the strongest sales line.
试一下 = give it a try — works for products, samples and testers.
试衣间 = try-clothes-room — gesture along with it.
号 = size — expect Chinese sizes (S/M/L or numbers).
The service promise — say it and go check the stockroom.
缺货 = lacking stock — offer to check other stores.
剩 = remain — both apology and gentle urgency.
包装 = wrap — gifts are a huge part of Chinese shopping.
送人 = give to someone — decides wrapping and receipt handling.
易碎品 = easily broken item — for ceramics and glass.
Tax-Free, Deals & Counter Questions 10
The tax-free ritual and the promotions Chinese tourists actively hunt for. 可以免税 and 打八折 are possibly the two most profitable phrases in this whole list.
活动 = event/promotion — Chinese shoppers actively ask about these.
Chinese discounts state what you PAY: 八折 = pay 80%. 五折 = half price.
Literally "buy one, gift one" — the beloved BOGO.
件 counts items of clothing and goods.
免税 = exempt tax — the magic words for tourist shoppers.
出示 = show — required for the tax-free paperwork.
保质期 = quality-guarantee period — point at the printed date.
常温 = normal temperature — the souvenir-food question.
加热 = heat up — the convenience-store bento question.
筷子 = chopsticks — counter courtesy with any food purchase.
Waits, Hours & House Rules 10
Queues, waiting times, opening hours and the house rules that need gentle enforcement. A soft 请 in front keeps every rule friendly.
排队 = form a line — polite crowd control.
Setting expectations before they join the queue.
大概 = roughly — honest estimates keep guests patient.
号 = number — for ticket-based queuing systems.
营业时间 = business hours — 从…到… = from…to…
休息 = rest — the sign on every shuttered door.
打烊 = close up shop — the gentle last-orders warning.
请不要… = "please don't ___" — firm but face-saving.
禁止 = prohibited — for galleries and sensitive areas.
脱鞋 = remove shoes — essential for tatami and fitting rooms.
Hotel Front Desk 13
Check-in to check-out in the guest's language. Numbers matter here — floors, room numbers and breakfast times are where miscommunication hurts most.
入住 = check in/stay — the front-desk welcome.
确认单 = confirmation slip — phone screenshots count.
办理 = process — the reassuring "I've got you" line.
房卡 = room card — hand over with the room number written down.
楼 = floor — note Chinese floors count like American ones.
电梯 = electric ladder — gesture as you say it.
早餐 = breakfast — the most-asked hotel question.
Numbers + 点 = o'clock — say them slowly.
退房 = return the room — prevents awkward noon calls.
行李 = luggage — full-service hospitality.
寄存 = deposit for safekeeping — before check-in or after check-out.
叫车 = call a car — the departing guest's favorite offer.
免费 = free — answer it before they ask.
Guiding, Trouble & Goodbye 18
Escorting, explaining, apologizing and seeing guests off. 我带您过去 (I'll take you there) beats any pointed finger — and a warm send-off brings people back.
处理 = handle — the complaint-defusing promise.
The full formal apology — for real service failures.
3 我请一位会说中文的同事过来 wǒ qǐng yíwèi huì shuō zhōngwén de tóngshì guòlai I'll get a Chinese-speaking colleague
The honest escalation — better than struggling on.
The staff-side "pardon?" — polite and unhurried.
Translation apps + this phrase solve almost anything.
说明 = explanation — point guests to translated materials.
二维码 = QR code — menus, payments and guides all live behind them.
里面 = inside — the single most-asked question in any shop.
滑 = slippery — safety warnings show care.
出口 = exit, 入口 = entrance — signage vocabulary.
失物招领 = lost-item claims — 服务台 = service counter.
带 = lead/bring — walking guests over beats pointing, every time.
After taking a guest's photo — hand the phone back with a smile.
祝您… = "wishing you ___" — the guide's send-off.
旅途 = journey — for guests moving on to the next city.
再次光临 = grace us again — the formal repeat-business wish.
惠顾 = honor us with custom — printed on receipts everywhere.
慢走 (walk slowly) is the warm send-off — the service goodbye.
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