Chapter 9

Shopping Made Easy

In This Chapter

Checking out the stores

Looking for clothes and other items

Bargaining for a better price

Ever dreamed of shopping till you dropped in a foreign country where the rate of exchange is really great? Or in faraway lands where lively outdoor night markets abound? This chapter helps you navigate both small shops and fancy department stores; get a handle on prices, colors, and merchandise; and in general negotiate the best deal wherever possible.

To mǎi dōngxi 买东西(買東西) (my doong-she) (buy things) is one of the most enjoyable pastimes for people the world over. Whether you’re just going guàngshāngdiàn 逛商店 (gwahng-shahng-dyan) (window shopping) or actually about to mǎi dōngxi doesn’t matter. You can still enjoy looking at all the shāngpǐn 商品 (shahng-peen) (merchandise), fantasizing about buying that zuànshí jièzhǐ 钻石戒指 (鑽石戒指) (dzwan-shir jye-jir) (diamond ring), and haggling over the jiàgé 价格 價格) (jyah-guh) (price).

Going to Stores

You can find all sorts of stores to meet your shopping needs throughout China. Table 9-1 presents some common store options.

Table 9-1 Kinds of Stores

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
bǎihuò shāngdiàn 百货商店 (百貨商店)	bye-hwaw shahng-dyan	department store
cài shìchǎng 菜市场 (菜市場)	tsye shir-chahng	food market
chàngpiàn diàn 唱片店	chahng-pyan-dyan	record store
chāojí shìchǎng 超级市场 (超級市場)	chow-jee shir-chahng	supermarket
fúzhuāng diàn 服装店 (服裝店)	foo-jwahng dyan	clothing store
lǐpǐn diàn 礼品店 (禮品店)	lee-peen dyan	gift shop
shūdiàn 书店 (書店)	shoo-dyan	bookstore
wánjǜ diàn 玩具店	wahn-jyew dyan	toy store
wǔjīn diàn 五金店	woo-jeen dyan	hardware store
xiédiàn 鞋店	shyeh-dyan	shoe store
yàofáng 药房 (藥房)	yaow-fahng	drugstore
zhūbǎo diàn 珠宝店	joo-baow dyan	jewelry store

Here are some things you can find in various stores:

Zài yíge shūdiàn nǐ kéyǐ mǎi shū, zázhì hé bàozhǐ. 在一个书店你可以买书, 杂志和报纸. (在一個書店你可以買書, 雜誌和報紙.) (dzye ee-guh shoo-dyan nee kuh-yee my shoo, dzah-jir huh baow-jir.) (In a bookstore, you can buy books, magazines, and newspapers.)

Zài yíge wǔjīn diàn nǐ kéyǐ mǎi zhuǎnjiē qì, chātóu hé yānwù bàojǐng qì. 在一个五金店你可以买转接器, 插头和烟雾报警器. (在一個五金店你可以買轉接器, 插頭和煙霧報警器.) (dzye ee-guh woo-jeen dyan nee kuh-yee my jwan-jyeh chee, chah-toe huh yan-woo baow-jeeng chee.) (In a hardware store, you can buy adaptors, plugs, and smoke detectors.)

Zài yíge zhūbǎo diàn nǐ kéyǐ mǎi shǒuzhuó, ěrhuán, xiàngliàn, xiōngzhēn hé jièzhi. 在一个珠宝店你可以买手镯,耳环,项链,胸针和戒指. (在一個珠寶店你可以買手鐲,耳環,項鍊,胸針和戒指.) (dzye ee-guh joo-baow dyan nee kuh-yee my show-jwaw, are-hwahn, shyahng-lyan, shyoong-juhn huh jyeh-jir.) (In a jewelry store, you can buy bracelets, earrings, necklaces, pins, and rings.)

When you finally make up your mind about what to shop for, you may want to call ahead to check out the store’s hours. Here are some questions that can help:

Nǐmen wǔdiǎn zhōng yǐhòu hái kāi ma? 你们五点钟以后还开吗? (你們五點鐘以後還開嗎?) (nee-men woo-dyan joong ee-hoe hi kye mah?) (Are you open after 5:00 p.m.?)

Nǐmen xīngqītiān kāi bùkāi? 你们星期天开不开? (你們星期天開不開?) (nee-mun sheeng-chee-tyan kye boo-kye?) (Are you open on Sundays?)

Nǐn jǐdiǎn zhōng kāi/guān mén? 您几点钟开/关门? (您幾點鐘開/關門?) (neen jee-dyan joong kye/gwahn mun?) (What time do you open/close?)

Most stores in China are open quite early, around 8:00 a.m., and don’t close until 8:00 p.m. or even later. If you want a less harried shopping experience, avoid shopping on the weekends, when seemingly a quarter of humanity is out doing the same thing.

Talkin’ the Talk

Helaine and Jeffrey discuss going shopping for the day. Here’s how they start out.

Helaine:

Wǒ jīntiān xiǎng qù mǎi dōngxi.

waw jin-tyan shyahng chyew my doong-she.

I want to go shopping today.

Jeffrey:

Nǐ qù nǎr mǎi dōngxi?

nee chyew nar my doong-she?

Where will you go to shop?

Helaine:

Wǒ yào qù bǎihuò shāngdiàn mǎi yīfu.

waw yaow chyew bye-hwaw shahng-dyan my ee-foo.

I want to go to the department store to buy some clothes.

Jeffrey:

Tīngshuō zài zhèige chénglǐ dōngxi dōu hěn guì.

teeng-shwaw dzye jay-guh chuhng-lee doong-she doe hun gway.

I’ve heard that everything’s very expensive in this city.

Helaine:

Nà bùyídìng. Kàn shì shénme diàn. Yǒude hěn guì, yǒude yìdiǎn dōu búguì.

nah boo-ee-deeng. kahn shir shummuh dyan. yo-duh hun gway, yo-duh ee-dyan doe boo-gway.

Not necessarily. It depends on the store. Some are really expensive, and some aren’t expensive at all.

Jeffrey:

Hǎo ba. Wǒmen zǒu ba. Wǒmen qù mǎi yīfu.

how bah. waw-mun dzoe bah. waw-mun chyew my ee-foo.

Great. Let’s go. Let’s buy some clothes.

Whenever you see the words yìdiǎn dōu bú 一点都不 (一點都不) (ee-dyan doe boo) before an adjective, it means not at all (adjective). This construction is a great way to emphasize something. You can say something like Wǒ yìdiǎn dōu búlèi. 我一点都不累. (我一點都不累.) (waw ee-dyan doe boo-lay.) (I’m not tired in the least.) or Tā yìdiǎn dōu búpiàoliàng. 她一点都不漂亮. (她一點都不漂亮.) (tah ee-dyan doe boo-pyaow-lyahng.) (She’s not at all pretty.) to get your point across.

Getting What You Want at a Department Store

If you don’t have a clue how to begin shopping in China, much less what you want to buy, you may want to start off at one of the many luxury department stores that have sprouted up throughout China in the last decade. Here, you can get almost any name-brand thing you’re looking for, from zhūbǎo 珠宝 (joo-baow) (jewelry) and huāpíng 花瓶 (hwah-peeng) (vases) to yīfu 衣服 (ee-foo) (clothing) and yuèqì 乐器 (樂器) (yweh-chee) (musical instruments).

Department stores aren’t the only places you can shop, but they’re certainly the easiest because everything is right there within walking distance and you can browse without fighting off vendors trying to push their wares.

Even though traditional alley markets and shop fronts still exist in China, Western-style shopping malls are quickly putting their imprint on places like Beijing and Shanghai. You can still get the best prices, though, at the many open-air markets and street vendors, which sell traditional arts and crafts and other specialties. Beijing’s number one shopping area isn’t far from Tiān’ānmén Square 天安门 (天安門) (tyan-ahn-mun square) on Wángfǔjǐng 王府井 (wahng-foo-jeeng) and Dōngdān 东单 (東單) (doong-dahn) Streets. Or on Jiànguóménwài Dàjiē 建国门外大街 (建國門外大街) (jyan-gwaw mun-why dah-jyeh) Street.

Just browsing

You may want to call ahead of time to see when the biggest department store in town opens before you decide to stroll on over. It’s a nice day outside, you’re in a mellow mood, all’s right with the world, and all you want to do is just window shop — inside the store. You start out on the dì yī céng 第一层 (第一層) (dee ee tsuhng) (first floor), take the zìdòng lóutī 自动楼梯 (自動樓梯) (dzuh-doong low-tee) (escalator) all the way up to the dì sān céng 第三层 (第三層) (dee sahn tsuhng) (third floor), and enjoy checking out tons of shāngpǐn 商品 (shahng-peen) (merchandise) quietly by yourself, when all of a sudden a shòuhuòyuán 售货员 (售貨員) (show-hwaw-ywan) (salesperson) sneaks up behind you and says Nǐ xiǎng mǎi shénme? 你想买什么? (你想買甚麼?) (nee shyahng my shummuh?) (What would you like to buy?)

At this point, you really just want to be left alone, so you say Wǒ zhǐ shì kànkàn. Xièxiè. 我只是看看. 谢谢. (我只是看看. 謝謝.) (waw jir shir kahn-kahn. shyeh-shyeh) (I’m just looking. Thanks.)

Asking for help

But what if you really do want help? First, you’d better look around for that salesperson you just told to go away. You may not find too many others nearby when you finally need them. If your luck holds, though, here are some questions you may want to ask:

Nǎr yǒu wàitào? 哪儿有外套? (哪兒有外套?) (nar yo why-taow?) (Where are the jackets?)

Néng bùnéng bāngmáng? 能不能帮忙? (能不能幫忙?) (nung boo-nung bahng-mahng?) (Can you help me?)

Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu Yīngwén de shū? 你有没有英文的书? (你有沒有英文的書?) (nee yo mayo eeng-one duh shoo?) (Do you have any books in English?)

Nǐmen mài búmài guāngpán? 你们卖不卖光盘? (你們賣不賣光盤?) (nee-mun my boo-my gwahng-pahn?) (Do you sell CDs?)

Qǐng nǐ gěi wǒ kànkàn nǐde xīzhuāng. 请你给我看看你的西装. (請你給我看看你的西裝.) (cheeng nee gay waw kahn-kahn nee-duh she-jwahng.) (Please show me your [Western] suits.)

Wǒ zhǎo yì běn yǒu guān Zhōngguó lìshǐ de shū. 我找一本有关中国历史的书. (我找一本有關中國歷史的書.) (waw jaow ee bun yo gwan joong-gwaw lee-shir duh shoo.) (I’m looking for a book about Chinese history.)

Talkin’ the Talk

Tania and Klara are in a clothing store. They try to get a fúwùyuán (foo-woo-ywan) (attendant) to help them locate dresses in their sizes. (Track 12)

Tania:

Xiǎojiě! Nǐ néng bāng wǒmen ma?

shyaow-jyeh! nee nung bahng waw-men mah?

Miss! Can you help us?

Fúwùyuán:

Kéyǐ. Qǐng děng yíxià.

kuh-yee. cheeng dung ee-shyah.

Yes. Just a moment.

After the store attendant puts some boxes away, she returns to help Tania and Klara.

Fúwùyuán:

Hǎo. Nǐmen yào mǎi shénme?

how. nee-men yow my shummuh?

Okay. What did you want to buy?

Tania:

Nǎr yǒu qúnzi?

nar yo chwun-dzuh?

Where are the skirts?

Fúwùyuán:

Qúnzi jiù zài nàr.

chwun-dzuh jyo dzye nar.

The skirts are just over there.

Shopping for Clothes

Going shopping for clothes is an art — one requiring lots of patience and fortitude, not to mention lots of new vocabulary if you’re going to do it in Chinese. You need to know how to ask for your own size, how to see whether something is available in a different color or fabric, and in general how to compare apples and oranges (or at least skirts and shirts).

What’s your size?

If you ask for clothing in the dàxiǎo 大小 (dah-shyaow) (size) you’re used to quoting in the United States when you’re in Taiwan or mainland China, you’re in for a surprise. The numbers you generally throw out when talking to salespeople in the United States are vastly different from the ones you have to get used to using when dealing with Chinese sizes.

Here are some useful phrases you may want to know:

Dàxiǎo búduì. 大小不对. (大小不對.) (dah-shyaow boo-dway.) (It’s the wrong size.)

Hěn héshēn. 很合身. (hun huh-shun.) (It fits really well.)

Nín chuān duō dà hào? 您穿多大号? (您穿多大號?) (neen chwan dwaw dah how?) (What size are you?)

Zài Měiguó wǒde chǐcùn shì wǔ hào. 在美国我的尺寸是五号. (在美國我的尺寸是五號.) (dzye may-gwaw waw-duh chir-tswun shir woo how.) (In America, I wear a size 5.)

Instead of using the word dàxiǎo, you can say things like the following:

Nín chuān jǐ hào de chènshān? 您穿几号的衬衫? (您穿記號的襯衫?) (neen chwahn jee how duh chun-shahn?) (What size shirt do you wear?)

Wǒ chuān sānshíqī hào. 我穿三十七号. (我穿三十七號.) (waw chwahn sahn-shir-chee how.) (I wear a size 37.)

Wǒ chuān xiǎohào. 我穿小号. (我穿小號.) (waw chwahn shyaow-how.) (I wear a size small.)

Of course, you can always guess your approximate size just by indicating you want to see something in one of the following categories:

xiǎo 小 (shyaow) (small)

zhōng 中 (joong) (medium)

dà 大 (dah) (large)

Talkin’ the Talk

Kathryn approaches a salesperson at a department store in Beijing. She’s unsure of what size to ask for because the measurement systems are different in China than they are in the United States.

Kathryn:

Xiǎojiě!

shyaow-jyeh!

Miss!

Fúwùyuán:

Nǐ hǎo. Xiǎng mǎi shénme?

nee how. shyahng my shummuh?

Hello. What would you like to buy?

Kathryn:

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yíjiàn jiákè.

waw shyahng my ee-jyan jyah-kuh.

I’m looking for a jacket.

Fúwùyuán:

Hǎo ba. Nǐ chuān jǐ hào?

how bah. nee chwahn jee how?

Very well. What size are you?

Kathryn:

Wǒ bùzhīdào. Měiguó de hàomǎ hé Zhōngguó de hàomǎ hěn bùyíyàng.

waw boo-jir-daow. may-gwaw duh how-ma huh joong-gwaw duh how-ma hun boo-ee-yahng.

I don’t know. American sizes are quite different from Chinese sizes.

Fúwùyuán:

Wǒ gūjì nǐ chuān xiǎohào.

waw goo-jee nee chwahn shyaow-how.

I would estimate you wear a size small.

Kathryn:

Hǎo ba. Nà, máfán nǐ gěi wǒ kànkàn xiǎohào de jiákè. Xièxiè.

how bah. nah, mah-fahn nee gay waw kahn-kahn shyaow-how duh jyah-kuh. shyeh-shyeh.

That sounds about right. Would you mind showing me the small-size jackets, then? Thank you.

Comparing quality: Good, better, best

When you want to let loose with a superlative in order to say something is absolutely the best — or, for that matter, the worst —always keep this one little word in mind: zuì 最 (dzway), which means the most (it’s the equivalent of the suffix -est).

Zuì is a word just waiting for something to follow it; otherwise it doesn’t have much meaning. Here are some superlatives you may need to use from time to time:

zuì hǎo 最好 (dzway how) (best)

zuì lèi 最累 (dzway lay) (the most tired)

zuì màn 最慢 (dzway mahn) (the slowest)

zuì máng 最忙 (dzway mahng) (the busiest)

zuì qíguài 最奇怪 (dzway chee-gwye) (the strangest)

zuì yǒumíng 最有名 (dzway yo-meeng) (the most famous)

zuì yǒuqián 最有钱 (最有錢) (dzway yo-chyan) (the richest)

If you just want to say that something is better than something else, or more something (not necessarily the best), you use the word gèng 更 (guhng) before an adjective. You can consider these the equivalent of the suffix -er. Another word that has the meaning of more or -er is yìdiǎn 一点 (一點) (ee-dyan). Although the term gèng comes before an adjective, the term yìdiǎn must appear after the adjective. Instead of saying gèng kuài 更快 (gung kwye) (faster), for example, you’d say kuài yìdiǎn 快一点 (快一點) (kwye ee-dyan) to mean faster.

Here are some examples:

gèng cōngmíng 更聪明 (更聰明) (guhng tsoong-meeng) (smarter)

gèng hǎo 更好 (guhng how) (better)

gèng guì 更贵 (更貴) (guhng gway) (more expensive)

gèng piányì 更便宜 (gung pyan-yee) (cheaper)

piányī yìdiǎn 便宜一点 (便宜一點) (pyan-yee ee-dyan) (cheaper)

gèng kuài 更快 (guhng kwye) (faster)

gèng màn 更慢 (guhng mahn) (slower)

duǎn yìdiǎn 短一点 (短一點) (dwahn ee-dyan) (shorter)

cháng yìdiǎn 长一点 (長一點) (chahng ee-dyan) (longer)

xiǎo yìdiǎn 小一点 (小一點) (shyaow ee-dyan) (smaller)

dà yìdiǎn 大一点 (大一點) (dah ee-dyan) (larger)

Comparing two items

The simplest way to compare two items is by using the coverb (the part of speech akin to a preposition) bǐ 比 (bee) (compared with) between the two things you’re comparing, followed by an adjective. If you say A bǐ B hǎo A 比 B 好 (A bee B how) you’re saying A is better than B.

Here are some ways to make comparisons with bǐ:

Hóngde bǐ huángde hǎo. 红的比黄的好. (紅的比黃的好. (hoong-duh bee hwahng-duh how.) (The red one is better than the yellow one.)

Tā bǐ wǒ lǎo. 她比我老. (tah bee waw laow.) (She’s older than me.)

Zhèige wūzi bǐ nèige dà. 这个屋子比那个大. (這個屋子比那個大.) (jay-guh woo-dzuh bee nay-guh dah.) (This room is bigger than that one.)

One way to convey similarity between two things is to use the coverbs gēn 跟 (gun) or hé 和 (huh) between the two things being compared, followed by the word yíyàng 一样 (一樣) (ee-yahng) (the same) and then the adjective. So if you say A gēn B yíyàng dà A 跟 B 一样大 (A 跟 B 一樣大) (A gun B ee-yahng dah), you’re saying that A and B are equally large or are as big as each other. You can also just say A gēn B yíyàng., meaning A and B are the same. Here are some other things you can say with this sentence pattern:

Gēge hé dìdi yíyàng gāo. 哥哥和弟弟一样高. (哥哥和弟弟一樣高.) (guh-guh huh dee-dee ee-yahng gaow.) (My older brother is as tall as my younger brother.)

Māo gēn gǒu yíyàng tiáopí. 猫跟狗一样调皮. (貓跟狗一樣調皮.) (maow gun go ee-yahng tyaow-pee.) (Cats are just as naughty as dogs.)

Wǒ gēn nǐ yíyàng dà. 我跟你一样大. (我跟你一樣大.) (waw gun nee ee-yahng dah.) (You and I are the same age.)

So what if you want to make a negative comparison, such as I’m not as tall as him? For that, you have to use the following sentence pattern: A méiyǒu B nèmme (adjective). A 没有B 那么 (那麽) (adjective). (A mayo B nuh muh [adjective].) (A isn’t as [adjective] as B.). You can see this pattern in action in the following sentences:

Shāyú méiyǒu jīnyú nèmme kě’ài. 鲨鱼没有金鱼那么可爱. (鯊魚沒有金魚那麼可愛.) (shah-yew mayo jeen-yew nummuh kuh-eye.) (Sharks aren’t as cute as goldfish.)

Yīngwén méiyǒu Zhōngwén nèmme nán. 英文没有中文那么难. (英文沒有中文那麽難.) (eeng-one mayo joong-one nummuh nahn.) (English isn’t as difficult as Chinese.)

Māo de wěiba méiyǒu tùzi de wěiba nèmme cū. 猫的尾巴没有兔子的尾巴那么粗. (猫的尾巴没有兔子的尾巴那么粗.) (maow duh way-bah mayo too-dzuh duh way-bah nummuh tsoo.) (Cats’ tails aren’t as thick as the tails of rabbits.)

Talkin’ the Talk

Olivia and Lěiléi go shopping and check out some traditional Chinese women’s dresses known as qípáo (chee-paow). Those are the ankle-length dresses with high necks and a high slit up the side of one leg.

Olivia:

Zhèi jiàn qípáo zěnmeyàng?

jay jyan chee-paow dzummuh-yahng?

What do you think of this traditional Chinese dress?

Lěiléi:

Wǒ juéde hěn hǎo.

waw jweh-duh hun how.

I think it looks great.

Olivia:

Zhēnde ma?

jun-duh mah?

Really?

Lěiléi:

Zhēnde. Kěshì jīnsède méiyǒu hóngde nèmme piàoliàng.

jun-duh. kuh-shir jeen-suh-duh mayo hoong-duh nummuh pyaow-lyahng.

Reallly. But the gold one isn’t as pretty as the red one.

Olivia:

Jīnsède hé hóngde yíyàng guì ma?

jeen-suh-duh huh hoong-duh ee-yahng gway mah?

Are the gold one and the red one the same price?

Lěiléi:

Méiyǒu. Jīnsède bǐ hóngde piányi.

mayo. jeen-suh-duh bee hoong duh pyan-yee.

No. The gold one is less expensive than the red one.

Olivia:

Nà, wǒ jiù mǎi jīnsède.

nah, waw jyoe my jeen-suh-duh.

In that case, I’ll buy the gold one.

You can use two classifiers when it comes to clothing: jiàn and tiáo. Classifiers are the words used between a number or the words this or that and the clothing you’re talking about. You use jiàn when you’re talking about clothing worn on the upper part of the body and tiáo for clothes worn on the lower part. So you say yíjiàn chènshān 一件衬衫 (一件襯衫) (ee-jyan chun-shahn) (one shirt) or sāntiáo kùzi 三条裤子 (三條褲子) (sahn-tyaow koo-dzuh) (three pairs of pants).

What are you wearing? Chuān versus dài

Dài 戴 (dye) and chuān 穿 (chwan) both mean to wear, but they’re used for different types of things you put on your body. In English, you can say you’re wearing everything from hats to socks to skirts to even a necklace. In Chinese, though, you can only dài things like màozi 帽子 (maow-dzuh) (hats), yǎnjìng 眼镜 (鏡) (yan-jeeng) (glasses), and xiézi 鞋子 (shyeh-dzuh) (shoes) — in other words, articles more akin to accessories than to actual clothing. However, you chuān things like qúnzi 裙子 (chewn-dzuh) (skirts) and dàyī 大衣 (dah-ee) (coats).

Here are some things you can chuān:

bèixīn 背心 (bay-sheen) (vest)

chángkù 长裤 (長褲) (chahng-koo) (pants)

chángxiù 长袖 (長袖) (chahng-shyow) (long-sleeved shirt)

chènshān 衬衫 (襯衫) (chun-shahn) (blouse)

dàyī 大衣 (dah-ee) (coat)

duǎnkù 短裤 (短褲) (dwan-koo) (shorts)

duǎnxiù 短袖 (dwahn-shyow) (short-sleeved shirt)

gāogēnxiě 高跟鞋 (gaow-gun-shyeh) (high heels)

jiákè 夹克 (夾克) (jyah-kuh) (jacket)

kùzi 裤子 (褲子) (koo-dzuh) (pants)

nèiyī 内衣 (nay-ee) (underwear)

niúzǎikù 牛仔裤 (牛仔褲) (nyo-dzye-koo) (blue jeans)

qúnzi 裙子 (chewn-dzuh) (skirt)

tuōxié 拖鞋 (twaw-shyeh) (slippers)

wàzi 袜子 (襪子) (wah-dzuh) (socks)

yǔyī 雨衣 (yew-ee) (raincoat)

Here are some things you can dài but not chuān:

lǐngdài 领带 (領帶) (leen-dye) (necktie)

shǒubiǎo 手表 (show-byaow) (wristwatch)

shǒutào 手套 (show-taow) (gloves)

zhūbǎo 珠宝 (joo-baow) (jewelry)

Asking about the color and material

When you go shopping for clothes, you have a chance to compare all the different yánsè 颜色 (顏色) (yan-suh) (colors) they come in and choose the one that looks the best on you. Do you generally prefer dānsè 单色 (單色) (dahn-suh) (solid colors) or huā 花 (hwah) (patterned) shirts? What about a shēn yìdiǎn 深一点 (深一點) (shun ee-dyan) (darker) or dàn yìdiǎn 淡一点 (淡一點) (dahn ee-dyan) (lighter) shade? Whatever your clothing preferences are, after you know how to express your heart’s desire with the correct word, you can be sure to ask for what you like.

The following is a list of handy words to use the next time you go shopping either for clothes or for material to create your own. Shénme yánsè 什么颜色? (甚麼顏色?) (shummuh yan-suh) (what color) is your favorite from the following list? Don’t be shy to speak up about your preferences. If someone wants you to wear pink with purple polka dots to a wedding, you can always politely just say, Yánsè búduì. 颜色不对. (顏色 不對.) (yan-suh boo-dway.) (The color is wrong.) and leave it at that.

bái 白 (bye) (white)

fēnhóng 粉红 (粉紅) (fun-hoong) (pink)

hēi 黑 (hey) (black)

hóng 红 (紅) (hoong) (red)

huáng 黄 (hwahng) (yellow)

júhóng 橘红 (橘紅) (jyew-hoong) (orange)

lán 蓝 (藍) (lahn) (blue)

zǐ 紫 (dzuh) (purple)

Liàozi 料子 (lyaow-dzuh) (fabric) is another important consideration when you’re picking out clothes. Check out these terms for common clothing ­materials:

duànzi 缎子 (緞子) (dwahn-dzuh) (satin)

kāiīmǐ 开司米 (開司米) (kye-uh-mee) (cashmere)

sīchóu 丝绸 (絲綢) (suh-cho) (silk)

yángmáo 羊毛 (yahng-maow) (wool)

Talkin’ the Talk

Lauren goes shopping for sweaters with her husband Evan and asks him to weigh in on which color looks best on her.

Lauren:

Zhèi jiàn máoyī nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?

jay jyan maow-ee nee jweh-duh dzummuh-yahng?

What do you think of this sweater?

Evan:

Nèi jiàn máoyī tài xiǎo. Yánsè yě búpiàoliàng.

nay jyan maow-ee tye shyaow. yan-suh yeh boo-pyaow-lyahng.

That sweater is too small. The color doesn’t look good either.

Lauren:

Nǐ xǐhuān shénme yánsè?

nee she-hwahn shummuh yan-suh?

What color do you like?

Evan:

Wǒ xǐhuān hóngde. Búyào nèige hēide.

waw she-hwahn hoong-duh. boo-yaow nay-guh hey-duh.

I like the red one. You shouldn’t get the black one.

Lauren:

Hǎole. Nà, wǒ jiù mǎi hóngde ba.

how-luh. Nah, waw jyo my hoong-duh bah.

Okay. In that case, I’ll buy the red one.

When the possessive particle de is attached to an adjective and there’s no noun following it, it can be translated as the one that is (adjective), as in hóngde 红的 (紅的) (hoong-duh) (the red one), dà de 大的 (dah-duh) (the big one), tián de 甜的 (tyan-duh) (the sweet one), and so on.

Shopping for Other Items

Of course, clothes aren’t the only things in the world to shop for (although I know some would beg to differ with me). How about some antiques or high-tech toys? The possibilities are endless in this consumer-oriented world.

Hunting for antiques

One of the best places in the world to go searching for gǔdǒng 古董 (goo-doong) (antiques) is — you guessed it — China. Gǔdǒng diàn 古董店 (goo-doong dyan) (antique shops) abound in major cities near large stores and in small alleyways. You can buy everything from 200-year-old diāokè pǐn 雕刻品 (dyaow-kuh peen) (carved objects) to 100-year-old bí yān hú 鼻烟壶 (鼻煙壺) (bee yan who) (snuff bottles). You can find all sorts of rare things.

After you find the perfect antique item, though, you need to deal with all the possible export restrictions, like for porcelain that is older than 200 years or some types of rare wood products. You have to have a red wax seal put on the item in order to legally take it out of China. The cultural artifacts bureau of the city in which you buy the item must apply the seal.

Slightly southwest of Tiān’ānmén Square in Beijing lies Liúlìchǎng 琉璃厂 (琉璃廠) (lyoe-lee-chahng), an area considered the best in the city for antiques and other traditional arts and crafts. In Shanghai, the Dōngtái 东台 (東台) (doong-tye) antiques market is the one to look for, not far from Huáihǎi Lù 淮海路 (hwye-hi loo). You can even find a Ghost Market in the Old Town Bazaar where folks go for weekend antique shopping. The Ghost Market is so named because of the ungodly hour the vendors begin setting up shop — a time before sunrise when only ghosts can check out what’s on sale. Even though you’re dealing with antiques, you’re still allowed to haggle over the price, so don’t be shy trying to get the best deal possible.

Here are some words and phrases that come in handy when you’re hunting for antiques:

dēnglóng 灯笼 (燈籠) (dung-loong) (lantern)

fóxiàng 佛像 (faw-shyahng) (Buddhas)

gǔdǒng jiājù 古董家具 (goo-doong jyah-jyew) (antique furniture)

gùizi 柜子 (櫃子) (gway-dzuh) (chest)

jìbài yòng de zhuōzi 祭拜用的桌子 (jee-bye yoong duh jwaw-dzuh) (altar table)

jǐngtàilán 景泰蓝 (景泰藍) (jeeng-tye-lahn) (cloisonné)

píngfēng 屏风 (屏風) (peeng-fung) (screen)

shénxiàng 神像 (shun-shyahng) (idol)

shūfǎ 书法 (書法) (shoo-fah) (calligraphy)

xiōngzhēn 胸针 (胸針) (shyoong-juhn) (brooch)

xiùhuā zhìpǐn 绣花制品 (繡花製品) (shyow-hwah jir-peen) (embroidery)

yù 玉 (yew) (jade)

These sentences can help you find precisely what you’re looking for and avoid surprises when you try to take your treasures home:

Kéyǐ bùkéyǐ jiā zhúnxǔ chūguó de huǒqī yìn? 可以不可以加准许出国的货器印? (可以不可以加准許出國的貨器印?) (kuh-yee boo-kuh-yee jyah jwun-shyew choo-gwaw duh hwaw-chee yeen?) (Can you put the export seal on it?)

Něige cháodài de? 哪个朝代的? (哪個朝代的?) (nay-guh chaow-dye duh?) (Which dynasty is it from?)

Néng dài chūguó ma? 能带出国吗? (能帶出國嗎?) (nung dye choo-gwaw mah?) (Can it be taken out of China?)

Nǐde gǔdǒng dìtǎn zài nǎr? 你的古董地毯在哪儿? (你的古董地毯在哪兒?) (nee-duh goo-doong dee-tahn dzye nar?) (Where are your antique carpets?)

Zhèige duōshǎo nián? 这个多少年? (這個多少年?) (jay-guh dwaw-shaow nyan?) (How old is this?)

Zhèi shì něige cháodài de? 这是哪个朝代的? (這是哪個朝代的?) (jay shir nay-guh chaow-dye duh?) (Which dynasty is this from?)

Buying high-tech and electronic things

New electronic gadgets appear on the market every two minutes these days, or so it seems. Just when you think you’ve gotten the latest model of something, another one comes out with great fanfare. Following is a list of the most commonly used (and most commonly bought) items you may need — even while reading Chinese For Dummies. Now you know how to ask for what you want when you walk in that store.

chuánzhēn jī 传真机 (傳真機) (chwahn-juhn jee) (fax machine)

dǎyìnjī 打印机 (打印機) (dah-yeen-jee) (printer)

diànnǎo shèbèi 电脑设备 (電腦設備) (dyan-now shuh-bay) (computer equipment)

diànshì jī 电视机 (電視機) (dyan-shir jee) (TV)

gèrén diànnǎo 个人电脑 (個人電腦) (guh-run dyan-now) (PC)

guāngpán 光盘 (光盤) (gwahng-pahn) (CD)

shǔbiāo 鼠标 (鼠標) (shoo-byaow) (mouse)

jiànpán 键盘 (鍵盤) (jyan-pahn) (keyboard)

jìsuàn qī 计算器 (計算器) (jee-swan chee) (calculator)

kǎlā’ōukè jī 卡拉欧克机 (卡拉歐克機) (kah-lah-o-kuh jee) (karaoke machine)

MP3 bōfàngqì MP3 播放器 (MP3 baw-fahng-chee) (MP3 player)

ruǎnjiàn 软件 (軟件) (rwahn-jyan) (software)

sǎomiáoyí 扫描仪 (掃描儀) (saow-myaow-ee) (scanner)

shèxiàng jī 摄像机 (攝像機) (shuh-shyahng jee) (camcorder)

shǒutíshì 手提式 (show-tee-shir) (laptop)

xiǎnshìqì 显示器 (顯示器) (shyan-shir-chee) (monitor)

xiǎo píngbǎn diànnǎo 小平板电脑 (小平板電腦) (shyaow peeng-bahn dyan-naow) (small tablet PC)

yìngjiàn 硬件 (eeng-jyan) (computer hardware)

zǔhé yīnxiǎng 组合音响 (組合音嚮) (dzoo-huh yeen-shyahng) (stereo system)

Getting a Good Price and Paying

Folks the world over want to get good deals on their purchases. At least they should. This section helps you discover the joys (and pitfalls) of haggling in Chinese.

Negotiating prices at the night market

One of the fun things to do in Taiwan and mainland China is to visit one of the lively night markets that abound. There, you can find anything from clothing and jewelry to antiques and food. Because the Chinese love to shop and tǎojià huánjià 讨价还价 (討價還價) (taow-jyah hwahn-jyah) (haggle), you have plenty of company on your sojourns.

You should always assume that prices are negotiable in an open air market. You can always ask one of the following and see what happens:

Néng bùnéng piányì yìdiǎr? 能不能便宜一点儿? (能不能便宜一點兒?) (nung boo-nung pyan-yee ee-dyar?) (Can you sell it more cheaply?)

Néng bùnéng shǎo yìdiǎr? 能不能少一点儿? (能不能少一點兒?) (nung boo-nung shaow ee-dyar?) (Can you lower the price?)

Or you can always play hardball and say something like Zěnme zhèmma guì ah? 怎么这么贵啊? (怎麼這麼貴啊?) (dzuh-muh juh-muh gway ah?) (Why is this so expensive?) in an exasperated voice, start walking away, and see what happens. (Bet they come back with a lower price.)

These haggling-related phrases are also worth knowing:

Dǎ zhé, hǎo búhǎo? 打折, 好不好? (dah juh, how boo-how?) (How about giving me a ­discount?)

Kéyǐ jiǎng jià ma? 可以讲价吗? (可以講價嗎? ) (kuh-yee jyahng jyah mah?) (Can we negotiate the price?)

Nǐmen yào bú yào Měiyuán? 你们要不要美元? (你們要不要美元?) (nee-men yaow boo yaow may-ywan?) (Do you want U.S. dollars?)

Zhèige duōshǎo qián? 这个多少钱 (這個多少錢?) (jay-guh dwaw-shaow chyan?) (How much is this?)

If you see something called a Yǒuyí Shāngdiàn 友谊商店 (友誼商店) (yo-ee shahng-dyan) (Friendship Store), be aware that it’s one of the ubiquitous state-run stores in China, so prices are generally fixed. However, bargaining is the norm everywhere else. Beware of goods with no prices marked on them! If you ask about them, you’ll probably be quoted a price far different than that charged to the locals. Often, you can get 5 to 10 percent taken off any price quoted verbally, so try to practice bargaining before you set foot in a street market.

Paying for your purchase (or demanding a refund)

When you finish checking out all the merchandise, haggling (or not) over the price, and deciding on just what to buy, you probably start reaching for your qiánbāo 钱包 (錢包) (chyan-baow) (wallet) to see whether you should take out your xìnyòng kǎ 信用卡 (sheen-yoong kah) (credit card) or some xiànqián 现钱 (現錢) (shyan-chyan) (cash) or, if you got a really good deal, just some língqián 零钱 (零錢) (leeng-chyan) (small change). When you fùqián 付钱 (付錢) (foo-chyan) (pay), you may also want to get a shōujù 收据 (收據) (show-jyew) (receipt).

If you end up being bùyúkuài 不愉快 (boo-yew-kwye) (unhappy) about your purchase, one of these phrases may come in handy when you try to tuì huí 退回 (tway hway) (return) your merchandise:

Duì wǒ bù héshēn. 对我不合身. (對我不合身.) (dway waw boo huh-shun) (It doesn’t fit me.)

Qǐng nǐ bāo qǐlái. 请你包起来. (請你包起來.) (cheeng nee baow chee-lye.) (Please wrap these/this.)

Qǐng nǐ bǎ qián jìrù wǒde xìnyòng kǎ. 请你把钱计入我的信用卡. (請你把錢計入我的信用卡.) (cheeng nee bah chyan jee-roo waw-duh sheen-yoong kah.) (Please refund my credit card.)

Wǒ néng bùnéng jiàn zǒngjīnglǐ? 我能不能见总经理? (我能不能見總經理?) (waw nung boo-nung jyan dzoong-jeeng-lee?) (May I see the manager?)

Wǒ yào tuìkuǎn. 我要求退款. (waw yaow tway-kwahn.) (I want a refund.)

Wǒ yào tuì huò. 我要退货. (我要退貨.) (waw yaow tway hwaw.) (I would like to return this.)

Here’s how you ask for change:

Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu yí kuài qián de língqián? 你有没有一块钱的零钱? (你有没有一塊錢的零錢?) (nee yo mayo ee kwye chyan duh leeng-chyan?) (Do you have change for a dollar?)

 Fun & Games

Take a look at the illustrations. In what type of store would you find these items? The answers are in Appendix D.

A. Zhūbǎo diàn 珠宝店 (珠寶店) _______________

B. Cài shìchǎng 菜市场 (菜市場) ______________

C. Huādiàn 花店 ___________________

D. Yàofáng 药房 (藥方)___________________

E. Wánjù diàn 玩具店________________