Grocery Shopping
beginner买菜购物
Navigate Chinese wet markets and supermarkets — learn to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, and pay like a local.
45 words14 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
45 words — click any row for an example sentence
Fruits
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 苹果 | píngguǒ | apple | noun |
| 香蕉 | xiāngjiāo | banana | noun |
| 西瓜 | xīguā | watermelon | noun |
| 草莓 | cǎoméi | strawberry | noun |
| 葡萄 | pútao | grape | noun |
| 橘子 | júzi | tangerine; mandarin orange | noun |
| 梨 | lí | pear | noun |
| 水果 | shuǐguǒ | fruit | noun |
Vegetables
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 白菜 | báicài | Chinese cabbage; napa cabbage | noun |
| 西红柿 | xīhóngshì | tomato | noun |
| 土豆 | tǔdòu | potato | noun |
| 黄瓜 | huángguā | cucumber | noun |
| 胡萝卜 | húluóbo | carrot | noun |
| 蔬菜 | shūcài | vegetables | noun |
| 青菜 | qīngcài | green leafy vegetables | noun |
| 葱 | cōng | green onion; scallion | noun |
Meat
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 猪肉 | zhūròu | pork | noun |
| 牛肉 | niúròu | beef | noun |
| 鸡肉 | jīròu | chicken (meat) | noun |
| 鱼 | yú | fish | noun |
| 虾 | xiā | shrimp | noun |
| 鸡蛋 | jīdàn | egg | noun |
| 排骨 | páigǔ | spareribs; pork ribs | noun |
Quantities
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 斤 | jīn | jin (unit of weight, 500 grams) | measure word |
| 两 | liǎng | liang (unit of weight, 50 grams) | measure word |
| 公斤 | gōngjīn | kilogram | measure word |
| 一点 | yīdiǎn | a little; a bit | other |
| 多少 | duōshao | how much; how many | other |
| 便宜 | piányi | cheap; inexpensive | adjective |
| 贵 | guì | expensive | adjective |
| 称 | chēng | to weigh | verb |
| 袋子 | dàizi | bag | noun |
Payment
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 现金 | xiànjīn | cash | noun |
| 微信支付 | Wēixìn zhīfù | WeChat Pay | noun |
| 支付宝 | Zhīfùbǎo | Alipay | noun |
| 扫码 | sǎomǎ | to scan a QR code | verb |
| 找零 | zhǎolíng | to give change | verb |
| 付款 | fùkuǎn | to pay; to make a payment | verb |
Market Basics
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 菜市场 | càishìchǎng | wet market; food market | noun |
| 超市 | chāoshì | supermarket | noun |
| 新鲜 | xīnxiān | fresh | adjective |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy | verb |
| 卖 | mài | to sell | verb |
| 摊位 | tānwèi | stall; market stand | noun |
| 老板 | lǎobǎn | boss (used to address a vendor) | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
老板，这个怎么卖？
Lǎobǎn, zhège zěnme mài?
Boss, how much is this?
Asking a vendor about the price of an item at a market stall.
多少钱一斤？
Duōshao qián yī jīn?
How much per jin?
Asking the price per unit of weight at a wet market.
给我来两斤西红柿。
Gěi wǒ lái liǎng jīn xīhóngshì.
Give me two jin of tomatoes.
Ordering a specific quantity of produce.
能便宜一点吗？
Néng piányi yīdiǎn ma?
Can you make it a little cheaper?
Bargaining for a lower price at a wet market.
今天的菜新鲜吗？
Jīntiān de cài xīnxiān ma?
Are the vegetables fresh today?
Asking a vendor about the freshness of their produce.
这些够了，帮我称一下。
Zhèxiē gòu le, bāng wǒ chēng yīxià.
This is enough, please weigh it for me.
Telling the vendor you have selected enough and asking them to weigh it.
可以扫码吗？
Kěyǐ sǎomǎ ma?
Can I scan to pay?
Asking if you can pay via mobile QR code.
有没有塑料袋？
Yǒu méiyǒu sùliào dài?
Do you have a plastic bag?
Asking for a bag to carry your purchases.
这个甜不甜？
Zhège tián bù tián?
Is this sweet?
Asking a fruit vendor if the fruit is sweet before buying.
挑两个好的给我。
Tiāo liǎng gè hǎo de gěi wǒ.
Pick two good ones for me.
Asking the vendor to select the best items.
一共多少钱？
Yīgòng duōshao qián?
How much in total?
Asking for the total price after selecting everything.
我买三样菜，算便宜点吧。
Wǒ mǎi sān yàng cài, suàn piányi diǎn ba.
I am buying three kinds of vegetables; give me a discount.
Bargaining by pointing out that you are buying multiple items.
这个打折吗？
Zhège dǎzhé ma?
Is this on sale?
Asking if an item is discounted at a supermarket.
帮我切一下鱼好吗？
Bāng wǒ qiē yīxià yú hǎo ma?
Can you cut the fish for me?
Asking the fishmonger to prepare the fish before you take it home.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Buying Produce at the Wet Market
A customer (A) visits a wet market and buys vegetables and fruit from a vendor (B).
Speaker A
老板，西红柿怎么卖？
Speaker B
西红柿四块钱一斤，今天刚到的，很新鲜。
Speaker A
好的，给我来两斤。再来一斤土豆。
Speaker B
好，一共十二块。还要别的吗？
Speaker A
那个黄瓜多少钱一斤？
Speaker B
黄瓜三块五。你买这么多，给你算便宜点，一共十五块吧。
Speaker A
好的，谢谢老板。我扫码付。
Speaker B
扫这个就行。慢走啊！
Cultural note: At Chinese wet markets, vendors often give small discounts to customers who buy multiple items. The phrase "慢走" (mànzǒu, literally "walk slowly") is a common friendly farewell that vendors use, meaning "take care on your way out."
Buying Fish at the Market
A customer (A) is at the seafood section of a wet market, choosing a live fish from a vendor (B).
Speaker A
老板，这个鲈鱼怎么卖？
Speaker B
鲈鱼二十五块一斤。你要哪条？
Speaker A
那条大一点的。帮我杀好可以吗？
Speaker B
没问题。要切成块还是整条？
Speaker A
整条就行，我回家清蒸。
Speaker B
好的，这条一斤半，一共三十七块五。
Speaker A
算三十五吧？
Speaker B
行吧，扫码还是现金？
Cultural note: In Chinese wet markets, it is common to buy live fish and have the vendor kill, scale, and gut them on the spot. Customers can request the fish whole or cut into pieces, depending on the planned recipe. Mild bargaining is expected and normal at wet markets.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Grocery Shopping Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
25 of 45 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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