Online Shopping
intermediate网购
Learn to navigate Chinese e-commerce platforms, place orders, track deliveries, and leave reviews — all the vocabulary you need for online shopping in Chinese.
40 words12 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
40 words — click any row for an example sentence
Platforms
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 淘宝 | Táobǎo | Taobao (online marketplace) | noun |
| 京东 | Jīngdōng | JD.com (online retailer) | noun |
| 拼多多 | Pīnduōduō | Pinduoduo (group-buying platform) | noun |
| 抖音 | Dǒuyīn | Douyin (TikTok China; also has shopping) | noun |
| 网购 | wǎnggòu | online shopping | noun |
| 店铺 | diànpù | shop; store (online) | noun |
Actions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 下单 | xià dān | to place an order | verb |
| 加购物车 | jiā gòuwù chē | to add to shopping cart | verb |
| 付款 | fùkuǎn | to pay; to make payment | verb |
| 收货 | shōuhuò | to receive goods; to confirm receipt | verb |
| 退货 | tuìhuò | to return goods | verb |
| 退款 | tuìkuǎn | refund; to refund | noun |
| 评价 | píngjià | to review; review; rating | verb |
| 搜索 | sōusuǒ | to search | verb |
| 收藏 | shōucáng | to bookmark; to save (a listing) | verb |
| 比价 | bǐjià | to compare prices | verb |
Delivery
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 快递 | kuàidì | express delivery; courier | noun |
| 包裹 | bāoguǒ | package; parcel | noun |
| 快递员 | kuàidìyuán | courier; delivery person | noun |
| 驿站 | yìzhàn | parcel pickup station | noun |
| 发货 | fāhuò | to ship goods; to dispatch | verb |
| 物流 | wùliú | logistics; shipping status | noun |
| 包邮 | bāoyóu | free shipping | verb |
| 运费 | yùnfèi | shipping fee; freight cost | noun |
Quality
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 好评 | hǎopíng | positive review; good rating | noun |
| 差评 | chàpíng | negative review; bad rating | noun |
| 假货 | jiǎhuò | counterfeit goods; fakes | noun |
| 正品 | zhèngpǐn | genuine product; authentic item | noun |
| 买家秀 | mǎijiā xiù | buyer's photo review | noun |
Shopping Events
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 双十一 | shuāng shíyī | Singles' Day (November 11, biggest shopping event) | noun |
| 直播带货 | zhíbō dàihuò | livestream shopping | noun |
| 优惠券 | yōuhuìquàn | coupon; voucher | noun |
| 满减 | mǎnjiǎn | spend-more-save-more discount | noun |
| 拼团 | pīntuán | group buying; to group-buy | verb |
| 秒杀 | miǎoshā | flash sale; to grab a flash deal | noun |
Communication
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 卖家 | màijiā | seller; vendor | noun |
| 买家 | mǎijiā | buyer | noun |
| 客服 | kèfú | customer service | noun |
| 地址 | dìzhǐ | address | noun |
| 划算 | huásuàn | cost-effective; a good deal | adjective |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
我在淘宝上买的。
Wǒ zài Táobǎo shàng mǎi de.
I bought it on Taobao.
Telling someone where you purchased something.
快递到了吗？
Kuàidì dào le ma?
Has the delivery arrived?
Checking on the status of a package delivery.
这个包邮吗？
Zhège bāoyóu ma?
Does this come with free shipping?
Asking a seller whether shipping is included in the price.
我想申请退货退款。
Wǒ xiǎng shēnqǐng tuìhuò tuìkuǎn.
I would like to apply for a return and refund.
Initiating a return process with the seller or platform.
你看看评价怎么样？
Nǐ kànkan píngjià zěnmeyàng?
Check what the reviews are like.
Suggesting someone read reviews before purchasing.
双十一有什么好的优惠吗？
Shuāng shíyī yǒu shénme hǎo de yōuhuì ma?
Are there any good deals for Singles' Day?
Asking about promotions during China's biggest shopping festival.
我的包裹放在驿站了。
Wǒ de bāoguǒ fàng zài yìzhàn le.
My package was left at the pickup station.
Noting where a delivery was placed for collection.
卖家还没发货呢。
Màijiā hái méi fāhuò ne.
The seller has not shipped it yet.
Noting that the seller has not dispatched the order.
买一送一，太划算了。
Mǎi yī sòng yī, tài huásuàn le.
Buy one get one free. Such a great deal.
Commenting on an attractive promotion.
先领优惠券再下单。
Xiān lǐng yōuhuìquàn zài xià dān.
Claim the coupon first, then place the order.
Advising someone to save money by using a coupon.
这个直播间的价格最低。
Zhège zhíbōjiān de jiàgé zuì dī.
This livestream room has the lowest price.
Pointing out the best deal in a livestream shopping session.
确认收货以后给个好评吧。
Quèrèn shōuhuò yǐhòu gěi ge hǎopíng ba.
Please leave a positive review after confirming receipt.
A seller or friend asking for a good review after delivery.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Asking a Friend about Online Shopping
Two friends are chatting about a recent purchase. One recommends an online store and explains how to get the best deal.
Speaker A
你这个包好好看！在哪里买的？
Speaker B
在淘宝上买的，才一百多块，而且包邮。
Speaker A
这么便宜！质量怎么样？不会是假货吧？
Speaker B
不是，我买之前看了很多评价，好评率百分之九十七。买家秀的照片也很真实。
Speaker A
那我也想买一个。你能把链接发给我吗？
Speaker B
可以。你先别着急下单，下周双十一有满减活动，满两百减三十。先加购物车，到时候更划算。
Speaker A
好主意！你真会网购。
Speaker B
哈哈，经验丰富。还有，记得先领优惠券再下单，能再省十块。
Cultural note: Sharing product links via WeChat is one of the most common ways Chinese consumers discover products. Checking reviews (评价) and especially buyer photos (买家秀) is considered essential before purchasing. Timing purchases around major sales events like Singles' Day (双十一) and using coupons (优惠券) and spend-more-save-more deals (满减) are deeply ingrained shopping habits.
Returning an Online Purchase
A customer contacts the online seller to return a product that arrived damaged. They negotiate through the platform's messaging system.
Speaker A
你好，我昨天收到的包裹里面的杯子碎了。
Speaker B
很抱歉给您带来不便。您能拍几张照片给我看看吗？
Speaker A
照片发给你了。你看，杯子裂了一个大口子。
Speaker B
看到了，应该是快递运输过程中损坏的。您想退货退款还是我们重新发一个给您？
Speaker A
帮我重新发一个吧。这个款式我还是很喜欢的。
Speaker B
没问题，我马上安排补发。这次我们会包装得更好一些。运费我们承担。
Speaker A
谢谢你们处理这么快。收到以后我给个好评。
Speaker B
感谢您的理解和支持。有任何问题随时联系客服。
Cultural note: Chinese e-commerce platforms like Taobao and JD.com have robust buyer protection policies. Buyers can easily initiate returns through the platform, and photo evidence of damage is standard practice. Many sellers prefer to send replacements (补发) rather than process refunds, as it helps maintain their shop rating. Good reviews (好评) are extremely important for sellers, and some may offer small gifts or coupons in exchange for positive reviews.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Online Shopping Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
2 of 40 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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