How to Say “Do you have change?” in Chinese
Shopping · HSK 3
"Do you have change?" in Chinese is 你有零钱吗？ (Nǐ yǒu língqián ma?). 零钱 língqián means 'small change'; coins or small bills. Honestly, in Mainland China this phrase is mostly heard from older vendors or in small towns; almost everyone under 60 pays with WeChat Pay (微信支付) or Alipay (支付宝) by scanning a QR code, so cash and change have nearly disappeared from daily life.
Primary translation
你有零钱吗？
Nǐ yǒu língqián ma?
Traditional: 你有零錢嗎？
Variants by register
Formal
请问您有零钱吗？
Qǐngwèn nín yǒu língqián ma?
When to use it
零钱 língqián means 'small change'; coins or small bills. Honestly, in Mainland China this phrase is mostly heard from older vendors or in small towns; almost everyone under 60 pays with WeChat Pay (微信支付) or Alipay (支付宝) by scanning a QR code, so cash and change have nearly disappeared from daily life. You'll still hear it at wet markets, from taxi drivers who haven't switched to apps, or if you break a 100元 note. In Taiwan cash is more common and 零錢 is used constantly. Use 您 nín instead of 你 nǐ for politeness with strangers or elders.
Example sentences
不好意思，你有零钱吗？我只有一百的。
Bù hǎoyìsi, nǐ yǒu língqián ma? Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yì bǎi de.
Sorry, do you have change? I only have a 100.
师傅，您有零钱找吗？
Shīfu, nín yǒu língqián zhǎo ma?
Driver, do you have change to give back?
我没有零钱，可以扫码吗？
Wǒ méiyǒu língqián, kěyǐ sǎo mǎ ma?
I don't have change, can I scan the QR code?