How to Say “Where is the cashier?” in Chinese
Shopping · HSK 3
"Where is the cashier?" in Chinese is 收银台在哪里？ (Shōuyíntái zài nǎlǐ?). 收银台 (shōuyíntái) literally means 'silver-receiving counter'; 银 was once the currency. In most Chinese shops today you barely need to find the cashier because you pay by scanning the store's WeChat Pay / Alipay QR code at the counter, or the clerk scans yours.
Primary translation
收银台在哪里？
Shōuyíntái zài nǎlǐ?
Traditional: 收銀台在哪裡？
Variants by register
Formal
请问收银台在哪里？
Qǐngwèn shōuyíntái zài nǎlǐ?
Casual
收银台在哪？
Shōuyíntái zài nǎr?
When to use it
收银台 (shōuyíntái) literally means 'silver-receiving counter'; 银 was once the currency. In most Chinese shops today you barely need to find the cashier because you pay by scanning the store's WeChat Pay / Alipay QR code at the counter, or the clerk scans yours. In big supermarkets like 家乐福 (Carrefour) or 永辉 (Yonghui) there's a dedicated 收银台 area near the exit. Note the north-south divide: northerners often say 哪儿 (nǎr), southerners and Taiwan speakers prefer 哪里 (nǎlǐ); both are fine.
Example sentences
收银台在二楼还是一楼？
Shōuyíntái zài èr lóu háishi yī lóu?
Is the cashier on the second floor or the first floor?
我要去收银台结账。
Wǒ yào qù shōuyíntái jiézhàng.
I need to go to the cashier to pay.
请问最近的收银台怎么走？
Qǐngwèn zuìjìn de shōuyíntái zěnme zǒu?
Excuse me, how do I get to the nearest cashier?