Day 10: Shopping & Money — Learn Chinese in 30 Days

What You’ll Learn Today

China is a shopper’s paradise — from massive malls to chaotic night markets. Today you’ll learn how to ask prices, bargain effectively, and handle money in Chinese.

The Money System

China’s currency is the 人民币 (Rén mín bì) — “People’s Currency,” abbreviated RMB. The unit is:

• 元 (yuán) — formal written form (like “dollar”)
• 块 (kuài) — informal spoken form (like “buck”)
• 角 (jiǎo) — 10 cents (written)
• 毛 (máo) — 10 cents (spoken)
• 分 (fēn) — 1 cent (rarely used in practice)

In everyday speech: 五十块 (wǔ shí kuài) = 50 yuan.

WeChat Pay and Alipay have made China largely cashless. Getting a Chinese friend to set up a payment app for you will make your life much easier than carrying cash.

The Essential Shopping Phrase

多少钱？ (Duō shǎo qián?) — “How much?”

This is the phrase you’ll use dozens of times per day at markets, street food stalls, and shops. Say it confidently, wait for the number, then react.

Bargaining at Markets

At night markets and tourist markets, bargaining is expected and often necessary (prices start at 3–5x the real value). At regular shops and malls, prices are fixed.

Bargaining script:

1. 多少钱？ — How much?
2. [Seller names a price]
3. 太贵了！ (Tài guì le!) — Too expensive!
4. 能便宜点吗？ (Néng pián yi diǎn ma?) — Can you go lower?
5. [Counter-offer] — Name a lower price
6. If they won’t budge: 算了，我不要了。 (Suàn le, wǒ bú yào le.) — Never mind, I don’t want it. (Often works as a final negotiation tactic.)

Sentence Patterns

Pattern 1: Asking price

这个多少钱？— Zhège duō shǎo qián? — How much is this?

Pattern 2: Saying it’s too expensive

太贵了，能不能便宜一点？— Tài guì le, néng bu néng pián yi yī diǎn? — It’s too expensive, can you make it a bit cheaper?

Pattern 3: Saying you want something

我要这个。— Wǒ yào zhège. — I want this one.

Cultural Note

Cash is still preferred at some local markets and street stalls, but China is predominantly cashless now. WeChat Pay (微信支付) and Alipay (支付宝) are used everywhere — from 7-Elevens to street dumpling stalls. Foreigners can now link international credit cards to these apps (since 2023 reforms), making it much more accessible for tourists.

When receiving change, Chinese shopkeepers will often count it out loud to you — this is standard practice, not a sign of distrust.

Practice Exercise

What would you say?

1. You see a shirt you like. Ask the price.
2. The vendor says 200 yuan. You think that’s too expensive.
3. You want to try bargaining — what do you say?
4. They won’t budge. You decide to walk away.

Answers: 1) 多少钱？ 2) 太贵了！ 3) 能便宜点吗？ 4) 算了，我不要了。