China Bilingual Communication Cards
Don't speak Chinese? No problem. Pick the situations you'll face, generate pocket-sized Chinese–English cards, and just show your phone screen. Every card includes Chinese characters, pinyin, and English — built for hotels, restaurants, taxis, customs, emergencies, and ham radio.
1. Choose your cards
Speaking a language and showing a language are two different skills, and in China the second one wins. Chinese is tonal, so a bravely attempted phrase can come out as a completely different word — but written simplified characters are unambiguous, and every literate adult reads them fluently. These communication cards are built around that fact: pick the situations you expect to face, generate your cards, and simply hold up your phone. Each phrase appears in large Chinese characters for the person in front of you, with pinyin if you want to try saying it, and English so you know exactly what you are asking.
There are six modules. The hotel card covers check-in, the Wi-Fi password, asking for a fapiao (official tax invoice), checkout, and reporting problems like no hot water. The restaurant card handles seating, recommendations, spice level, and the bill — and includes a strongly worded peanut-allergy warning that names peanut oil specifically, because that is the version kitchens actually need to hear. The taxi card covers showing an address, asking for the meter and an invoice, and stopping at the right corner. The emergency card puts police (110), ambulance (120), hospital, embassy, and “I am lost” phrases one tap away — generate it before you need it.
Two modules are here because this site’s readers travel with radios. The customs card gives you the exact phrasing for declaring amateur radio equipment for personal use, showing your licence, and confirming the gear leaves China with you — declaring in person, with the equipment in your luggage, is far smoother than shipping gear ahead. The ham radio card introduces you as a visiting operator and asks about local repeater frequencies and CTCSS tones, which is both practical and a friendly way to meet local hams.
Generate your cards on hotel Wi-Fi and screenshot them, or use the print button to save a PDF — screenshots work fully offline, which matters in a taxi with no signal. However you carry them, two spoken words are still worth learning before you land: xièxie (谢谢, thank you) and bú kèqi (不客气, you’re welcome). The cards get the information across; those two words get the smile that comes with it.
Frequently asked questions
Will people understand me if I just show the Chinese text?
Yes — this is the single most effective strategy for non-speakers in China. Showing written Chinese works far better than attempting pronunciation, because (a) Chinese is tonal and mispronounced words are often unintelligible, while characters are unambiguous, and (b) every literate adult in China reads simplified characters fluently.
The cards use simplified Chinese (mainland standard), large enough to read at arm's length. The pinyin is there for you — if you want to attempt the phrase aloud — but the characters do the real work. In practice, showing your phone screen to a hotel clerk, taxi driver, or waiter resolves 95% of routine interactions in seconds.
One tip: increase your phone's font size or screen brightness before showing the card in a noisy or dim environment (night markets, taxi at night). And learn two spoken words regardless — xièxie (谢谢, thank you) and bú kèqi (不客气, you're welcome) — they cost nothing and buy enormous goodwill.
What should I know about bringing ham radio equipment through Chinese customs?
China regulates radio transmitting equipment strictly. Handheld transceivers, mobile rigs, and HF equipment must be declared on arrival using the customs declaration form. The customs card in this generator includes the exact Chinese phrasing for declaring amateur radio equipment.
Key points: equipment should be for personal use during your visit and must leave China with you. Devices without SRRC (State Radio Regulation Committee) type approval occupy a gray area — many visitors bring familiar foreign models (Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood handhelds) without issue when properly declared, but do not mail equipment to China separately; unaccompanied radio gear is far more likely to be held or confiscated than the same radio in your luggage with a declaration.
Operating in China requires additional steps beyond customs: foreign amateurs generally need to coordinate through CRAC (Chinese Radio Amateurs Club) or a local club for temporary operating permission. The ham radio card includes phrases for asking about local repeaters — a good conversation starter that also signals you're a legitimate, knowledgeable operator.
How do I ask for a fapiao (invoice) and why does it matter?
A fapiao (发票) is China's official tax invoice — a formal receipt issued through the tax system, completely different from a casual shop receipt. If you're traveling on business, your company can typically only reimburse expenses backed by a fapiao. Even for personal travel, having fapiaos simplifies any dispute.
To request one, show the hotel card phrase "请开发票" (qǐng kāi fāpiào — "please issue an invoice"). You'll need to provide your invoice title (抬头, táitóu) — either your personal name or your company name — and for company reimbursement, the company's tax ID number (税号, shuìhào). Have these saved in your phone's notes app in Chinese characters before you travel.
Hotels issue fapiaos at checkout; restaurants can print them on the spot; taxi drivers can provide them via the Didi app (electronic fapiao) or a small printed slip from the meter. Always ask before paying if possible — retroactive fapiaos are a hassle.
What if I have food allergies? How seriously are they taken?
Take food allergies very seriously in China and communicate them explicitly — food-allergy awareness among restaurant staff is lower than in the US or Europe, and "a little bit" of an allergen is often considered harmless by default. The restaurant card includes a strong allergy warning phrase; use it every time, not just at unfamiliar places.
Critical vocabulary: peanut is 花生 (huāshēng), soy is 大豆/黄豆 (dàdòu/huángdòu), shellfish is 贝类 (bèilèi), gluten/wheat is 麸质/小麦 (fūzhì/xiǎomài). Peanut oil (花生油) is an extremely common cooking oil — if you have a peanut allergy, you must specify "no peanut oil" (不要放花生油), not just "no peanuts."
Carry an allergy translation card (the generator's restaurant module covers the essentials) and consider a medical alert bracelet with Chinese text for severe allergies. When in doubt, eat at larger restaurants or international hotels where staff are more likely to understand allergy protocols — and always carry your own antihistamines or EpiPen; don't assume a nearby pharmacy stocks what you need.