Mandarin Monday: Your Supermarket Shopping Lingo
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There are times when going to the mall or a grocery store is far better and more convenient than shopping online, especially if we want to buy fresh food or items that we want to see physically first. Yet while our enjoyment of shopping might transcend the challenges of the language barrier, it doesn’t hurt to know some of the words that will help you in your supermarket visits in the long run.
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Watch Out for These Shopping Terms促销活动
cùxiāo huódòng
sales promotion
买一送一
mǎi yī sòng yī
buy one, get one free
(amount) + 元两件
(amount) + yuán liǎng jiàn
buy two (items) for RMB (amount)
全场
quánchǎng
entire store
(number) + 起
(number) + qǐ
starting at (number) or from (number) and up
半价
bànjià
half-price
件
jiàn
measure word for clothing, furniture, or items
满
mǎn
to reach a certain limit/amount (before you get a discount)
Chinese Supermarket Sections区
qū
section/area
蔬菜区
shūcài qū
vegetable section
鱼肉区
yúròu qū
meat and fish section
生鲜冷冻区
shēngxiān lěngdòng qū
fresh and frozen food items section
水果
shuǐguǒ
fruits
调味料
tiáowèiliào
spices and condiments
烘焙谷物
hōngbèi gǔwù
baked goods, cereals, grains
乳制品
rǔzhìpǐn
dairy
零食区
língshí qū
snacks area
进口食品
jìnkǒu shípǐn
imported food items
日用品
rìyònɡpǐn
household items
家电区
jiādiàn qū
electronics
杂货店
záhuòdiàn
grocery store
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At the Counter收银台
shōuyíntái
cashier desk
刷卡
shuā kǎ
to use a bank card
现金
xiànjīn
cash
袋子
dàizi
bag
会员卡
huìyuán kǎ
membership card
购物车
ɡòuwù chē
shopping cart
付钱
fùqián
to pay money
Other Useful Words价格
jiàgé
price
砍价
kǎnjià
to bargain
重量
zhòngliàng
item weight
克
kè
gram
斤
jīn
500 grams
公斤
gōngjīn
1 kilogram
生产日期
shēngchǎn rìqí
manufacturing date
保质期
bǎozhìqī
shelf life
保质期至
bǎozhìqī zhì
expiry date
Take it easy and try to remember the words and phrases that you will need in a certain moment. For example, if you're going to the fruits and vegetable section, take photos of the tags or receipts and decipher them using a translator app whenever you get a chance. That way, it will be easier to associate the new words with the supermarket section you go to.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication Jingkids International.
Photos: Andy Penafuerte III, Places2Holiday (via chinatourguide.com), Pixabay, createcn.com, giphy.com
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