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Chinese Phone Call Phrases — How to Talk on the Phone in Mandarin
Master essential Chinese phone call phrases — answering and making calls, introducing yourself, booking reservations, handling poor connections, leaving messages, and following up on WeChat with pinyin and practical tips.
2026-07-03 · 8 min read
Answering the phone — basic greetings and opening lines
Phone calls in Chinese start differently from in-person conversations. The standard way to answer: 喂 (wéi or wèi) — hello (phone only, never use 喂 in person). Follow with your identity if you know who is calling: 喂，你好 (wéi, nǐ hǎo) — hello (on the phone). In more formal settings: 喂，您好 (wéi, nín hǎo). If answering a business line: 喂，这里是... (wéi, zhè lǐ shì...) — hello, this is... (company name), or 请问您找谁 (qǐng wèn nín zhǎo shéi) — may I ask who you're looking for.
When you recognize the caller: 啊，是你啊 (a, shì nǐ a) — oh, it's you! If you don't recognize the voice: 请问是哪位 (qǐng wèn shì nǎ wèi) — may I ask who's calling. If someone asks for you and you are the person: 我就是 (wǒ jiù shì) — that's me / speaking. If the person they want is nearby: 稍等 (shāo děng) — hold on a moment, or 我让他/她接电话 (wǒ ràng tā jiē diàn huà) — I'll put him/her on. If the person is not available: 他/她现在不在 (tā xiàn zài bù zài) — he/she is not here right now. Follow with: 有什么事我可以转告吗 (yǒu shén me shì wǒ kě yǐ zhuǎn gào ma) — is there a message I can pass along.
Making a call — introducing yourself and stating your purpose
When you call someone, start with 喂, 你好 (wéi, nǐ hǎo) or 喂, 您好 for formal calls. Then introduce yourself clearly: 我是... (wǒ shì...) — this is... (use your name or affiliation). For formal calls: 我是...公司的... (wǒ shì...gōng sī de...) — I'm...from...company. State your purpose early: 我想问一下... (wǒ xiǎng wèn yī xià...) — I'd like to ask about..., 我打电话是想... (wǒ dǎ diàn huà shì xiǎng...) — I'm calling to...
Common opening scenarios: calling a restaurant: 我想订位 (wǒ xiǎng dìng wèi) — I'd like to make a reservation. Calling a hotel: 我想订一个房间 (wǒ xiǎng dìng yī gè fáng jiān) — I'd like to book a room. Calling a service center: 我想咨询一下... (wǒ xiǎng zī xún yī xià...) — I'd like to inquire about... If you need to confirm the person: 请问是...吗 (qǐng wèn shì...ma) — is this...? If you dialed the wrong number: 不好意思，打错了 (bù hǎo yì si, dǎ cuò le) — sorry, wrong number. The other person may say: 你打错了 (nǐ dǎ cuò le) — you have the wrong number.
Common phone scenarios — reservations, inquiries, and appointments
Booking a restaurant table: 我想订今天晚上七点的位子 (wǒ xiǎng dìng jīn tiān wǎn shang qī diǎn de wèi zi) — I'd like to book a table for tonight at 7pm. Specify details: 几位 (jǐ wèi) — how many people, 包间 (bāo jiān) — private room, 大厅 (dà tīng) — main dining area. Confirm: 好的，记下来了 (hǎo de, jì xià lái le) — OK, I've noted it down. If no availability: 不好意思，已经订满了 (bù hǎo yì si, yǐ jīng dìng mǎn le) — sorry, we're fully booked.
Making a doctor appointment: 我想预约看病 (wǒ xiǎng yù yuē kàn bìng) — I'd like to make a medical appointment. They will ask: 挂什么科 (guà shén me kē) — which department to register. Describe briefly: 我想看... (wǒ xiǎng kàn...) — I want to see... (内科 nèi kē internal medicine, 皮肤科 pí fū kē dermatology). For scheduling: 你们什么时候有空 (nǐ men shén me shí hou yǒu kòng) — when do you have availability. Calling a delivery service: 我想查一下我的快递 (wǒ xiǎng chá yī xià wǒ de kuài dì) — I'd like to check my delivery. Provide tracking: 我的快递单号是... (wǒ de kuài dì dān hào shì...) — my tracking number is... Calling customer service: 我想投诉 (wǒ xiǎng tóu sù) — I'd like to make a complaint, or 我想退货 (wǒ xiǎng tuì huò) — I'd like to return an item.
Dealing with poor connection and misunderstandings
Phone calls lose visual cues, so you will need repair phrases. If you can't hear clearly: 我听不清楚 (wǒ tīng bù qīng chu) — I can't hear clearly, or 信号不太好 (xìn hào bù tài hǎo) — the signal is not good. Ask them to repeat: 请再说一遍 (qǐng zài shuō yī biàn) — please say it again, 你可以再说一次吗 (nǐ kě yǐ zài shuō yī cì ma) — can you say it one more time. Slower: 请说慢一点 (qǐng shuō màn yī diǎn) — please speak slower, 我跟不上 (wǒ gēn bù shàng) — I can't keep up.
If you don't understand the content: 我没听明白 (wǒ méi tīng míng bai) — I didn't understand, 你是什么意思 (nǐ shì shén me yì si) — what do you mean. To confirm understanding: 你的意思是...对吗 (nǐ de yì si shì...duì ma) — you mean..., right? Summarize back: 我确认一下 (wǒ què rèn yī xià) — let me confirm. If the call drops: 喂，你还在吗 (wéi, nǐ hái zài ma) — hello, are you still there. Call back and say: 刚才断了 (gāng cái duàn le) — it got disconnected just now. For bad audio quality: 你的声音断断续续的 (nǐ de shēng yīn duàn duàn xù xù de) — your voice is cutting in and out.
Ending the call — messages, follow-up, and WeChat transitions
End a phone call politely. Common closers: 好的，谢谢 (hǎo de, xiè xiè) — OK, thank you, 没问题，再见 (méi wèn tí, zài jiàn) — no problem, goodbye. If you need to hang up: 那我先挂了 (nà wǒ xiān guà le) — I'll hang up first then. If they need to go: 你先忙 (nǐ xiān máng) — you go ahead with your things. Leaving a voicemail or message: 请让他/她给我回个电话 (qǐng ràng tā gěi wǒ huí ge diàn huà) — please have him/her call me back. Give your number: 我的号码是... (wǒ de hào mǎ shì...) — my number is...
Modern phone calls often transition to WeChat. Common phrase: 我加你微信吧 (wǒ jiā nǐ wēi xìn ba) — let me add you on WeChat. Provide WeChat ID: 我的微信号是... (wǒ de wēi xìn hào shì...). After adding: 你通过一下 (nǐ tōng guò yī xià) — please accept the request. Follow up: 我把详细信息发给你 (wǒ bǎ xiáng xì xìn xī fā gěi nǐ) — I'll send you the details. Texting confirmation: 收到请回复 (shōu dào qǐng huí fù) — please reply when received. If you prefer texting: 我们微信聊吧 (wǒ men wēi xìn liáo ba) — let's chat on WeChat, 打字比较方便 (dǎ zì bǐ jiào fāng biàn) — typing is more convenient.
Related practice pages
FAQ
Common questions
Why do Chinese people answer the phone with 喂 (wéi) instead of 你好 (nǐ hǎo)?
喂 (wéi) is the universal telephone greeting in Chinese — roughly equivalent to "hello?" in English phone calls. It serves to confirm the line is connected and prompt the other person to speak. In casual calls, 喂 alone is sufficient. In business or formal calls, people typically combine it with a greeting: 喂，你好 or 喂，您好. Using only 你好 without 喂 on the phone can sound slightly unnatural, as if you are greeting someone in person rather than acknowledging a phone connection. Among friends, you might also hear 喂 followed immediately by informal greetings like 怎么了 (what's up) or 在干嘛呢 (what are you doing).
How do I handle phone calls if my Chinese listening skills are weak?
Phone calls remove visual cues like facial expressions and gestures, making them harder than face-to-face conversations. Prepare a few key repair phrases in advance: 请说慢一点 (please speak slower), 请再说一遍 (please say it again), and 我可以用微信发消息吗 (can I send you a WeChat message instead). If a call is too difficult, it is perfectly acceptable to say: 不好意思，我中文不太好，我们可以微信聊吗 (sorry, my Chinese is not great, can we chat on WeChat). Many Chinese speakers will happily switch to text, where you can use translation tools and take your time.
Is it common to receive spam calls and scam calls in China?
Yes, unfortunately spam and scam calls are very common in China. You may receive calls from numbers you do not recognize. Common scam patterns include someone claiming to be from a delivery company (快递公司), a government office (公安局/法院), or your bank (银行). Never provide personal information, bank details, or verification codes (验证码) over the phone to an unsolicited caller. Legitimate companies will not ask for passwords or full ID numbers on an unsolicited call. If in doubt, hang up and call the official number yourself. Many Chinese people simply do not answer numbers they do not recognize and wait for the caller to leave a message or contact them via WeChat.