How to Bargain in Chinese: Market Phrases That Actually Work

To bargain in Chinese, start with 多少钱？ (duōshao qián?, “how much?”), react with 太贵了！ (tài guì le!, “too expensive!”) and follow with 便宜一点吧 (piányi yìdiǎn ba, “make it a bit cheaper”). Smile the whole time — bargaining in China is a game, not a fight.

Where bargaining is normal

Haggling is expected at street markets, souvenir stalls, clothing markets and some electronics malls. It isn’t done in supermarkets, chain stores, restaurants or anywhere with printed price tags. When in doubt, ask for a discount once; if the seller says 不讲价 (bù jiǎngjià, “no bargaining”), that’s the end of it.

Asking the price

• 多少钱？ — duōshao qián? — “How much is it?”
• 这个多少钱？ — zhège duōshao qián? — “How much is this one?”
• 一共多少钱？ — yígòng duōshao qián? — “How much altogether?”

You’ll hear prices in 块 (kuài), the everyday word for yuan: 五十块 (wǔshí kuài) = 50 yuan.

Tone tip: qián (money) rises. Said with a falling tone, qiàn means “to owe” — not the impression you want at a market.

Pushing the price down

• 太贵了！ — tài guì le! — “Too expensive!” Two falling tones in a row; say it with a grin.
• 便宜一点吧。 — piányi yìdiǎn ba — “A bit cheaper, come on.”
• 能便宜点吗？ — néng piányi diǎn ma? — “Can you make it cheaper?”
• 最低多少？ — zuì dī duōshao? — “What’s your lowest price?”
• ……块，可以吗？ — … kuài, kěyǐ ma? — “Would … yuan be okay?”
• 我买两个，便宜点。 — wǒ mǎi liǎng ge, piányi diǎn — “I’ll buy two, give me a better price.”
• 我是学生。 — wǒ shì xuésheng — “I’m a student.” Sometimes gets a smile and a discount.

Watch out: 便宜 is piányi when it means “cheap.” The same characters read biànyí mean “convenient.” At a market, it’s always piányi.

Walking away

• 算了。 — suàn le — “Forget it.” Said calmly as you start to leave.
• 我再看看。 — wǒ zài kànkan — “I’ll keep looking.”
• 别家更便宜。 — bié jiā gèng piányi — “It’s cheaper elsewhere.”

Walking away is often when the real price appears. If the seller calls 好好好，给你！ (hǎo hǎo hǎo, gěi nǐ!, “Okay, okay, it’s yours!”), you’ve found it.

Closing the deal

• 好，成交。 — hǎo, chéngjiāo — “Okay, deal.”
• 可以扫码吗？ — kěyǐ sǎo mǎ ma? — “Can I pay by scanning a code?”
• 有现金。 — yǒu xiànjīn — “I have cash.”

Once you’ve agreed on a price, it’s polite to buy. Bargaining hard and then leaving is considered bad manners.

A sample exchange

You: 这个多少钱？ (Zhège duōshao qián?) Seller: 两百块。 (Liǎngbǎi kuài. — 200.) You: 太贵了！一百块，可以吗？ (Tài guì le! Yìbǎi kuài, kěyǐ ma?) Seller: 不行，一百八。 (Bù xíng, yìbǎi bā. — No, 180.) You: 一百二，我买两个。 (Yìbǎi èr, wǒ mǎi liǎng ge. — 120 each, I’ll take two.) Seller: 好吧，一百五。 (Hǎo ba, yìbǎi wǔ. — Fine, 150.) You: 算了，我再看看。 (Suàn le, wǒ zài kànkan.) Seller: 好好好，一百三！ (Hǎo hǎo hǎo, yìbǎi sān!) You: 成交！ (Chéngjiāo!)

Note yìbǎi bā means 180, not 108 — the zero is dropped in everyday speech.

FAQ

How do you say “too expensive” in Chinese? 太贵了 — tài guì le.

How do you ask for a discount in Mandarin? 便宜一点吧 — piányi yìdiǎn ba — or 能便宜点吗 — néng piányi diǎn ma?

How much should you offer when bargaining in China? At tourist markets, many people start at around a third to a half of the first price and meet somewhere in between. Stay friendly throughout.

Is bargaining rude in China? Not at markets, where it’s expected. It is inappropriate in shops with fixed prices, supermarkets and restaurants.

What does “suàn le” mean? 算了 means “forget it” or “never mind.” At a market it signals you’re ready to walk away.

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Want to practise your market Mandarin before you go? Meilin gives you each phrase with characters, pinyin and a tone tip, and explains it in your language.