Mandarin Month: Useful Mandarin Phrases to Get You Through a Trip to the Bank

Going to the bank in China can be very intimidating if you don’t speak Mandarin. When it comes to your finances, you’d probably want to know every single detail, right? How could you trust a bank if you couldn’t even understand what they’re saying? We know how difficult it is when there is a language barrier between you and your money. Well, to help you navigate the daunting task of taking a trip to the bank, we’ve compiled this list of common phrases and keywords.

Choosing a bank

If you’re new to Beijing and is looking to set up a bank account, the first thing you need to do is decide which bank is best for you. There are plenty of options in Beijing so you could go with more internationally-recognized banks such as ICBC or Bank of China, or more local ones such as Bank of Beijing or China Construction Bank. From our experience, China Merchant's Bank is one of the best and more often than not will have a member of staff who speaks English and can help you with what you need.

Do a little digging on which bank is the most trustworthy, and also consider choosing a bank with the most branches and ATM machines near your home/workplace to make your life just a little easier. Here are some of the most ubiquitous banks in Beijing:

• Bank 银行Yínháng
• Bank of China 中国银行Zhōngguó Yínháng
• ICBC中国工商银行 Zhōngguó Gōngshāng Yínháng
• China CITIC Bank 中信银行 Zhōng Xìn Yínháng
• China Everbright Bank 中国光大银行 Zhōngguó guāngdà yínháng
• China Construction Bank 中国建设银行 Zhōngguó Jiànshè Yínháng
• People’s Bank of China 中国人民银行 Zhōngguó Rénmín Yínháng
• Agricultural Development Bank of China 中国农业银行 Zhōngguó Nóngyè Yínháng
• Bank of Beijing 北京银行 Běijīng Yínháng
• Postal Savings Bank of China 中国邮政储蓄银行 Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng Chǔxù Yínháng

Going into the bank

In Beijing, upon entering the bank, a staff on the receptionist desk usually asks, “What service are you looking for?” (你想办理什么业务？Nǐ xiǎng bànlǐ shénme yèwù?) so they could give you a queuing number for the right counter. After telling them (see below for more information on bank procedures) your intention, you would be given a ticket with a number on it. When your turn comes, an automated voice will call out your number in Chinese. Each counter also has a digital numerical display above it, so pay attention to your queuing number and wait for your turn.

If you don’t have a Chinese ID Card (身份证 shēnfèn zhèng), don’t forget to bring your passport (护照 hùzhào). All banking procedures require a type of ID, and foreigners must bring their actual passport with them, not just a photocopy.

Bank Account (银行账户 yínháng zhànghù)

• I would like to open a bank account. 我想开一个银行账户。Wǒ xiǎng kāi yīgè yínháng zhànghù
• What is the deposit rate for the account? 账户的存款利率是多少? Zhànghù de cún kuǎn lì lǜ shì duō shǎo?
• I would like to close my bank account. 我想关闭我的银行账户。Wǒ xiǎng guānbì wǒ de yínháng zhànghù
• My deposit hasn’t expired yet. Can I withdraw it in advance? 我的定期存款还没有到期，可以提前支取吗? Wǒ de dìngqí cúnkuǎn hái méiyǒu dào qí, kěyǐ tíqián zhīqǔ ma?
• Could you give me my bank statement? 可以给我银行账单吗? Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yínháng zhàngdān ma?
• Could you tell me my balance, please? 你能告诉我我的余额吗? Nǐ néng gàosù wǒ wǒ de yú'é ma?
• I would like to put RMB 500 into my account. 我想存500元在我的账户里。Wǒ xiǎng cún 500 yuán zài wǒ de zhànghù lǐ
• I forgot my password. What do I do? 我忘记了我的密码，怎么办? Wǒ wàngjìle wǒ de mìmǎ， zěn me bàn ?
• I lost my bankbook, can you help me make a new one? 我丢了我的银行存折，你能帮我做一个新的吗？Wǒ diūle wǒ de yínháng cúnzhé, nǐ néng bāng wǒ zuò yīgè xīn de ma?

Exchanging Money (换钱 huàn qián)

• I would like to exchange money. 我想换钱。Wǒ xiǎng huànqián.
• I would like to exchange US dollars to Renminbi. 我想换美元至人民币。Wǒ xiǎng huàn měi yuán zhì rénmínbì
• What is the exchange rate today? 今天兑换率是多少? Jīntiān duìhuàn lǜ shì duōshǎo?
• What is the exchange rate between USD and RMB today? 今天美元兑人民币的汇率是多少? Jīntiān měiyuán duì rénmínbì de huìlǜ shì duōshǎo?
• I would like to exchange 500 dollars into RMB. 我想换五百美元。Wǒ xiǎng huàn wǔ bǎi měi yuán
• Please split this one hundred RMB into small change. 请把这张一百块换成零钱。Qǐng bǎ zhè zhāng yībǎi kuài huàn chéng língqián

Currencies

• US Dollar 美元 Měiyuán
• European Euro欧元 Ōuyuán
• UK Pound Sterling 英镑 Yīngbàng
• Japanese Yen 日元 Rì yuán
• Canadian Dollar 加拿大元 Jiānádà yuán
• Swiss Franc 瑞士法郎 Ruìshì fàláng
• Singapore Dollar 新加坡元 Xīnjiāpō yuán
• Hong Kong Dollar 港币 Gǎngbì
• South African Rand 南非兰德 Nánfēi lán dé

Getting a Loan

Getting a personal loan in China is possible for foreigners, but be warned that the process can become about as complicated as you'd expect. Not all types of loans are available for foreigners, however, so make sure to ask beforehand. Unless your Chinese financial lexicon is strong enough, we suggest bringing a Chinese-speaking buddy or even a financial advisor with you.

• How can I apply for a loan? 怎么申请贷款? Zěnme shēnqǐng dàikuǎn?
• What are the requirements for a loan? 申请贷款的要求是什么? Shēnqǐng dàikuǎn de yāoqiú shì shénme?
• What is the current interest rate for personal loans? 个人贷款目前的利率是多少? Gèrén dàikuǎn mùqián de lìlǜ shì duōshǎo?
• Housing loan 住房贷款 Zhùfáng dàikuǎn
• Personal loan 个人贷款 Gèrén dàikuǎn
• Business loan 商业贷款 Shāngyè dàikuǎn
• Car loan 汽车贷款 Qìchē dàikuǎn

WeChat Wallet/Alipay

Trust us when we say linking your bank cards to WeChat Wallet and/or Alipay will make your life much easier. Both have a lot of incredible features that will make cash look so primitive in comparison. In order to set up WeChat Wallet/Alipay, you have to make sure your phone number is the same as the one listed on your bank account information. We have created a comprehensive list to help you set them up – it’s actually quite simple, but you can also ask a staff at the bank to help you out.

• Can you help me set up WeChat Wallet/Alipay? 你可以帮我设置微信钱包/支付宝吗? Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ shèzhì wēixìn qiánbāo/ zhīfùbǎo ma?
• I changed my phone number, can you update my information? 我换了我的手机号码, 你可以更新我的信息吗? Wǒ huànle wǒ de shǒujī hàomǎ, nǐ kěyǐ gēngxīn wǒ de xìnxī ma?
• Something is wrong with my WeChat Wallet/Alipay. Can you help me figure it out? 我的微信钱包/支付宝有问题。你能帮我弄清楚吗? Wǒ de wéi xìn qiánbāo/zhīfùbǎo yǒu wèntí. Nǐ néng bāng wǒ nòng qīngchǔ ma?

Other Useful Phrases

• Where is the nearest ATM? 最近的自动取款机在哪里? Zuìjìn de zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī zàinǎlǐ?
• The ATM swallowed my card. Can you help me retrieve it? 自动取款机吞了我的卡。 你可以帮我取回吗? zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī tūnle wǒ de kǎ. Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ qǔhuí ma?
• I lost my card. I want to make a new one. 我丢了我的卡。 我想要补一张新卡。Wǒ diūle wǒ de kǎ. Wǒ xiǎng yào bǔ yīzhāng xīnkǎ 
• I renewed my passport., can you update my information? 我更新了我的护照，你可以更新我的信息吗?  Wǒ gēngxīnle wǒ de hùzhào, nǐ kěyǐ gēngxīn wǒ de xìnxī ma?

Read more articles by this author here.

Images: Coindesk, IB Times, SZCogo, Free Stock Photos, CB Town and Country, Memeburn