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How to ask for directions at a Chinese airport visualisation

How to ask for directions at a Chinese airport

Experience China: The Definitive Airports and Hotels Guide: How to ask for directions at a Chinese airport
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To ask for directions at a Chinese airport, it is polite and effective to use a few key Mandarin phrases. Start with “请问” (qǐng wèn) which means “Excuse me, may I ask…?” to politely get someone’s attention. Then add one of these common question patterns:

  • ”……在哪儿？” (… zài nǎr?) meaning “Where is…?” Example: 请问，出口在哪儿？ (Qǐngwèn, chūkǒu zài nǎr?) — Excuse me, where is the exit?

  • ”……怎么走？” (… zěnme zǒu?) meaning “How do I get to…?” Example: 请问，我怎么去登机口？ (Qǐngwèn, wǒ zěnme qù dēngjīkǒu?) — Excuse me, how do I get to the boarding gate?

  • ”……离这儿有多远？” (… lí zhèr yǒu duō yuǎn?) meaning “How far is… from here?”

You can also use specific useful phrases like:

  • 卫生间在哪里？(Wèishēngjiān zài nǎlǐ?) — Where is the restroom?
  • 请问，登机口在哪儿？(Qǐngwèn, dēngjīkǒu zài nǎr?) — Excuse me, where is the boarding gate?

Additional directional words helpful in the airport:

  • 左转 (zuǒ zhuǎn) — Turn left
  • 右转 (yòu zhuǎn) — Turn right
  • 直走 (zhí zǒu) — Go straight

Politeness is key, so always start with 请问 (qǐng wèn) when asking. Using these phrases will make it much easier to navigate an airport in China and get assistance from locals or staff.

References

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