Emergency

42 phrases · Chinese (Simplified) with romanization, English and audio

  1. 救命！

    Jiù mìng!

    Help! Save me!

    Usage

    Used to call for help in a life-threatening emergency

    Grammar Note

    Literally "save (my) life". Chinese emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119.

  2. 请叫警察

    Qǐng jiào jǐng chá

    Please call the police

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to call the police

    Grammar Note

    "叫" (to call/summon) is used for calling people. Swap "警察" with "救护车" (ambulance).

  3. 带我去医院

    Dài wǒ qù yī yuàn

    Take me to the hospital

    Usage

    Used when ill or injured to request transport to hospital

    Grammar Note

    "带" means to take/bring someone. "请带我去～" (please take me to) is the polite form.

  4. 我的护照丢了

    Wǒ de hù zhào diū le

    I have lost my passport

    Usage

    Used to report a lost passport to the police or embassy

    Grammar Note

    "丢" means to lose/drop. "了" marks completion. Swap "护照" with "钱包" (wallet) as needed.

  5. 我不会说中文

    Wǒ bù huì shuō zhōng wén

    I cannot speak Chinese

    Usage

    Used to communicate a language barrier

    Grammar Note

    "不会" negates an acquired skill. Follow with "有人会说日语吗？" (Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?).

  6. 我受伤了

    Wǒ shòu shāng le

    I am injured

    Usage

    Used to report an injury

    Grammar Note

    "受伤" means to receive an injury. If asked "哪里疼？" (where does it hurt?), point and say "这里" (here).

  7. 我被偷了

    Wǒ bèi tōu le

    I was robbed / My things were stolen

    Usage

    Used to report a theft to police or hotel staff

    Grammar Note

    "被" forms passive constructions. Be specific: "我的钱包被偷了" (My wallet was stolen).

  8. 我需要翻译

    Wǒ xū yào fān yì

    I need an interpreter

    Usage

    Used at police stations or hospitals to request an interpreter

    Grammar Note

    "翻译" functions as both noun (interpreter) and verb (translate). Specify: "我需要日语翻译" (I need a Japanese interpreter).

  9. 我对这个药过敏

    Wǒ duì zhè ge yào guò mǐn

    I am allergic to this medicine

    Usage

    Used to inform medical staff about a medication allergy

    Grammar Note

    Pattern "对～过敏" = allergic to. Use with "青霉素 (penicillin)", "阿司匹林 (aspirin)", or other medicines.

  10. 最近的医院在哪里？

    Zuì jìn de yī yuàn zài nǎ lǐ?

    Where is the nearest hospital?

    Usage

    Used to find the nearest hospital when sick or injured

    Grammar Note

    "最近 (zuì jìn)" means "nearest" here — different from Japanese 最近 (recently). Swap with "药店" (pharmacy).

  11. 住手！

    Zhùshǒu!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    A blunt "stop that" to halt what someone is doing — shown without speaking to a pushy tout or someone touching you

  12. 别碰我！

    Bié pèng wǒ!

    Don't touch me!

    Usage

    A clear refusal to someone putting hands on you — chosen so the message lands, not to sound polite

  13. 火灾

    Huǒzāi

    Fire

    Usage

    The word for a fire as a disaster; point at it when reporting or evacuating

  14. 小偷

    Xiǎotōu

    Thief

    Usage

    A person who steals other people's property; point at it when reporting a theft

  15. 抢劫

    Qiǎngjié

    Robbery

    Usage

    Taking property by force or threat; the offence named in Article 263 of the PRC Criminal Law

  16. 抢夺

    Qiǎngduó

    Snatching

    Usage

    Grabbing openly from someone's hands; Article 267 of the PRC Criminal Law, distinguished from "qiǎngjié" by the absence of violence against the person

  17. 扒手

    Páshǒu

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    Someone who specialises in stealing what a person is carrying; seen on warning signs as "dāngxīn páshǒu"

  18. 绑架

    Bǎngjià

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Carrying a person off by force; the offence named in Article 239 of the PRC Criminal Law

  19. 杀人

    Shārén

    Murder

    Usage

    Killing a person; the offence in Article 232 of the PRC Criminal Law is "gùyì shārén" (intentional homicide)

  20. 暴动

    Bàodòng

    Riot

    Usage

    A crowd disturbing public order by violence; milder unrest is "sāoluàn", which can escalate into this

  21. 炸弹

    Zhàdàn

    Bomb

    Usage

    A weapon packed with explosives; point at it when reporting a suspicious object

  22. 请叫消防车

    Qǐng jiào xiāo fáng chē

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to call the fire brigade

    Grammar Note

    Same "请叫 + what to summon" pattern as "请叫警察" (please call the police), with "消防车" substituted. Fire service in China: 119.

  23. 警察局在哪里？

    Jǐng chá jú zài nǎ lǐ?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Ask where the police station is, for example to file a report

    Grammar Note

    The same "…局在哪里？" frame as "最近的邮局在哪里？" (where is the nearest post office?), with "邮局" replaced by "警察局". Names the building, not the institution "警察".

  24. 请给我一份报案回执

    Qǐng gěi wǒ yī fèn bào àn huí zhí

    Please give me a copy of the police report receipt

    Usage

    Ask the police for the theft paperwork that insurers usually require. The sentence itself does not name the theft, so say or mime that part

    Grammar Note

    The same "请给我一 + measure word + document" frame as "请发给我一份报价单。" (please send me a quotation) and "请给我一个安静的房间。" (please give me a quiet room). Mainland police issue a "报案回执" to acknowledge a reported crime; the Taiwan wording "失竊證明" names a different document.

  25. 有人会说日语吗？

    Yǒu rén huì shuō rì yǔ ma?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Used to look for a Japanese speaker when you cannot make yourself understood

    Grammar Note

    Same "会说…语吗？" frame as "你会说英语吗？" (do you speak English?), with "英语" replaced by "日语". Show it together with the "我不会说中文" card.

  26. 我的房间遭小偷闯入

    Wǒ de fáng jiān zāo xiǎo tōu chuǎng rù

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Report to police or hotel staff that your room was burgled while you were out

    Grammar Note

    "我的房间" (my room) combined with "小偷" (thief). "遭" is a written-register passive of misfortune, which suits a written report better than colloquial "被".

  27. 我的钱包被偷了

    Wǒ de qián bāo bèi tōu le

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Report a stolen wallet to police or hotel staff

    Grammar Note

    Puts the stolen item "我的钱包" (my wallet) as the subject before "被偷了" (was stolen). This says exactly what was taken, which "我被偷了" (I was robbed) does not.

  28. 请从安全出口逃生

    Qǐng cóng ān quán chū kǒu táo shēng

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Direct people to leave through the emergency exit in a fire or similar

    Grammar Note

    Built on "安全出口" (emergency exit). Mainland emergency-exit signs use this wording; the Taiwan sign wording is "緊急出口".

  29. 发生火灾了，请快跑！

    Fā shēng huǒ zāi le, qǐng kuài pǎo!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Used to alert people to a fire and tell them to get out

    Grammar Note

    Same "发生…了，请…" frame as "发生事故了，请叫滑雪救援队！" (there has been an accident, please call ski patrol), with "事故" replaced by "火灾" and the second clause filled with "快跑" (run fast).

  30. 小偷！请帮我抓住他！

    Xiǎo tōu! Qǐng bāng wǒ zhuā zhù tā!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shout it at the scene of a theft to ask bystanders to stop the thief

    Grammar Note

    The "请帮我…" (please help me …) request frame, filled with "小偷" (thief) and "抓住" (to seize).

  31. 这里有人失去意识了

    Zhè lǐ yǒu rén shī qù yì shí le

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Tell paramedics or bystanders that a collapsed person is unresponsive

    Grammar Note

    The "这里有…" (there is … here) frame, filled with "失去意识" (to lose consciousness): literally "here there is a person who has lost consciousness".

  32. 这里有人溺水了

    Zhè lǐ yǒu rén nì shuǐ le

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Raise the alarm that someone has fallen into the water

    Grammar Note

    The "这里有…" frame of "这里有药店吗？", filled with "溺水" (to sink into the water, to drown).

  33. 我想报告我被打了

    Wǒ xiǎng bào gào wǒ bèi dǎ le

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Report to the police that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Combines the "我想报告…" (I want to report …) frame with the "被…了" passive (was …-ed).

  34. 我想报告我被刀刺伤了

    Wǒ xiǎng bào gào wǒ bèi dāo cì shāng le

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Report to the police that you were stabbed with a blade

    Grammar Note

    The "我想报告…" (I want to report …) frame. "刺伤" combines "刺" (to stab) and "伤" (to wound), so "被刀刺伤了" means "was stabbed with a knife".

  35. 我想报告那个人是犯人

    Wǒ xiǎng bào gào nà ge rén shì fàn rén

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point out the offender to the police

    Grammar Note

    The "我想报告…" (I want to report …) frame, filled with the demonstrative "那个" (that) and "犯人" (culprit).

  36. 我想报告我被骗了

    Wǒ xiǎng bào gào wǒ bèi piàn le

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Report to the police that you have been swindled

    Grammar Note

    The "我想报告…" frame plus the "被…了" passive. "骗" is to deceive or defraud, as in "骗钱" (to scam money).

  37. 我把东西忘在这里了

    Wǒ bǎ dōng xi wàng zài zhè lǐ le

    I left it behind

    Usage

    Tell staff that you left your belongings at a shop or on a vehicle

    Grammar Note

    Uses "在这里" (here), with the bǎ construction fronting "东西". "忘在…" means to leave something behind at a place, as opposed to plain "忘了" (to forget).

  38. 我想报告我被车撞了

    Wǒ xiǎng bào gào wǒ bèi chē zhuàng le

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Report to the police that you were hit by a car

    Grammar Note

    The "我想报告…" (I want to report …) frame. "撞" is to hit or collide, so "被车撞了" means "was hit by a car".

  39. 危险！

    Wēixiǎn!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    A single word that warns someone off an immediate danger; it means "unsafe" (不安全), and it stands alone on warning signs such as "水深危险！" (danger, deep water). To stop someone in the moment, "小心！" (careful) is also used

  40. 请马上来这里

    Qǐng mǎ shàng lái zhè lǐ

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Ask someone on the phone or in person to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    The verb phrase "来这里" (come here) placed in the "请 + verb phrase" request frame. "马上" means "at once".

  41. 这里有紧急情况！

    Zhè lǐ yǒu jǐn jí qíng kuàng!

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    State that this is an emergency when you are being kept waiting

    Grammar Note

    The "这里有…" (there is … here) frame, filled with "紧急情况" (an emergency).

  42. 发生交通事故了

    Fā shēng jiāo tōng shì gù le

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report that a road accident has happened, to the emergency line or to bystanders. In China the police number is 110 and the ambulance 120

    Grammar Note

    The "发生…了" (… has occurred) frame, filled with "交通事故". The term means an accident occurring while a vehicle, ship or aircraft is in motion, and today mostly refers to casualties and damage caused by road vehicles

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