上海 · Shanghai

Food

• 来一笼小笼包。lái yì lóng xiǎo lóng bāo。A basket of soup dumplings.一笼 is one steamer basket.
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• 小心，汤很烫。xiǎo xīn， tāng hěn tàng。Careful, the soup is very hot.Say it to a friend. Bite a small hole in the bun first.
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• 这是生煎吗？zhè shì shēng jiān ma？Are these pan-fried dumplings?生煎 are the pan-fried buns, not the same as 小笼包.
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• 不要太甜。bú yào tài tián。Not too sweet.A lot of Shanghai cooking leans sweet. Say it when you order.
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Scenery

• 外滩怎么走？wài tān zěn me zǒu？How do I get to the Bund?外滩 is the west bank of the river.
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• 坐地铁到豫园。zuò dìtiě dào yù yuán。Take the metro to Yu Garden.豫园 is the garden and the busy market beside it.
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• 请在这儿停。qǐng zài zhèr tíng。Please stop here.For a taxi. Point as you say it.
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• 我想去陆家嘴。wǒ xiǎng qù lù jiā zuǐ。I want to go to Lujiazui.陆家嘴 is the tower side, across from the Bund.
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Culture

• 请说普通话。qǐng shuō pǔ tōng huà。Please speak Mandarin.Shanghainese is a different language. This is the polite ask.
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• 上海话我听不懂。shàng hǎi huà wǒ tīng bù dǒng。I don't understand Shanghainese.Say it without apologizing at length.
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• 可以微信支付吗？kě yǐ wēixìnzhīfù ma？Can I pay with WeChat?If they say no, 可以支付宝吗？ is the next short ask.
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• 这个多少钱？zhège duō shǎo qián？How much is this?Point at one thing, then wait for the number.
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• The soup

  Xiaolongbao hold hot soup. Lift the bun, bite a small hole, let it cool, then eat. Don't treat it like a boiled dumpling.

• The river

  外滩 is the Bund. 陆家嘴 is the skyline on the other bank. A taxi needs the name, not a wave at the towers.

• The language

  If the answer comes in Shanghainese, 请说普通话 is enough. You are not expected to reply in Shanghainese.

One day

A day and a taste. Four lines to say, morning through evening. It is not a booking and not a ticket time.

A shop sign

Optional. A photo of a sign comes back as one phrase to say next. The photo is not stored. If the characters don't come back, the page does not invent a shop.