Chinese For Dummies (111 page)

Table 16-1 Items to Have Ready at Customs

The
hǎiguān guānyuán
may ask you a couple of these important questions:

Nǐ dǎsuàn zài zhèr dāi duōjiǔ?
你打算在这儿待多久
? (
你打算在這兒待多久
?) (nee dah-swan dzye jar dye dwaw-jyo?) (
How long do you plan on staying?
)

Nǐ lái zhèr shì bàn gōngwù háishì lǚyóu?
你来这儿是办公务还是旅游
? (
你來這兒是辦公務還是旅遊
?)
(nee lye jar shir bahn goong-woo hi-shir lyew-yo?) (
Are you here on business or as a tourist?
)

Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu yào shēnbào de wùpǐn?
你有没有要申报的物品
?
(
你有沒有要申報的物品
?)
(nee yo mayo yaow shun-baow duh woo-peen?) (
Do you have anything you want to declare?
)

Qǐng gěi wǒ kànkàn nǐde hǎiguān shēnbàodān.
请给我看看你的海关申报单
. (
請給我看看你的海關申報單
.) (cheeng gay waw kahn-kahn nee-duh hi-gwan shun-baow-dahn.) (
Please show me your customs declaration form.
)

Qǐng gěi wǒ kànkàn nǐde hùzhào.
请给我看看你的护照
. (
請給我看看你的護照
.) (cheeng gay waw kahn-kahn nee-duh hoo-jaow.) (
Please show me your passport.
)

Customs agents aren't the only people with questions to ask. You may have some questions you want to try out yourself:

Wǒ yào fù shuì ma?
我要付税吗
? (
我要付稅嗎
?) (waw yaow foo shway mah?) (
Must I pay duty?
)

X guāng huì sǔnhuài wǒde jiāojuǎn ma?
X
光会损坏我的胶卷
吗
? (X
光會損壞我的膠卷嗎
?) (X gwahng hway swuhn-hwye waw-duh jyaow-jwan mah?) (
Will the X-ray damage my film?
)

Xínglǐ kéyǐ shōu qǐlái ma?
行李可以收起来吗
? (
行李可以收起來嗎
?) (sheeng-lee kuh-yee show chee-lye mah?) (
May I close my suitcases now?
)

Xínglǐ yào dǎkāi ma?
行李要打开吗
? (
行李要打開嗎
?) (sheeng-lee yaow dah-kye mah?) (
Should I open my luggage?
)

Talkin' the Talk

Georgia gets off her plane in Shanghai and begins the customs process by approaching an agent. (Track 23)