Mandarin Monday: Your Summer Essentials Chinese Phrases

It’s that time of the year again when we can (almost) stop worrying about smog and start worrying about sweat beads streaming into our eyes and excessive air con usage giving us a summer cold. But don’t fear, here are some essential phrases to make your summer a pleasant one!

Some summer starters

Parasol 太阳伞 tàiyáng sǎn
Sunscreen 防晒霜  fángshài shuāng
SPF 防晒系数 fángshài xìshù
Sandals 凉鞋 liángxié
Flip-flops 人字拖鞋 rén zì tuōxié        
Cold water 冰水 bīng shuǐ
Ice cubes 冰块 bīng kuài
Portable fan 可携式风扇 kě xī shì fēngshàn
Air-conditioning 空调 kōngtiáo
Swimming pool 游泳池 yóuyǒngchí
Bikini 比基尼 bǐjīní            
Swimming trunks 游泳裤 yóuyǒngkù        
 Ice cream 冰激凌 bīngjílíng        
Popsicle 冰棍 bīnggùn            
Vanilla flavor 香草味 xīang cáo wèi        
Chocolate flavor 巧克力味 qiǎokèlì wèi        
Cool bag 冰袋 bīngdài            
Picnic 野餐 yěcān            
Mosquito repellent 防蚊液 fáng wén yè        
Sunglasses 黑镜 hēi jìng    

In and around Beijing

Do you have any cold water?
有没有冰水？
Yǒu méiyǒu bīngshuǐ?

Could I get some ice cubes with my drink?
我的饮料能加点冰块吗？
Wǒ de yǐnliào néng jiādiǎn bīngkuài ma?

Can I borrow your portable fan?
我能不能借用一下你的风扇？
Wǒ néng bùnéng jièyòng yīxià nǐ de fēngshàn?

Does the air con have to be cranked up this much?
空调要不要开得那么大？
Kòngtiáo yào bùyào kāi dé nàme dà?

Do you mind turning the air conditioning on/off/up/down?
你介不介意把空调开／关／开得大一点／开得小一点？
Nǐ jiè bù jiè yì bǎ kōngtiáo kāi／guān／kāi dé dà yī diǎn／kāi dé xiǎo yī diǎn?

Would you like cold or room-temperature beer?
啤酒要冰的／凉的还是温的？
Píjiǔ yào bīng de／liáng de huán shì wēn de?

Does this restaurant have any outdoor seating?
这个餐厅有没有室外座位？
Zhège cāntīng yǒu méiyǒu shìwài zuòwèi?

I would like one scoop vanilla ice cream and one scoop chocolate ice cream.
我来一球香草冰激凌和一球巧克力冰激凌。
Wǒ lái yī qiú xiāngcǎo bīngjīlíng hé yī qiú qiǎokèlì bīngjīlíng.

What time does the pool open/close?
游泳池几点开门／关门？
Yóuyǒngchí jī diǎn kāi mén／guān mén?

I can’t decide whether to buy a swimsuit, bikini, or a tankini.
我不知道连体式泳衣，比基尼和坦基尼泳装买哪个好。  
Wǒ bù zhīdào lián tǐ shì yǒngyī, bǐjīní hé tǎn jīní yǒngzhuāng mǎi nǎge hǎo.

Go to Decathlon for quick-dry T-shirts, as you’ll sweat a lot.
去迪卡侬买快干T恤衫，因为肯定会出很多汗。
Qù díkǎnóng mǎi kuài gān T xùshān, yīnwèi kěndìng huì chū hěnduō hàn.

Make sure you have your cool bag ready for those picnics in Chaoyang Park.
别忘记准备好你的冰袋，去朝阳公园吃野餐这是必有品。
Bié wàngjì zhǔnbèi hǎo nǐ de bīngdài, qù zhāoyáng gōngyuán chī yěcān zhè shì bì yǒu pǐn.

And don’t forget to take your sunglasses and a big picnic blanket.
而且别忘记带你的黑镜和野餐被子。
Er qiě bié wàng jì dài nǐ dí hēi jìng hé yě cān bèi zǐ.

No summer in Beijing can be survived without an ample amount of mosquito repellent.
想在北京的夏天活下去，一定需要大量的防蚊液。
 Xiǎng zài běijīng de xiàtiān huó xiàqù, yīdìng xūyào dàliàng de fáng wén yè.

To stock up on deodorant, import stores like Jenny Lou’s and April Gourmet are a good place to start. Watson’s also has some. Though finding non-aluminium ones is virtually impossible. For those, go to TMall’s online store DM.
如果想多买点除臭剂，婕妮璐和绿叶子进口超市都可以买到。屈臣氏商店也有。但是想找一些不含氯化铝是比较难，从天猫的DM德国官方旗舰店能买到。
Rúguǒ xiǎng duō mǎidiǎn chú chòu jì, jié nī lù hé lǜyè zi jìnkǒu chāoshì dōu kěyǐ mǎi dào. Qūchénshì shāngdiàn yěyǒu. Dànshì xiǎng zhǎo yīxiē bù hán lǜ huà lǔ shì bǐjiào nán, cóng tiān māo de DM déguó guānfāng qíjiàn diàn néng mǎi dào.

Did you know Miniso has a great selection of inexpensive sunglasses? They’ve also got all kinds of other knick knacks to make you summer ready!
你知不知道名创优品黑镜又丰富又便宜？他们也有各种各样的小东东，让你充分准备夏天的到来。
Nǐ zhī bù zhīdào míng chuàng yōu pǐn hēi jìng yòu fēngfù yòu piányí? Tāmen yěyǒu gè zhǒng gè yàng de xiǎo dōng dōng, ràng nǐ chōngfèn zhǔnbèi xiàtiān de dàolái.

A pair of sandals or flip-flops is a must for a Beijing summer. Not only do they provide the air your body needs to release heat, but they’re the best choice when weathering torrential rain.
一双凉鞋或者人字拖是北京夏天不可缺的东西。它们不仅让你的脚呼吸，让你全身凉快，同时也是面对夏天暴风雨最方便的选择之一。
Yīshuāng liángxié huòzhě rén zì tuō shì běijīng xiàtiān bùkěquē de dōngxī. Tāmen bùjǐn ràng nǐ de jiǎo hūxī, ràng nǐ quánshēn liángkuai, tóngshí yěshì miàn duì xiàtiān bàofēngyǔ zuì fāngbiàn de xuǎnzé zhī yī.

On the beach

Don’t forget to take your parasol, the sun is shining.
别忘记带你的太阳伞，外面的太阳很晒。
Bié wàngjì dài nǐ de tàiyáng sǎn, wàimiàn de tàiyáng hěn shài.

Where can I buy water and sweat resistant SPF 50 Sunscreen?
防水防汗防晒系数50的防晒霜在哪里能买到？
Fángshuǐ fáng hàn fángshài xìshù 50 de fángshài shuāng zài nǎlǐ néng mǎi dào?

Which way is the beach?
沙滩怎么走？
Shātān zěnme zǒu?

Do I need to buy a ticket to visit the beach?
我去沙滩需要买票吗？
Wǒ qù shātān xū yāo mǎi piào ma?

Make sure to pack your towel, since there might not be any deck chairs at the pool.
一定要带上自己的毛巾，游泳池不一定会有躺椅。
Yīdìng yào dài shàng zìjǐ de máojīn, yóuyǒngchí bù yīdìng huì yǒu tǎngyǐ.

READ: Mandarin Monday: HerStory in Chinese Linguistics

Images: prettystuff.net