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Can You Give Me a Better Price?

Counter-offer on a price in a market or small shop without making it awkward.

🛍️ PHRASE CARD
TravelHubChina

中文 / Chinese

能不能便宜一点?太贵了。

Néng bùnéng piányi yìdiǎn? Tài guì le.

English

Could you give me a better price? It is too expensive.

Show this to a local Read the English for context
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How to use this card

  1. Save it before you travel. Download the whole pack from /rescue-cards/ and it works offline — no app, no data plan.
  2. Show the big Chinese line to whoever you are talking to. They read characters; the English at the bottom is for you.
  3. Say it out loud too if they hesitate. A spoken request gets a faster answer than a silent card, and repeating it removes all doubt.
  4. Read the English to understand the reply.

What they will likely say

  • “最低二百五,不能再少了。” — Two-fifty is the lowest, I cannot go lower.
  • “诚心买的话两百。” — If you really want it, two hundred.
  • “这个是明码标价的。” — This one is a fixed price.
  • “你要买几件?” — How many are you buying?

Pro tips

  • The size of your counter-offer matters more than the words. Offering 40% off is an insult; 60–70% of the asking price is a normal first move.
  • Buying several items, or accepting 包装 (bāozhuāng, gift wrapping), is the standard lever that moves the price.
  • Walk away slowly once or twice. It works far more often than it should, and it is how the final price is usually reached.
  • Full guide — background reading for this situation

This card is one of the TravelHubChina phrase cards — bilingual, offline, and verified against how people actually talk in China rather than textbook grammar. The full set is free at travelhubchina.com/rescue-cards/.

Need the full guide?

This card gives you the exact phrase. The full article walks you through the situation step-by-step.

Read the full guide →