Mandarin Month: Chinese Phrases to Get out of Those Sticky Cycling Accidents

In the lead up to our Mandarin Month mixer on June 24 June 25, where you'll be able to meet with Beijing's best Mandarin schools, we'll be dishing out some language-learning advice on a daily basis. Read on if you don't want to wait to get started on improving your 中文. Mandarin Month is sponsored by Sanfine International Hospital.

If you’re anything like me, you became fed up with the crush of people on Beijing public transit long ago, as well as cab drivers who drive right past your outstretched hand, and Didi drivers who couldn’t find Tiananmen Square without Baidu maps. Yeah, I’m over all that. I’m a cyclist now.

READ: How to Get Your Bike Fixed in Beijing

I like the freedom cycling provides in a city where there are over 5 million vehicles and where daily subway ridership hovers around 10 million people. There is a trade-off though involved in going with two-wheel transit over trains, buses, and cars. The more miles you log on a bike, the greater the probability that you will eventually face some sort of cycling-related calamity. At some point, you are going to cause an accident, or someone is going to cause you to wipe out. Either way, you’re faced with a few scenarios in the aftermath:

1) You’re hurt, and it’s not your fault.
2) Somebody else is hurt, and it’s not your fault.
3) Somebody else is hurt, and it is your fault.
4) Nobody’s hurt, but for some reason, you’re at fault and on the hook for a big cash payout.

According to the scenario, you find yourself in, use and listen for some of the following phrases to ensure the aftermath of an accident goes smoothly.

Scenarios 1, 2 & 3: That fellow cyclist on your left decides to make a right-hand turn while you’re both traveling into an intersection at high speed. You swerve. You break. You go down. Or maybe you’re the inconsiderate human who decided to cut off a fellow cyclist. Whether or not it is you who is hurt, keep in mind that according to Chinese law it is almost always the bigger vehicle that is at fault in these situations. Use and listen for some of the following phrases if you find yourself in this kind of pickle. (Also use your best judgment and do the right thing if you are at fault.)

Please dial 120 (first aid/ambulance). Please dial 110 (police).
请打120（救护车）。 请打110（警察）。
Qǐng dǎ 120 (jiù hù chē).  Qǐng dǎ 110 (jǐng chá）

Call an ambulance immediately.
快叫救护车。
Kuài jiào jiù hù chē.

Come to the crossing at Wangjing East Road at once. There was an accident. Someone needs first aid.
快到望京东路路口来。这里出车祸了。有人需要抢救。
Kuài dào wàng jīng dōng lù lù kǒu lái. Zhè lǐ chū chē huò le. Yǒu rén xū yào qiǎng jiù.

Help! I’m hurt!
救命！ 我受伤了！
Jiù mìng! Wǒ shòu shāng le!

Are you injured?
你受伤了吗 ？
Nǐ shòu shāng le ma?

What’s wrong with you? Where does it hurt? Is it serious?
你怎么了。 你哪儿疼？ 严重吗？
Nǐ zěnme le. Nǐ nǎ ér téng? Yán zhòng ma?

This was my fault. I’ll take you to the hospital.
这是我的错。 我会带您去医院。
Zhè shì wǒ de cuò. Wǒ huì dài nín qù yī yuàn.

You’re bleeding. You need to be checked by a doctor.
你在流血，你需要看医生。
Nǐ zài liú xuè, nǐ xū yào kàn yīshēng.

You need to take me to the hospital.
您需要带我去医院。
Nín xū yào dài wǒ qù yī yuàn.

I don’t have insurance.
我没有保险。
Wǒ méi yǒu bǎo xiǎn.

This was not my fault
这不是我的错。
Zhè bú shì wǒ de cuò.

You cut me off!
你加塞儿了！
Nǐ jiā sāi ér le!

We almost collided.
我们差点儿撞上了。
Wǒ men chà diǎn ér zhuàng shàng le.

You should be more careful when cycling.
骑自行车还得多加小心。
Qízìháng chē hái dé duō jiā xiǎo xīn.

You have the bigger vehicle.
你的车更大。
Nǐ de chē gèng dà.

Can I give you 300 kuai? Is that enough?
可以给您三百块钱吗？ 够了吗？
Kěyǐ gěi nín sān bǎi kuài qián ma? gòu le ma?

Scenario 4: In the unfortunate event of someone seeing a seemingly innocuous encounter with you, the cyclist, as an opportunity to extort you for everything you have (perhaps you startled the ayi who just stepped off the curb and into the bike lane when you brushed past her perm) you can use some of the following phrases to defuse (or possibly inflame) the situation. Often, if you insist on going to the hospital, the situation may resolve itself, because the person accusing you of wrongdoing knows they will end up footing the bill if nothing is wrong.

If you are crossing the road you should pay attention to traffic.
过马路的时候，你应该注意交通。
Guò mǎ lù de shí hòu, nǐ yīng gāi zhù yì jiāo tōng.

I have done nothing wrong.
我没做错。
Wǒ méi zuò cuò.

You are totally fine.
你肯定没事。
Nǐ kěndìng méi shì.

You did that on purpose.
你是故意的。
Nǐ shì gùyì de.

I don’t have any cash.
我这儿没有现金。
Wǒ zhè ér méi yǒu xiàn jīn.

This is a scam.
这是骗人的勾当。
Zhè shì piàn rén de gōu dāng.

Let go of me.
让我走吧。
Ràng wǒ zǒu ba.

I insist we go to the hospital.
我坚持要我们一起去医院。
Wǒ jiān chí yào wǒmen yī qǐ qù yīyuàn.

Congratulations, you've survived another day! But has your bike? Learn here how to go get it fixed.

Keep on track with your studies with all of our 2017 Mandarin Month content here, and don't forget to register for our June 24 June 25 mixer here.

If you are interested in becoming an exhibitor at our Mandarin Month Mixer on June 24 June 25, please call 5941 0368 or email sales@truerun.com. For media partnership opportunities, please call 5941 5379 or email marketing@truerun.com.

Photo: Voanews.com