Basic Nouns

1. 水

   sy5

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with a gesture

   Grammar Note

   水 reads sy5; the tone differs from Mandarin.

2. 吃個物事

   chiq7 geq8 meq8 zy6

   Food

   Usage

   General word when looking for or asking for food

   Grammar Note

   Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. Literally "eating things"; 物事 (meq8 zy6) is "thing", and 吃 is "eat".

3. 鈔票

   tshau5 phiau5

   Money

   Usage

   Basic word for talking about money and payments

   Grammar Note

   鈔票 (tshau5 phiau5) is paper money and by extension "money"; 銅鈿 is another word that also covers coins.

4. 廁所

   tshy5 su5

   Toilet

   Usage

   The basic word when asking for the toilet

   Grammar Note

   廁所 (tshy5 su5) is the same word as in Mandarin, read with Shanghainese sounds.

5. 紙巾

   tsy5 cin1

   Tissue

   Usage

   When you need a tissue at a meal or on the go

   Grammar Note

   Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese sounds: 紙 tsy5, 巾 cin1.

6. 藥

   yaq8

   Medicine

   Usage

   Used when asking for medicine while unwell

   Grammar Note

   藥 is an entering-tone syllable, yaq8, ending in q.

7. 行李

   ghan6 li6

   Luggage

   Usage

   For talking about bags at airports and hotels

   Grammar Note

   行李 (ghan6 li6) means travel baggage.

8. 鑰匙

   yaq8 zy6

   Key

   Usage

   For hotel room keys and the like

   Grammar Note

   鑰匙 reads yaq8 zy6.

9. 票

   phiau5

   Ticket

   Usage

   For train, bus and admission tickets

   Grammar Note

   票 reads phiau5. The classifier is 張, as in 一張票.

10. 護照

    wu6 tsau5

    Passport

    Usage

    Asked for at borders and hotel check-in

    Grammar Note

    Mandarin-origin word with Shanghainese sounds: 護 wu6, 照 tsau5.

11. 手機

    seu5 ci1

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to a mobile phone, e.g. when asking to borrow one

    Grammar Note

    手機 (seu5 ci1) is a mobile phone; 電話 (di6 gho6) is a telephone in general.

12. 充電器

    tshon1 di6 chi5

    Charger

    Usage

    For borrowing or buying a charger

    Grammar Note

    No Shanghainese-specific word is attested, so the Mandarin word is read as is.

13. 車站

    tsho1 ze6

    Station

    Usage

    For asking about a station or bus stop

    Grammar Note

    車站 (tsho1 ze6) covers both train stations and bus stops.

14. 醫院

    i1 yoe6

    Hospital

    Usage

    When you need a hospital for illness or injury

    Grammar Note

    醫院 reads i1 yoe6.

15. 警察

    cin5 tshaq7

    Police

    Usage

    When calling the police for a crime or trouble

    Grammar Note

    警察 reads cin5 tshaq7. The police number in China is 110.

16. 店

    ti5

    Shop

    Usage

    For finding or asking about a shop

    Grammar Note

    店 reads ti5. 飯店 (ve6 ti5) in Shanghainese can mean a restaurant.

17. 房間

    vaon6 ke1

    Room

    Usage

    For talking about a room at a hotel

    Grammar Note

    房間 (vaon6 ke1) means "room".

18. 馬路

    mo6 lu6

    Road

    Usage

    Refers to a street or main road; useful when asking directions

    Grammar Note

    馬路 (mo6 lu6) is the ordinary Shanghainese word for a street or road.

19. 名字

    min6 zy6

    Name

    Usage

    For introductions and giving a name for a booking

    Grammar Note

    名字 (min6 zy6) means "name".

20. 頭

    deu6

    Head

    Usage

    For describing symptoms

    Grammar Note

    頭 reads deu6.

21. 眼睛

    nge6 cin1

    Eye

    Usage

    For describing eye problems

    Grammar Note

    眼睛 (nge6 cin1) means "eye".

22. 牙齒

    nga6 tshy5

    Tooth

    Usage

    For describing a toothache

    Grammar Note

    牙齒 (nga6 tshy5) means "tooth".

23. 喉嚨

    gheu6 lon6

    Throat

    Usage

    For describing a sore throat

    Grammar Note

    喉嚨 reads gheu6 lon6 (wu6 lon6 also occurs).

24. 肚皮

    du6 bi6

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    For describing stomach trouble

    Grammar Note

    肚皮 (du6 bi6) means "belly".

25. 背

    pe5

    Back

    Usage

    For describing back pain

    Grammar Note

    背 reads pe5.

26. 腰

    iau1

    Lower back / waist

    Usage

    For describing lower back pain

    Grammar Note

    腰 reads iau1.

27. 腳

    ciaq7

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    For describing leg or foot pain

    Grammar Note

    腳 is an entering-tone syllable, ciaq7.

28. 手

    seu5

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    For describing a hand or arm injury

    Grammar Note

    手 reads seu5.

29. 胸口

    shion1 kheu5

    Chest

    Usage

    For describing chest pain

    Grammar Note

    Mandarin-origin word with Shanghainese sounds: 胸 shion1, 口 kheu5.

30. 消防車

    shiau1 baon6 tsho1

    Fire engine

    Usage

    When reporting a fire or hearing sirens

    Grammar Note

    Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese sounds. The fire number in China is 119.

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