With the 17th BRICS Summit landing in Rio de Janeiro from July 6 to 7, Brazilian youth are gearing up to welcome global leaders and delegates.
CGTN recently invited a diverse group of young Brazilians to share the single most useful Chinese phrase every visitor should know. In this episode, students from the Confucius Institute at the Federal University of Bahia weigh in with two simple yet powerful expressions:
- Antonio Alves Campos Neto (High school student): '请问，这个地方在哪儿？' (Excuse me, where is this place?) – the perfect icebreaker for navigating busy streets or finding hidden gems.
- Francisco Sanches Gomes (Biologist): '要我扫你的码，还是你扫我的？' (Should I scan your code, or will you scan mine?) – a must-have for adding friends on WeChat and powering up on-the-go payments.
These phrases reflect two pillars of modern China: seamless connectivity and ultra-efficient digital services. Whether you are a traveler hunting for the next hot spot or a startup founder exploring cross-border opportunities, mastering these lines can open doors—and digital wallets—across China.
As global citizens converge in Rio this July, a few well-chosen words in Mandarin can be your fast track to authentic connections and smoother experiences. What phrase will you bring to the BRICS Summit?
Reference(s):
What's the must-know Chinese phrase young Brazilians recommend?
cgtn.com
