Emergency & Health Guide

Essential Chinese Emergency Phrases for Foreign Visitors

Save the Chinese text, know which mainland emergency number to use, and prepare the exact location, visible problem, callback number, and offline backup before you need help.

See the Quick Checklist

Take the 2-Minute Readiness Check

Emergency action plan

What to do in the first 30 seconds

Call the Right Number

Use 110 for urgent police help, 119 for fire or fire-rescue, 120 for a medical emergency, and 122 for a traffic accident in mainland China.

Show the Chinese

Open the large Chinese text and show it to a nearby person, hotel employee, station employee, police officer, or medical worker.

Share Your Exact Location

Show the Chinese address and map pin, then add the correct entrance, building, floor, room, platform, road direction, or nearby landmark.

Keep an Offline Backup

Keep a local phone copy, a companion or trusted-contact copy, and a wallet-size paper card that still works without data or the main phone.

See the Quick Checklist

Take the 2-Minute Readiness Check

Emergency & Health Guide

Essential Chinese Emergency Phrases for Foreign Visitors

Save the Chinese text, know which mainland emergency number to use, and prepare the exact location, visible problem, callback number, and offline backup before you need help.

See the Quick Checklist

Take the 2-Minute Readiness Check

Emergency action plan

What to do in the first 30 seconds

Call the Right Number

Use 110 for urgent police help, 119 for fire or fire-rescue, 120 for a medical emergency, and 122 for a traffic accident in mainland China.

Show the Chinese

Open the large Chinese text and show it to a nearby person, hotel employee, station employee, police officer, or medical worker.

Share Your Exact Location

Show the Chinese address and map pin, then add the correct entrance, building, floor, room, platform, road direction, or nearby landmark.

Keep an Offline Backup

Keep a local phone copy, a companion or trusted-contact copy, and a wallet-size paper card that still works without data or the main phone.

See the Quick Checklist

Take the 2-Minute Readiness Check

Emergency & Health Guide

Essential Chinese Emergency Phrases for Foreign Visitors

Save the Chinese text, know which mainland emergency number to use, and prepare the exact location, visible problem, callback number, and offline backup before you need help.

See the Quick Checklist

Take the 2-Minute Readiness Check

Emergency action plan

What to do in the first 30 seconds

Call the Right Number

Use 110 for urgent police help, 119 for fire or fire-rescue, 120 for a medical emergency, and 122 for a traffic accident in mainland China.

Show the Chinese

Open the large Chinese text and show it to a nearby person, hotel employee, station employee, police officer, or medical worker.

Share Your Exact Location

Show the Chinese address and map pin, then add the correct entrance, building, floor, room, platform, road direction, or nearby landmark.

Keep an Offline Backup

Keep a local phone copy, a companion or trusted-contact copy, and a wallet-size paper card that still works without data or the main phone.

See the Quick Checklist

Take the 2-Minute Readiness Check

QUICK ANSWER

Show the Chinese, call the right number, and give the location first

For an emergency in mainland China, use 110 for urgent police help, 119 for fire or fire-rescue, 120 for a medical emergency or ambulance, and 122 for a traffic accident or traffic-police assistance.

After the number is called, give the exact location and access point, explain what happened, state how many people need help and the main symptom or danger, provide a reachable callback number, and send someone to the entrance or nearest intersection where safe. Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Do not rely on nationwide English-language support or assume that a foreign emergency number, data-only eSIM, or internet-calling app will reach the correct mainland service.

The practical chain is choose the number → show the Chinese help phrase → share the exact location → describe the emergency → give a callback number → guide responders to the scene.

LIFE SAFETY FIRST

Call the appropriate emergency number; do not delay a real emergency while searching for a perfect phrase.

SHOW THE CHINESE FIRST

Large Chinese characters are the primary display layer; use pinyin only as a secondary speaking aid.

KEEP THREE OFFLINE LAYERS

Keep a local phone copy, a companion or trusted-contact copy, and a paper card for a dead or missing phone.

Show these phrases in the first 30 seconds

Show the Chinese text to a nearby person and point to the appropriate emergency number. Keep the first exchange short so the caller can give the location, describe the problem, and follow the dispatcher.

Immediate help

Show the Chinese text first and point to the relevant number or map location

请帮帮我。

Please help me.

我不会说中文。

I do not speak Chinese.

请帮我拨打这个号码。

Please help me call this number.

这是我现在的位置。

This is my current location.

请不要挂断，并听从接线员的指示。

Please do not hang up and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Call the right emergency number

Use these numbers only for real emergencies in mainland China. Emergency numbers are normally spoken digit by digit, and 1 is commonly pronounced yāo in phone numbers. Show the written number if pronunciation is uncertain.

Number and service

Use it for

Give the dispatcher

110 — Police

Crime, violence, theft, an urgent safety threat, or another situation requiring immediate police assistance.

What happened, the exact location, people involved or at risk, relevant time or suspect information, and a reachable callback number.

119 — Fire or fire-rescue

Fire, smoke, people trapped, or another critical incident requiring fire-rescue assistance.

Exact location, type of fire or danger, whether anyone is trapped or injured, access information, and the callback number.

120 — Medical emergency or ambulance

A person who needs urgent medical assistance or ambulance transport.

Detailed address, main symptom or injury, consciousness and breathing where known, number of patients, access point, and callback number.

122 — Traffic accident or traffic police

A traffic accident, road hazard, or situation requiring traffic-police assistance.

Accident location, vehicles or hazards involved, whether anyone is injured, and a callback number. Urgent medical help may also be needed through 120.

Turn a map pin into a location responders can reach

A hotel name or map pin may not identify the correct gate, floor, room, platform, road direction, or entrance. Show the written Chinese address and add the access details that responders need.

STEP 1

Open the location

Show the Chinese address and map pin together. Include the city, district, road, building or hotel name, and a nearby landmark.

Do not rely only on an English hotel name or an approximate map area.

STEP 2

Add the access point

State the gate, entrance, building, floor, room, lift, trail entrance, platform, road direction, or other access detail that matters.

A correct street address can still lead responders to the wrong entrance.

STEP 3

State how many people need help

Give the number of people who need help and describe the visible problem without guessing a diagnosis.

Tell the dispatcher if the number or condition changes.

STEP 4

Give the callback number

Keep one reachable phone available and explain if the caller and the person needing help are in different locations.

Avoid using the line for unrelated calls while responders may need to call back.

STEP 5

Send someone to meet responders

Where safe, place a person at the entrance or nearest intersection to guide police, firefighters, or medical responders.

Keep the guide visible and reachable by phone.

STEP 6

Keep access clear

Clear the hallway, gate, lift, road entrance, or path where this can be done safely.

Follow dispatcher instructions and do not enter a dangerous area merely to improve access.

Save these Chinese emergency and travel-problem phrases

Show the simplified Chinese text to police, medical workers, hotel staff, station staff, or another helper. Use only statements that are true. These phrases support communication; they do not replace emergency calls, dispatcher instructions, medical assessment, or official procedures.

Medical and safety

Use the shortest accurate sentence and call the appropriate number for an urgent emergency

我需要看医生。

I need a doctor.

请帮我拨打120。

Please help me call 120.

这里有人失去意识了。

Someone here is unconscious.

有人呼吸困难。

Someone is having difficulty breathing.

有人大量出血。

Someone is bleeding heavily.

我对___过敏。

I am allergic to ___.

我正在服用这些药。

I am taking these medicines.

请帮我拨打110。

Please help me call 110.

这里起火了，有烟。

There is a fire and smoke here.

有人被困。

Someone is trapped.

Passport and documents

Use Article 13 for the complete police, exit-entry, consular, and China-side recovery process

我的护照丢失了。

My passport is lost.

我的护照被盗了。

My passport was stolen.

请问在哪里办理护照报失证明？

Where can I obtain a passport loss certificate?

请帮我联系本国大使馆或领事馆。

Please help me contact my embassy or consulate.

请帮我拨打12367，咨询出入境手续。

Please help me call 12367 about the exit-entry procedure.

Hotel and location

Show the saved Chinese address and add the entrance or access point

这是我现在的位置。

This is my current location.

入口在___。

The entrance is at ___.

这里有___个人需要帮助。

There are ___ people here who need help.

我的联系电话是___。

My callback number is ___.

这是我的酒店名称和地址。

This is my hotel name and address.

请帮我联系酒店。

Please help me contact the hotel.

Payment and records

Ask for the specific payment alternative or record that is needed

移动支付失败了。可以用现金或者银行卡吗？

Mobile payment failed. Can I use cash or a bank card?

请把地址和下一步写下来。

Please write down the address and the next step.

请给我发票和费用明细。

Please give me the invoice and itemized charges.

CHECK YOUR READINESS

Start the Check

Would your emergency plan work without data—or without the phone?

Check voice calling, emergency numbers, Chinese help phrases, hotel details, medical information, emergency contacts, payment, and offline backup in about two minutes.

Start the Check

Emergency phrase and offline backup checklist

Complete these groups before departure. In a real emergency, start with the appropriate number, exact location, visible problem, callback route, and dispatcher instructions.

Emergency numbers and calling route

✓110 police, 119 fire or fire-rescue, 120 medical, and 122 traffic accident saved for mainland China

✓Hong Kong and Macao emergency systems kept separate from the mainland card

✓Actual cellular voice-calling capability checked for the main phone, SIM, eSIM, or roaming setup

✓No plan relies on 911, 999, 112, or an internet-calling app redirecting to a mainland service

✓Emergency numbers will not be called merely to test them

✓Practical route prepared for asking a nearby person, hotel, station, or staffed venue to call

Location and medical information

✓Current hotel or accommodation name, Chinese address, entrance, phone number, and nearby landmark saved

✓Map pin and written Chinese address can be opened without loading the webpage

✓Local callback number recorded and kept reachable

✓Main symptoms, serious allergies, medicines, conditions, emergency contact, and insurer assistance route recorded clearly

✓Travel companion knows who can meet responders at the entrance or nearest intersection

Three offline backup layers

✓Emergency numbers and essential Chinese phrases saved locally as an image or screenshot

✓Locally saved information opened successfully without mobile data or Wi-Fi

✓Copy shared with a travel companion or trusted emergency contact

✓Wallet-size paper card prepared in readable type

✓Essential hotel, medical, insurance, and contact information not stored only on the main phone

Test and update before travel

✓Saved address and hotel details updated when changing accommodation or city

✓Callback number updated after changing SIMs or phone service

✓Emergency card remains readable on the actual phone screen

✓Charged power bank and compatible cable packed

✓Essential information can be reached without a cloud login or locked application

✓Sensitive passport, insurance, and medical records are not exposed unnecessarily on an unlocked screen

Chinese emergency phrase and calling questions for travelers

Emergency-number scope, language support, mobile calling access, and local response procedures can differ. This guide covers mainland China and keeps Hong Kong and Macao as separate regional systems.

What emergency numbers should I call in mainland China?

Use 110 for urgent police help, 119 for fire or fire-rescue, 120 for a medical emergency or ambulance, and 122 for a traffic accident or traffic-police assistance. A serious incident may require more than one service; for example, an injured person in a traffic accident may also need 120. Do not call an emergency number merely to test it. Official mainland number guidance: https://english.beijing.gov.cn/travellinginbeijing/quickguideontravelservices/traveltips/202108/t20210811_2466839.html

Can I rely on 911, 999 or 112 in mainland China?

Do not rely on a foreign or regional emergency number redirecting to the correct mainland service. Save 110, 119, 120 and 122, confirm the actual voice-calling setup, and prepare a practical way to ask a nearby person, hotel, station, or staffed venue to call.

What information should I give an emergency dispatcher?

Give the exact location and access point, explain what happened, state how many people need help, describe the main visible symptom, injury, fire, hazard, or safety threat, and provide a reachable callback number. Answer the dispatcher’s questions, keep the line available, send someone to the entrance or nearest intersection where safe, and report important changes.

Will emergency operators speak English?

Do not rely on nationwide English-language support. Shanghai publishes foreign-language or English capability for specific emergency hotlines, but that city information cannot be extended to every place in mainland China. Save the Chinese text and ask a nearby person or hotel employee to help call when safe and practical. Shanghai guidance: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-EmergencyNumbers/20241210/cbc5280b9f96440a93234bfc5e0c1023.html

Should I save Chinese characters or pinyin?

Save large simplified Chinese characters as the primary display layer because they can be shown directly to local staff, police, medical workers, drivers, or passersby. Pinyin can be a secondary speaking aid, but it should not replace the written Chinese if the traveler has not practised the pronunciation.

Can a data-only eSIM call emergency numbers?

Do not assume it can. A data-only plan may not include cellular voice calling, and an internet-calling app may not reach mainland short codes. Confirm the exact plan, device, roaming setup, and voice route before travel, and keep a practical way to ask a nearby person or staffed venue to call.

What should I do if my phone has no data or no battery?

If the phone still has power, open the locally saved Chinese phrases, address, and map information without loading a website or cloud account. If the phone is dead, locked, damaged, or missing, use the paper card and the copy held by a travel companion or trusted contact. A power bank is useful, but it is not the only backup.

Are the same emergency numbers used in Hong Kong and Macao?

No. The 110, 119, 120 and 122 framework in this guide is for mainland China. Hong Kong’s official visitor guidance uses 999 for police, fire, or ambulance help: https://www.gov.hk/en/nonresidents/visitinghk/usefulinfo/emergency.htm Macao’s official tourism page publishes 999, 110 and 112: https://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/article/useful-info/emergency-numbers Keep the regional information separate.

China Arrival Handbook

Turn the rest of your China arrival plan into actions

The China Arrival Handbook helps you prepare payment, internet, essential apps, maps, transport, bookings, and offline backup before departure.

Inside the Handbook:

Payment setup steps

Alipay / WeChat Pay preparation checks
First-day transport backup
Hotel address card
Emergency offline cards

Get the China Arrival Handbook — $19

Payment setup steps

Alipay / WeChat Pay preparation checks
First-day transport backup
Hotel address card
Emergency offline cards

Payment setup steps

Alipay / WeChat Pay preparation checks
First-day transport backup
Hotel address card
Emergency offline cards

Inside the Handbook:

The 2-Minute China Readiness Check

Answer 10 practical questions about payment, mobile access, transport, bookings and emergency backup. You’ll receive a readiness score, your top gaps and the China Arrival Readiness Checklist.

Question 1 of 10

Payment

How will you pay after landing?

Choose the option closest to your current setup.

Tap an option to continue

NEED THE FULL SETUP?

Turn your gaps into a practical arrival plan

The China Arrival Handbook gives first-time visitors step-by-step guidance for the systems most likely to cause friction: payments, connectivity, transport, bookings, food, health, emergencies and offline backup.

✓ Attraction advance booking checklist

✓ Connectivity setup guide

✓ Booking confirmation folder setup

✓ Printable offline checklists

✓ Hotel foreign check-in guide

✓ Visa-free / route check guide

✓ Hotel message templates

✓ Health and emergencies

China Arrival Handbook

$19

Best used before you land

Available Soon

NEED THE FULL SETUP?

Turn your gaps into a practical arrival plan

✓ Hotel foreign check-in guide

✓ Visa-free / route check guide

✓ Hotel message templates

✓ Health and emergencies

✓ Attraction advance booking checklist

✓ Connectivity setup guide

✓ Booking confirmation folder setup

✓ Printable offline checklists

China Arrival Handbook

$19

Best used before you land

Available Soon

NEED THE FULL SETUP?

Turn your gaps into a practical arrival plan

✓ Attraction advance booking checklist

✓ Connectivity setup guide

✓ Booking confirmation folder setup

✓ Printable offline checklists

✓ Hotel foreign check-in guide

✓ Visa-free / route check guide

✓ Hotel message templates

✓ Health and emergencies

China Arrival Handbook

$19

Best used before you land

Available Soon

Last fact checked:

July 2026

Fact-checked July 2026 using official mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao government guidance. Emergency-number scope, language availability, local response procedures, and mobile calling access may vary. Confirm the phone’s voice-calling capability before travel, save the cards locally and on paper, follow the dispatcher, and do not call emergency numbers for testing. This article is a travel communication backup, not medical, legal, or emergency-response advice.

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