At a Chinese phone counter, the questions come fast: passport, data, calls, plan length. Here are the exact phrases to ask, answer, and fix problems—without guessing.
Walk into a China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom counter and you will be asked for your passport, your phone number preference, and what you need the card to do. The phrases below cover that conversation from start to finish: registration, data, calls, plan length, fees, activation, and the first troubleshooting steps if the card does not work. Learn five of them before you go, and you can handle the counter without pointing or guessing.
Current-reference check: We verified the practical framework against A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates (2025 Edition). Local procedures can change, so confirm time-sensitive details with the service you use. It supports the setup context in this guide, while plan names, prices and identification requirements must be checked with the carrier.
Before you take a number: passport and registration
Registration is not optional. Your passport is the document that links you to the number, and the staff will check it. The exact paperwork can vary by city and carrier, so ask what they need rather than assuming. A simple opener: 我要办手机卡。 (Wǒ yào bàn shǒujī kǎ.) — I want to get a mobile SIM card.
Then hand over your passport and say: 这是我的护照。 (Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào.) — This is my passport. If they ask for a visa or entry stamp, you can respond: 在这里。 (Zài zhèlǐ.) — Here it is. Keep the passport visible until they finish typing; some counters will ask you to read your name or address aloud, so have your address in Chinese ready if you have one.
Data, calls, or both: describing what you need
Most new arrivals need data first. The key word is 流量 (liúliàng) — data. Calls are 通话 (tōnghuà). Ask: 这个套餐有多少流量？ (Zhège tàocān yǒu duōshao liúliàng?) — How much data does this plan have? If calls matter, add: 包含通话吗？ (Bāohán tōnghuà ma?) — Does it include calls?
If you mainly use messaging apps, say: 我主要用流量。 (Wǒ zhǔyào yòng liúliàng.) — I mainly use data. If you need a local number for calls and deliveries, say: 我需要一个本地号码。 (Wǒ xūyào yí ge běndì hàomǎ.) — I need a local number. The staff may then show you two or three options; ask them to repeat the data amount slowly if the numbers come too fast.
How long do you need it? Plan length and renewal
Plan length changes the price and the paperwork. For a short stay, ask for one month: 我想办一个月的套餐。 (Wǒ xiǎng bàn yí ge yuè de tàocān.) — I want a one-month plan. For a longer stay, replace 一个月 with 三个月 (sān ge yuè) or 半年 (bàn nián). If you are unsure, ask: 可以按月续吗？ (Kěyǐ àn yuè xù ma?) — Can I renew monthly?
Prepaid plans are common, but the details vary by carrier and city. Ask what happens when the plan ends: 到期后怎么办？ (Dàoqī hòu zěnme bàn?) — What happens after it expires? You may hear 自动续费 (zìdòng xùfèi) — automatic renewal — or 需要充值 (xūyào chōngzhí) — you need to top up. If you do not want auto-renewal, say: 我不要自动续费。 (Wǒ bú yào zìdòng xùfèi.)
Fees, top-ups, and the total at the counter
Ask the total before you agree: 一共多少钱？ (Yígòng duōshao qián?) — How much altogether? If there is a separate SIM fee, ask: 卡费是多少？ (Kǎfèi shì duōshao?) — How much is the SIM card fee? For top-ups, the verb is 充值 (chōngzhí): 怎么充值？ (Zěnme chōngzhí?) — How do I top up? You can also ask: 可以在手机上充值吗？ (Kěyǐ zài shǒujī shàng chōngzhí ma?) — Can I top up on my phone?
Payment is usually by mobile payment or cash. If you have not set up mobile payment yet, ask: 可以付现金吗？ (Kěyǐ fù xiànjīn ma?) — Can I pay cash? Keep the receipt (发票, fāpiào) if you need it for reimbursement or warranty.
Activation and the first test
Ask them to activate it before you leave: 请帮我激活。 (Qǐng bāng wǒ jīhuó.) — Please help me activate it. Then test it in front of the staff. Say: 我试一下。 (Wǒ shì yíxià.) — Let me try. Turn off Wi-Fi, open a browser, and send a message. If it does not work, the counter can check the settings immediately.
One common issue is that data is off by default. Ask: 数据开了吗？ (Shùjù kāi le ma?) — Is data on? If the card is not reading, ask: 卡插对了吗？ (Kǎ chā duì le ma?) — Is the SIM inserted correctly? These two questions solve many first-day problems.
Branching dialogue: at the counter
Here is a short exchange you can follow. The clerk speaks first.
Clerk: Hello, what service do you need? (Nǐ hǎo, bàn shénme yèwù?) — Hello, what service do you need?
You: I want a SIM card.
Clerk: Please show your passport. (Qǐng chūshì hùzhào.)
You: This is my passport. I need data and a local number. (Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào. Wǒ xūyào liúliàng hé yí ge běndì hàomǎ.) — This is my passport. I need data and a local number.
Clerk: This plan has 20GB data and includes calls. (Zhège tàocān yǒu èrshí GB liúliàng, bāohán tōnghuà.) — This plan has 20GB data and includes calls.
You: 多少钱？可以办一个月吗？ (Duōshao qián? Kěyǐ bàn yí ge yuè ma?) — How much? Can I get it for one month?
Clerk: 可以。一共一百元。 (Kěyǐ. Yígòng yìbǎi yuán.) — Yes. One hundred yuan altogether.
You: Please activate it for me. I do not want automatic renewal. (Qǐng bāng wǒ jīhuó. Wǒ bú yào zìdòng xùfèi.)
Clerk: Alright, give it a try. (Hǎo le, nǐ shì yíxià.) — Done, try it.
You: Is data on? Let me try. (Shùjù kāi le ma? Wǒ shì yíxià.) — Is data on? Let me try.
Troubleshooting after you leave
If the card stops working, return to the branch or call customer service. Useful lines: 我的手机卡不能上网。 (Wǒ de shǒujī kǎ bù néng shàngwǎng.) — My SIM card cannot access the internet. 没有信号。 (Méiyǒu xìnhào.) — No signal. 帮我查一下余额。 (Bāng wǒ chá yíxià yú'é.) — Help me check the balance. If you need a replacement: 我的卡丢了，可以补办吗？ (Wǒ de kǎ diū le, kěyǐ bǔbàn ma?) — I lost my card; can I get a replacement?
Keep your passport with you for any follow-up visit. The rules for replacement and registration can differ by carrier and province, so ask the staff what they need rather than relying on a friend's experience.
Your next three uses: a seven-day practice plan
Day 1: Write the five phrases you are most likely to say—办手机卡, 流量, 通话, 一个月, 激活—on your phone lock screen. Day 2: Say them aloud twice, then record yourself and compare with a dictionary audio if one is available. Day 3: At a convenience store or café, ask 有Wi-Fi吗？ (Yǒu Wi-Fi ma?) — Is there Wi-Fi?—to practice the question frame.
Day 4: Ask a colleague or classmate to play the clerk while you run the branching dialogue above. Day 5: Visit a carrier branch and ask one real question, even if you do not need a new card: 这个套餐有多少流量？ (Zhège tàocān yǒu duōshao liúliàng?) Day 6: Practice the troubleshooting lines by reading them aloud, then check your own phone settings in Chinese. Day 7: Go back to the counter with a specific problem or question—renewal, top-up, or data check—and handle it without English. If you get stuck, show the phrase on your phone; the goal is to be understood, not perfect.