sim card
Buying a SIM Card and Choosing a Data Plan
The counter conversation in detail: which carrier, which plan, how much data, when it resets, what happens when it runs out, and how to change or cancel it later without a surprise.
Essential phrases
In the order you are likely to need them. Play each one, repeat it, and read the note underneath — knowing when to say a sentence matters as much as saying it correctly.
请问，这附近哪里有营业厅？請問，這附近哪裡有營業廳？
Qǐngwèn, (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) fùjìn (fourth tone, falling) nǎlǐ (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yíngyètīng? (second tone, rising)
Excuse me, where is there a carrier service centre near here?
When to use it
营业厅 (yíngyètīng) is an official carrier shop, as opposed to a corner phone stall. For a first registration you want the official one, because it can complete the identity verification on the spot.
我只待三个月，有短期套餐吗？我只待三個月，有短期套餐嗎？
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) dāi (first tone, high and level) sān (first tone, high and level) ge (neutral tone) yuè, (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) duǎnqī (third tone, dipping) tàocān (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)
I am only staying three months — do you have a short-term plan?
When to use it
Say your length of stay before anything else. It changes which plans the assistant will show you and keeps you out of a long commitment you cannot use.
办卡需要带什么证件？辦卡需要帶什麼證件？
Bàn (fourth tone, falling) kǎ (third tone, dipping) xūyào (first tone, high and level) dài (fourth tone, falling) shénme (second tone, rising) zhèngjiàn? (fourth tone, falling)
What identity documents do I need to bring to get a card?
When to use it
Worth asking by telephone before you walk over. 证件 (zhèngjiàn) covers any official identity document; for a foreign resident that normally means the passport, and sometimes the residence permit as well.
流量每个月几号清零？流量每個月幾號清零？
Liúliàng (second tone, rising) měi (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) jǐ (third tone, dipping) hào (fourth tone, falling) qīnglíng? (first tone, high and level)
On which day of the month does the data allowance reset to zero?
When to use it
Unused data usually does not carry over, and the reset date is not always the first of the month. Knowing it tells you when to be careful and when you can stream freely.
流量用完以后是限速还是断网？流量用完以後是限速還是斷網？
Liúliàng (second tone, rising) yòng (fourth tone, falling) wán (second tone, rising) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) xiànsù (fourth tone, falling) háishi (second tone, rising) duànwǎng? (fourth tone, falling)
When the data runs out, is the speed throttled or does the connection stop?
When to use it
The single most useful question in the shop. 限速 (xiànsù) means throttled — slow but usable; 断网 (duànwǎng) means cut off, which strands you, since even topping up needs a connection.
我想再加一个流量包。我想再加一個流量包。
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) jiā (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) liúliàngbāo. (second tone, rising)
I would like to add a data pack.
When to use it
A 流量包 (liúliàngbāo) is a one-off block of extra data bought on top of the plan. It is far cheaper than paying out-of-plan rates and can be added in the carrier app in seconds.
用这个套餐可以开热点吗？用這個套餐可以開熱點嗎？
Yòng (fourth tone, falling) zhège (fourth tone, falling) tàocān (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) kāi (first tone, high and level) rèdiǎn (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)
Can I use a hotspot with this plan?
When to use it
Ask if you plan to work from a laptop. 热点 (rèdiǎn) is a personal hotspot; some plans allow it freely and some count it differently, so get an answer before you rely on it.
这个套餐有合约期吗？這個套餐有合約期嗎？
Zhège (fourth tone, falling) tàocān (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) héyuēqī (second tone, rising) ma? (neutral tone)
Does this plan have a minimum contract period?
When to use it
The cheapest advertised plans are often the ones with the longest tie-in. 合约期 (héyuēqī) is the commitment period; ask what leaving early would cost before you sign anything.
我想换成更便宜的套餐，什么时候生效？我想換成更便宜的套餐，什麼時候生效？
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) huàn (fourth tone, falling) chéng (second tone, rising) gèng (fourth tone, falling) piányi (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) tàocān, (fourth tone, falling) shénme (second tone, rising) shíhou (second tone, rising) shēngxiào? (first tone, high and level)
I would like to switch to a cheaper plan — when does the change take effect?
When to use it
Plan changes very often take effect from the first day of the next billing month rather than immediately, so a switch made late in the month still bills you at the old rate. 生效 (shēngxiào) is to take effect.
出省用会额外收费吗？出省用會額外收費嗎？
Chū (first tone, high and level) shěng (third tone, dipping) yòng (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) éwài (second tone, rising) shōufèi (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone)
Is there an extra charge for using it outside this province?
When to use it
Some cheap plans are 省内 (province-only) rather than 全国 (nationwide). Ask before you plan a trip, and use the words 省内 and 全国 in the question so the answer is unambiguous.
我想开通国际长途。我想開通國際長途。
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) kāitōng (first tone, high and level) guójì (second tone, rising) chángtú. (second tone, rising)
I would like to enable international calling.
When to use it
开通 (kāitōng) is the verb for activating a service on a line. International calling is usually off by default, so ask for it at the counter if you will ever need to telephone home directly.
这个号可以注册微信和支付宝吗？這個號可以註冊微信和支付寶嗎？
Zhège (fourth tone, falling) hào (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) zhùcè (fourth tone, falling) Wēixìn (first tone, high and level) hé (second tone, rising) Zhīfùbǎo (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone)
Can I register WeChat and Alipay with this number?
When to use it
The point of the whole errand. Ask the assistant to wait while you register at least one app before you leave, so that any verification problem is solved at the counter rather than at home.
请把套餐的名字和月租写在纸上，好吗？請把套餐的名字和月租寫在紙上，好嗎？
Qǐng (third tone, dipping) bǎ (third tone, dipping) tàocān (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) míngzi (second tone, rising) hé (second tone, rising) yuèzū (fourth tone, falling) xiě (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) shàng, (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone)
Could you write the name of the plan and the monthly fee on a piece of paper, please?
When to use it
The most practical sentence here. 月租 (yuèzū) is the monthly plan fee. Written down, the name is something you can search for later and check against your bill — and it converts a listening problem into a reading one.
Cultural notes
There are three carriers — (China Mobile), (China Unicom) and (China Telecom) — and every mobile number is issued under (shímíngzhì), the real-name system, meaning the line is registered to a named individual against an identity document. For a foreign resident that document is the passport, presented in person: expect it to be photographed, expect a photograph of you at the counter, and expect to sign. This is why a card bought second-hand or already activated in somebody else’s name fails at the worst possible moment — banks and payment apps check that the number, the document and the account holder are one person. The plan () is prepaid and monthly, defined by its (monthly fee), its (data allowance, counted in G) and a smaller call allowance. Data usually resets rather than rolling over; when it runs out, some plans throttle and others simply stop, which is the difference between an inconvenience and being stranded. Ask whether the plan is (nationwide) or (province-only), and whether it carries a that is expensive to leave. eSIM support exists but depends on both the carrier and your handset, so ask specifically rather than assuming. Each carrier has a customer service line — 10086, 10010 and 10000 respectively — and a WeChat mini-programme where you can check your remaining data in a few taps; have the assistant show you where before you leave the shop. Number portability between carriers exists under the name and is worth knowing about if you stay long enough to regret a choice. When you leave China, cancel the line in person () rather than letting it lapse, and unlink it from your payment and banking apps first.
These notes describe common practice, not rules. Requirements and procedures differ between cities, institutions and years — confirm anything procedural with the office, clinic or company itself.
Vocabulary
No word list has been attached to this scenario yet. Every phrase above is searchable word by word in the dictionary, and tapping a word inside the tutor role-play adds it to your review queue.
Dictionary →Offline phrase card
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HSK Guide · Offline phrase card
Buying a SIM Card and Choosing a Data Plan
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请问，这附近哪里有营业厅？請問，這附近哪裡有營業廳？
Qǐngwèn, zhè fùjìn nǎlǐ yǒu yíngyètīng?
Excuse me, where is there a carrier service centre near here?
我只待三个月，有短期套餐吗？我只待三個月，有短期套餐嗎？
Wǒ zhǐ dāi sān ge yuè, yǒu duǎnqī tàocān ma?
I am only staying three months — do you have a short-term plan?
办卡需要带什么证件？辦卡需要帶什麼證件？
Bàn kǎ xūyào dài shénme zhèngjiàn?
What identity documents do I need to bring to get a card?
流量每个月几号清零？流量每個月幾號清零？
Liúliàng měi ge yuè jǐ hào qīnglíng?
On which day of the month does the data allowance reset to zero?
流量用完以后是限速还是断网？流量用完以後是限速還是斷網？
Liúliàng yòng wán yǐhòu shì xiànsù háishi duànwǎng?
When the data runs out, is the speed throttled or does the connection stop?
我想再加一个流量包。我想再加一個流量包。
Wǒ xiǎng zài jiā yí ge liúliàngbāo.
I would like to add a data pack.
用这个套餐可以开热点吗？用這個套餐可以開熱點嗎？
Yòng zhège tàocān kěyǐ kāi rèdiǎn ma?
Can I use a hotspot with this plan?
这个套餐有合约期吗？這個套餐有合約期嗎？
Zhège tàocān yǒu héyuēqī ma?
Does this plan have a minimum contract period?
我想换成更便宜的套餐，什么时候生效？我想換成更便宜的套餐，什麼時候生效？
Wǒ xiǎng huàn chéng gèng piányi de tàocān, shénme shíhou shēngxiào?
I would like to switch to a cheaper plan — when does the change take effect?
出省用会额外收费吗？出省用會額外收費嗎？
Chū shěng yòng huì éwài shōufèi ma?
Is there an extra charge for using it outside this province?
我想开通国际长途。我想開通國際長途。
Wǒ xiǎng kāitōng guójì chángtú.
I would like to enable international calling.
这个号可以注册微信和支付宝吗？這個號可以註冊微信和支付寶嗎？
Zhège hào kěyǐ zhùcè Wēixìn hé Zhīfùbǎo ma?
Can I register WeChat and Alipay with this number?
请把套餐的名字和月租写在纸上，好吗？請把套餐的名字和月租寫在紙上，好嗎？
Qǐng bǎ tàocān de míngzi hé yuèzū xiě zài zhǐ shàng, hǎo ma?
Could you write the name of the plan and the monthly fee on a piece of paper, please?