Bargaining is expected at markets, souvenir stalls and un-priced shops - never at malls, restaurants or anywhere with printed prices. The script is short and the moves matter more than the words.
The script
| 这个多少钱？ | how much is this? |
| 太贵了！ | too expensive! - the required first move |
| 便宜一点 | cheaper, a little |
| 最低多少钱？ | what's your lowest price? |
| 给我算便宜点 | make it cheaper for me |
| 两件一百怎么样？ | how about two for a hundred? |
| 算了 | forget it - the walking-away word |
The ritual
Opening counter-offer: 30-50% of asking at tourist markets, 70-80% at local ones. The seller's 不行 ("can't") early on is positional, not real. The walk-away 算了 triggers the real price - if they let you leave, you have found it. Buying multiple items is the strongest lever: numbers and measure words from the numbers guide pay for themselves here.
Seller phrases you will hear
给你个优惠 (I'll give you a deal), 已经是底价了 (it's already floor price - it is not), 交个朋友 ("let's be friends" = closer to real price), and on agreement: 成交！(deal!). Smile throughout - bargaining is theater, not conflict; the friendly ones get the better number.
Where the ritual does not apply
Supermarkets, pharmacies, chain stores, ticket counters and anything with a barcode scanner are fixed-price - haggling there is just awkward. Taobao and Meituan are likewise fixed (the platform, not the seller, sets the price). The surviving spaces: tourist markets, street stalls, small independent shops, and services quoted verbally. If no price is posted and the seller names a number, the number is an opening.
Common questions
Is it OK to bargain in China?
Yes at markets, stalls and un-priced shops - it is expected. Never at malls, supermarkets, restaurants or ticketed venues, where prices are fixed.
How do you say "too expensive" in Chinese?
太贵了！- the standard opening counter in any bargain. Follow with 便宜一点 or a concrete counter-offer like 一百怎么样？
How much should I counter-offer in a Chinese market?
Tourist markets: 30-50% of the first asking price is a reasonable opener. Local markets run tighter - 70-80%. Walking away with 算了 is the universal price-check.