I didn't speak a word of Chinese, but still managed to bargain the 2.00 guy we used down to Rmb120 to the Grand Hyatt Beijing. You write down amounts, they do sign language, they grumble, you walk away, throw your hands up in the air, etc. I dunno, it just works.

I've bargained with ticket touts outside the sumo arena in Tokyo and I don't speak Japanese either. Bargaining is a universal language!