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🗣️Language & communication
English is limited outside big hotels and tourist sites, but translation apps and a handful of phrases go a very long way. Try the phrasebook below.
- Language
- Mandarin (Putonghua)
- Script
- Simplified Chinese
- Translate
- Google Translate / Pleco
- Tip
- Show text, don't just speak
Translation that works offline
- Google Translate: download the Chinese offline pack before you go; the camera mode reads menus and signs.
- Pleco: the best offline Chinese dictionary, great for looking up single words.
- Show the Chinese text on your screen to drivers and staff — it beats pronunciation.
A little Mandarin earns big smiles
You don't need fluency. 'Nǐ hǎo' (hello) and 'xiè xie' (thank you) instantly warm up any interaction. Use the phrasebook below for the essentials.
Essential phrasebook
Tap a phrase to copy the Chinese — then show it to someone.
Basics
Getting around
Eating
Help
Planning the trip itself?