China Language & Translation Tips

Practical language and translation tips for hotels, taxis, trains and everyday travel in China.

Keep the Chinese hotel name

Save the hotel name and full address in Chinese characters. Show this to taxi or ride-hailing drivers and keep a screenshot in case your data connection is weak.

Translation apps

Download language packs and test camera translation before departure. Restaurant menus, signs and small-hotel instructions can be much easier with image translation.

Station names

Chinese cities can have multiple stations with similar English names. Keep both the English and Chinese station name from the official ticket.

Simple courtesy helps

Learning basic greetings and thank-you phrases is useful, but you do not need fluent Mandarin to use major airports, railway stations and internationally oriented hotels.