7 ms·
Is it necessary to speak the language to get by for a couple weeks?
by firefoxman1 14y ago
Is it necessary to speak the language to get by for a couple weeks?
- dvdhsu 14y agoIt really depends where you go. If you're in the big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Hefei, etc.), you'll be fine without Chinese. If you go into more rural areas, Chinese would certainly help, but you'll certainly still be able to buy food, live in hotels, and ask for directions (look for the younger crowd; they've had mandatory English classes).
- seanmcdirmid 14y agoYou need some Chinese to get around in Beijing. Shanghai is much better, however. First time I've heard of Hefei referred to as a tier 1 city!
- firefoxman1 14y agoThanks for the info, both of you. Much appreciated!
- beefsack 14y agoI'm living in Guangzhou at the moment, you could get by here with only English, and only a couple of hours by train to Hong Kong.
- olalonde 14y agoI know very few expats in China who can really speak Chinese. I've been here for about 2 years (Shenzhen) and barely know a few words. You should at least make a Chinese friend who can help you out when you really need it.
- ThisIBereave 14y agoIt can be very difficult here to get by without knowing chinese unless you live in a foreigner-friendly area (i.e. a tourist area or near a university). I'd suggest using a tour company if you want to travel more widely. Having a translator at least would be very valuable.
- espitia 14y agoNot at all. As long as you know the ones you'll be using a lot (food, water, thank you, how much, etc.) you'll be more than fine. Honestly, all you need is body language. I actually have a couple of Korean friends whom I whent out to eat with and without us having a common language. This was back when I knew very little mandarin. Book your flight and go. Hit me up if you need anything!