Beijing - Youth Report Question and Answers

Relatively - it is definitely a lot easier to get around and order at restaurants and I, personally, think it's beneficial for a lot of personal reasons as well, such as enriching your experience of the country and getting to know it on a different level. Also, if something happens, then it's definitely an important and useful skill to possess. But translation apps are pretty common, and you do almost everything online or via an app which will usually have an English language feature or be relatively easy to figure out (especially with some practice). I knew a lot of people who got through their daily lives without knowing any Chinese (including myself, though not for lack of wanting to learn the language). Knowing basic things such as thank you, goodbye, sorry, and no problem are essential, though. That's pretty much just basic courtesy to know. - Dec 2025

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