The Good Trip guide · For U.S. travelers
ChinaA little local knowledge.
Imperial palaces and the Great Wall, futuristic skylines and misty karst rivers — here's what to know before you go.
Do not drink untreated tap water.
Ambulance: 120
Chinese Yuan
Exercise Increased Caution
Essential Etiquette in China
Key dos and don'ts every American traveler should know before arriving.
Use polite Mandarin forms: nín, qǐng, xièxie
Address people with the polite form of “you”, “nín” (您), rather than the familiar “nǐ” when speaking to elders, officials, and service staff. Add “qǐng” (please) to requests and say “xièxie” (thank you) freely; the phrasebook in this app uses this polite register throughout.
Never plant chopsticks upright in rice
Sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice resembles incense offered to the dead and is a serious dining taboo. Rest them on the chopstick rest or across the bowl instead, and never point at people or spear food with them.
Surnames come first; use titles
Chinese names put the family name first, so Wang Xiaoming is Mr. or Ms. Wang, not Xiaoming. Address people by surname plus a title such as Manager Wang or Teacher Li, and avoid using a person's given name unless they invite you to.
Never give clocks, umbrellas, or sharp objects
Giving a clock (“sòng zhōng”) sounds like attending a funeral, umbrellas suggest separation, and knives or scissors symbolize cutting the relationship. Avoid these as gifts entirely, along with white flowers, which are associated with funerals.
Essential Mandarin Chinese Phrases
Respectful expressions with phonetic pronunciations to help you connect with locals.
"Hello"
"Thank you"
"Please"
"Excuse me (asking a question)"
Take all 67 phrases and offline audio with you in Good Trip.
Water & pharmacies
Do not drink the tap water
Tap water in mainland China is treated but is not considered safe to drink from the tap. Drink sealed bottled water or boiled water; boiled drinking water is available everywhere through hotel kettles and hot-water dispensers, and locals drink it as a matter of routine. Follow CDC food and water precautions: choose food cooked and served hot, and be cautious with raw produce you cannot peel yourself.
Local Pharmacy Rules
Widely available in major cities.
Apps to Download Before Flying to China
Useful apps for transit, navigation, and food delivery in China.
Alipay
China's dominant payment app, and the single most useful app for a visitor: foreign bank cards can be linked so you can pay by QR code in shops, restaurants, taxis, and vending machines that may not accept your card directly. Cash is increasingly refused or awkward in big cities, so set this up before you arrive.
China's universal messaging and social app, and the way guides, drivers, hotels, new contacts, and businesses will expect to reach you. Beyond messaging it hosts mini-programs for tickets, menus, and payments, and its built-in translation handles Chinese messages and menus.
DiDi
The mainland's dominant ride-hailing app, with an English interface, foreign phone number registration, and international card payment. It is the reliable alternative to hailing taxis in a country where most drivers speak no English and addresses are in Chinese characters.
Emergency Contacts & U.S. Embassy
If you lose your passport, need urgent medical evacuation, or encounter legal trouble, keep this info accessible offline.
U.S. Embassy Beijing
No. 55 An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100600
This preview comes from the Good Trip country guide. Conditions and travel advisories can change. Check the latest U.S. State Department advice before departure.
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