China Trash Sorting: 垃圾分类, the 4 Bins, and What to Say
China’s 垃圾分类 rules in 2026: what the four bins mean, how fines work in Shanghai and other cities, and the question to ask when you’re not sure.
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Tipping in China: 小费 and Why Nobody Expects It
Tipping in China in 2026: who gets 小费, who doesn’t, and the exact phrases to tip or politely decline. Restaurants, DiDi, hotels, spas, and tour guides covered.
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Getting a Chinese SIM Card: 办卡, 套餐, and What to Say
Get a Chinese SIM card in ten minutes: the 办卡 dialogue, three carriers compared, and what a 2026 prepaid plan actually costs — passport required, no haggling needed.
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Flying in China: Airport Phrases, 值机, and What to Say
The 值机 check-in, 登机口 gate, and boarding phrases that get you through any Chinese airport in 2026 — a 14-word table, a check-in dialogue, and the boarding-call skeleton.
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Shared Apartments in China: 合租, Roommates, and What to Say
合租 shared flats in China: finding roommates, 分摊 bill-splitting, 隔音 noise rules, the WeChat 群, and five phrases that keep the peace.
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Chinese Milk Tea: 奶茶店 Ordering, Toppings, and What to Say
奶茶店 ordering in China: the sugar scale (三分糖, 无糖), ice dials (少冰, 去冰), toppings (珍珠, 椰果), and the three-word script — 大杯三分糖少冰.
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How to Book Train Tickets in China: 高铁, 12306, What to Say
Booking 高铁 high-speed rail in China: the 12306 app’s English mode, passport registration, 二等座 vs 一等座, and the station script — 3号站台, 检票, tones included.
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Laundry in China: 干洗店, 自助洗衣, and What to Say
China’s laundry math: 干洗店 dry cleaning by the piece, hotel wash bags, self-service 自助洗衣, and the line that saves your sweater — 这件能洗吗, tones included.
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Massage in China: 足疗, 按摩, and What to Say
足疗 foot spas and 按摩 shops in China: prices, what’s legit, the booking exchange 有什么套餐?, and the pressure words 轻一点 and 重一点.
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Gym Culture in China: 私教, 年卡, and What to Say
Chinese gyms are sales floors: 年卡 annual membership pitches, 私教 trainer packages, and the two protective lines 我先看看 and 我再想想.