Living in China
Everyday Life in China: Small Things Worth Knowing
A few simple habits to help you feel more at home.
The first few days of a longer stay are full of small discoveries: how to order your breakfast, where a delivery is left, or which entrance leads back to your apartment. Give yourself time to learn these routines. A few saved details and simple questions can make everyday life feel much more familiar.
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Make Communication Easier
Keep requests short and deal with one thing at a time. Showing an address, a picture or a sentence on your phone can help when a conversation gets stuck. Try your translation tool before you need it, and check what works without a connection.
Ask your host to check the address once, then save it somewhere you can open quickly. Keep a copy available offline.
Find Food That Fits
Use menu pictures or a translation tool as a starting point, and ask staff for help when you need it.
Ask about portion size, spice and ingredients before ordering. If you avoid a particular ingredient, explain that clearly, including sauces or stock where relevant. A dish’s name or photo cannot tell you everything about it.
Keep a photo or the name of dishes you enjoyed. Returning to a small restaurant and gradually finding your usual order can become a pleasant part of the stay.
Learn the Small Routines
Before ordering a delivery, confirm the full address and a reachable contact number. Include the road, building and room or flat number.
Check how to use the laundry, where to leave trash and recycling, and how to get back into the building later in the evening. These arrangements belong to the particular place you are staying.
Share Spaces Thoughtfully
Take a moment to notice signs and how a space is being used. Queue where indicated, keep entrances clear and use headphones for videos or music. Ask before taking a close-up photograph of someone, and check photography rules inside museums, temples and other venues.
In a residential building, ask about quiet hours and shared facilities. When visiting someone’s home, let your host show you what they prefer, including where to leave your shoes.
Small Problems, Practical Fixes
Open the situation that matches yours for a few practical next steps.
The verification text never arrives
Check the country code and number, then confirm that your mobile plan can receive SMS in China. Follow the on-screen resend timer. If the app rejects your number or no code arrives, contact its support team or ask about a staff-assisted alternative.
The delivery rider calls in Chinese
Use the order’s message function, if available, to send a short translated message and agree on a clear pickup point. Confirm whether the order is at reception, a collection shelf or the gate. If you cannot understand each other, ask reception or your host to help explain where to meet.
The map takes me to the wrong entrance
Check the exact branch, building name and number against your booking and saved Chinese address. If you reach an unfamiliar or closed gate, send your host or the venue a photo of the entrance sign. Ask for the correct entrance name, a nearby landmark or a map pin.
The booking form only accepts a Chinese ID
Look for a Passport or Other Document option, then check the venue’s official instructions for overseas visitors. If the booking route remains unclear, contact its visitor service team. Confirm availability and the required original ID before travelling there; some attractions do not sell same-day tickets.
My room is noisy or something is not working
Tell reception or your host what is wrong and when it happens. Ask for a specific solution, such as a repair or a quieter room, and confirm any extra cost before agreeing. Keep photos and messages. If it remains unresolved, contact your booking platform and check the terms before changing accommodation.
Give Yourself Time to Adjust
Keep your first day light: find somewhere to eat, try the route home and get comfortable with your surroundings. Check the forecast for your actual destination and dates, and adjust your plans around the weather and your energy.
If a practical problem comes up, start with your host, reception or the service provider. For routine public-service questions in Shanghai, the city’s 12345 hotline offers English support; it is not an emergency line.
Our Money & Payments and Subways guides cover two useful daily routines. Give yourself room to ask questions and change plans as you learn what works for you.
Sources & Updates
Reviewed on 24 October 2026. Official sources support the ordering, delivery, venue-booking and Shanghai assistance examples. The practical fixes are CTN editorial suggestions; available options depend on the provider. App requirements and accommodation arrangements vary. The 12345 language-service example applies to Shanghai.
- Dining Solutions for International Visitors — International Services Shanghai. Source date: 16 October 2025. Checked 24 October 2026.
- How to Use Food Delivery Apps — International Services Shanghai. Source date: 24 July 2026. Checked 24 October 2026.
- 12345 — Shanghai Public Service Hotline — International Services Shanghai. Checked 24 October 2026.
- Visitor Guidelines: Shanghai Museum on People’s Square — Shanghai Museum. Checked 24 October 2026.
- Visitor Guidelines — The Palace Museum. Checked 24 October 2026.
Sources by section and question