To put it simply, Mandarin is China’s only official language.  It is the language that should be spoken on TV, in school, in professional situations and in the government.  However, since this is indeed China we’re talking about, things are never truly that simple. In reality, spoken Chinese is a mish-mash of distinct accents, local slang, dialects and even dialects within dialects. Dialects can literally change from one city to the next.  Some dialects are quite similar to Mandarin, while others are so different they can be completely incomprehensible to a fluent Mandarin speaker.

Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language.  For example, the word or sound "ma", while sounding the same to some foreigners, can have several different meanings depending on the tone used when it is pronounced.  Simply depending on the tone, the sound "ma" could mean "mom", "hemp", "horse", "scold", or signify that a question is being asked. It might seem crazy, but it is far from impossible to learn. Plenty of foreigners are able to learn to write, read, speak, and understand Chinese extremely well.

Written Chinese within the mainland is much more standard.  There are two forms of written Chinese characters. "Simplified" characters (Jiantizi, 简体字) are used widely on mainland China. "Traditional" characters (Fantizi, 繁体字) are used in Hong-Kong, Taiwan, some parts of southern China, and by millions of Chinese immigrants across the world.

Chinese can also be written with English letters and marks to denote the tone of each syllable.  This Romanized system (a system which uses the Roman alphabet) is called "pinyin" (拼音).  Pinyin is the standardized method for teaching foreigners how to pronounce Chinese words. The pronunciation of some letters can be challenging, as is becoming accustomed to using tones.  Besides using it as a learning tool, pinyin is also used on many street signs, albeit without the tones.

Tips for a first-time traveller

Travelers aiming to learn some simple phrases should try to learn how to read and pronounce pinyin well enough to make oneself understood.  This task almost certainly requires the help of somebody that can speak Chinese. It is quite important to hear and then attempt to imitate the sounds.  Simply picking up a phrase book and practicing on your own will probably earn some laughs, but it might not actually accomplish anything.  After learning to read and pronounce pinyin properly, one should be able to begin picking up new spoken words.  As for those that want to learn to read and write characters or speak Chinese fluently, plan on going to school for a few years.

Use your guts! Be brave! Make speaking and learning a bit of Chinese part of the goal, part of the experience in China. Don't be flustered by Chinese people that don't understand you or giggle a bit when you try to speak Chinese. Generally speaking, most Chinese will become excited by a foreigner that can speak even a little Chinese.  Still, don’t be afraid to try and figure things out on your own.  Plenty of travelers have been able to navigate their way through China with little to no Chinese speaking ability.  China may seem intimidating, but English is not totally uncommon.  Ask around and more often than not, someone who speaks even a bit of English will be able to assist you.  In areas without many foreigners (most of China) it’s likely that some people on the street would be happy to help.  They may have studied English for years and have rarely (or never) had the chance to actually speak with a foreign English speaker.

Get translations wherever you can.  Collect business cards of hotels or restaurants and ask for help writing the Chinese text of a location you want to visit.  Finally, even before you head to China, try building and printing "your guide book" with a list of some of the thousands of locations listed on Synotrip. 

Links
- An explanation of tones
- Another introduction to Chinese language (a bit wordy but more in-depth)
- Synotrip’s Introduction to Nanjing-talk (南京话) - An example of a dialect similar to Mandarin.
- Mandarin pronunciation tips for those with a month, week or minute to learn
- Online Chinese lessons - One-on-one online Chinese lessons with native teachers.
 

Take Action –“Travel Green”

l       Recording your travels can produce many benefits. Through the lens of your camera, you can capture the beauty of your experiences, provide important information to conservation workers, and create a wonderful canvas to share the importance of protecting nature with others.

 

Calculate your CO2+Plant Trees = Less Climate Change and a Happier Earth

l         Realize your potential to reduce energy use, decrease CO2 emissions and protect forests by using the carbon calculator. The ability of trees to absorb CO2 and slow down the trend of climate change makes worldwide afforestation a necessary part of the solution.
The Calculator would love to know how many liters of gas you use to drive; calculating your carbon emissions is the first step!

 

         Carbon Calculator：HiNature Net’s Online “Carbon Calculator”
China’s first carbon calculating/tree planting online platform; you can easily find out CO2 emissions from a flight, driving, or from energy use at home or work, as well as discover how many trees you would need to plant to offset your emissions. The tree planting computation is based on the fact that, over 30 years, a fir tree can absorb 111 kilograms of CO2. This network will give you concrete details on how and where you can offset your carbon emissions through afforestation.

Labor Week “Travel Green Photo Competition”

“Travel Green” Photo competition for Green Travelers: This photo competition will kick-off the Travel Green movement. Travelers can record their “Travel Green” experiences through a lens.
Capture the different ways you can protect and connect to nature!
 Join In!
When you travel, use your lens to capture “Green Travel.” Record:
 Protected Natural Areas
 Evidence of Nature in distress
 Yours and others’ Green Travel practices (for example, taking reusable bags instead of using plastic)
Participants should title and add location of their work and write an explanation that shares your feelings and what you think your photo expresses. There is no word limit.
 How to Participate
Go to the Hi Nature website (www.hinature.cn) to submit your work. Only participants will be able to view submissions, and a group of specialists will determine the winners.
 Why You Should Participate
Help promote eco-friendly traveling and develop your skills as an amateur photographer!
 Prizes!
Five winners will be chosen and have the opportunity to: visit one of Conservation International’s projects to learn about conservation work; travel to an eco-tourism site; monitor wild animals and community development; and participate in a tree planting activity to offset CO2 emissions. We also will select 50 prize winners who will receive a “Travel Green” prize and souvenir.
We hope you will join in!
For competition details, please go to Hi Nature net：www.hinature.cn