Top 7 Apps You Should Use in China-TeachDiscoverChina

Top 7 Apps You Should Use in China

04 Mar 2022

Nowadays everyone is glued to their phones and it’s no different in China, a mobile phone is an indispensable tool and something we just cannot live without. Hands up if it’s one of the last things you see at night and the first thing you look at in the morning? I knew it! Coming to teach English in China, a very different country with a different culture and language, your phone becomes even more vital as it is one thing that makes you feel like you’re home and keeps you connected to it, even for us responsible TEFL teachers.

So you’re coming to China. No VPN? Don’t worry! To make sure you settle down as quickly as possible we have come up with our list of top apps you should use whilst you’re in China, some that you can use without a VPN on your phone. Let’s get started.

Number 1: WeChat

WeChat is literally a one-stop social media platform for absolutely everything, and I’m not exaggerating. It’s one that you need to integrate yourself into Chinese society if teaching English in China is for you and you’re planning on staying here for the long haul, it’s worth installing. Once you get used to its various functions you will find that it is just so damn convenient and useful. If we had to choose only one app then WeChat would be our choice of the Top 7 apps in China.

*Firstly it’s a great communication tool, and not just to speak to your Chinese friends and colleagues. If you’re stalling on whether to purchase a VPN, and you land in China without one, and you can’t make contact with your family or your friends without high calling fees and can’t get on WhatsApp, make sure to get your close ones to install WeChat (it’s free) so you can tell them how safe and well you are, and tell them all about your adventures in China. Otherwise good old fashion email is your best free option (sorry Gmail users!!!).

*Like Facebook and Instagram, WeChat also has WeChat moments a place where you can post pictures and share your experiences with your friendship circle. This is a bit of fun you can dabble in. Get ready to post your selfies.
*The emergence of WeChat and Alipay (the other huge multipurpose online payment app) has meant China is moving towards a paperless social credit system. You will be hard-pressed to find any Chinese person carrying around a wallet these days. Once you attach your Chinese bank account to your WeChat, you’ll be able to pay for almost anything in a shop with the scan of their QR code. You can even top up your phone.
*Extras: You can even share your location to others if you are lost, buy cinema tickets on here, and much more. WeChat also features mini-programs so you don’t have to download certain Chinese apps as you can access them through WeChat, e.g. Mobike. You can access this online bike-sharing app, find a Mobike bicycle near you, scan the QR code to unlock and ride (only a 200RMB deposit). This is why WeChat is so powerful and the number one app for foreigners in China.

Fun fact: According to two posts from businessinsider.com, in 2018 WeChat’s monthly active users passed the 1 billion thresholds putting its company, Tencent Holdings above Facebook as one of the most valuable companies in the world (businessinsider.com).

Number 2: Google Translate

Although not always completely accurate this app is nevertheless a lifesaver, however since recently you’ll now need a VPN to use this, but that doesn’t diminish how useful it is. Without any grasp of the Chinese language, it is likely you will encounter situations where you can’t get what you’re trying to say across and are unable to communicate with a native Chinese. This app will go some way in helping. When you walk into a restaurant and you can’t read the menu and there are no juicy and succulent pictures what do you do? Well, you can flip out your phone, go to Google Translate and use the camera function. The function is a little gimmicky and has some issues but you can get the gist of most listings on the menu i.e. “rice”, “noodles”, “pork”, “fish”, etc. Better still you can scan an image of the menu or whatever you’re looking to read and then translate it. When you go to the doctor or pharmacy you can just type in the sentence “I have a sore throat’ and let Google Translate do the rest then show this to the doctor. Lifesaver!

Fun fact: According to K-International’s Language blog, Google Translate translates more than 100 billion words per day.

Number 3: E Le Me

If you’re finding it difficult to order food in a Chinese restaurant, there is another option besides Google Translate. For convenience and ease, you can just download the E Le Me app. E Le Me literally translates as ‘Are you hungry?’ in Chinese and this app allows you to order takeout food and get it delivered straight to your address. This is the lazy option but sometimes in life after a hard day’s work of ESL teaching, this is the way to go. However one thing to take note is that E Le Me does not have an English version, so you will need a Chinese friend to help you get used to using it and then familiarise yourself with the steps and then hey presto. There will definitely be those succulent pictures on this app. That being said, we would recommend you not to do this too often and also not to buy too many pots of instant noodles as we don’t want you to miss out on all the original and delicious Sichuan/Chinese cuisine that is out there. Be brave! Eating well in Sichuan doesn’t have to be expensive.

*Note: If the delivery guy/girl is not exactly sure of your address you will get a phone call. So make sure your address is correct and accurate. Otherwise, brush up on your Chinese speaking.

Fun fact: In 2018 E Le Me was bought by Alibaba Group who started Taobao (see later) and who are owned by one of the richest men in China – Jack Ma.

Number 4: Baidu Maps

Getting lost in China, it happens, you don’t have to be afraid. I landed in Chengdu, and the first full day I was here, I walked nearly to death from 9am in the morning till 10pm in the evening moving from one inner-city tourist hotspot to another then finally spending hours trying to find the right bus stop back home. I got back eventually. That was literally the first full day and was a little disorienting. I have to say that once you settle down after a couple of weeks everything will be fine, trust me. As long as you have downloaded a few map apps. Google Maps is the obvious choice but unusable without a VPN. WeChat also has a map and includes the very useful sharing location function so that a friend can find you. Maps.me is also worth considering but Baidu Maps is probably the best one with the most accurate maps, although it is all in Chinese you need to relax, all you got to do is look around and match the Chinese characters from the map to the street and there you go. Good way to improve your Chinese reading too. Enormously helpful when trying to find your way from your accommodation to your school or traveling.

Fun fact: Baidu Maps is so detailed that you can also see the interior of famous Chinese tourist hotspots such as the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, etc, mapped out.

Number 5: Taobao

China’s equivalent to Amazon, Taobao is an online shopping website and the biggest eCommerce site in the world. Whatever you need you can order from Taobao and at unbelievably great and affordable prices, right to your doorstep. Again though, Taobao does not have an English version so you may need a Chinese friend to help you navigate but if you have the Google Chrome web browser on your phone you can access Taobao that way and translate it. Well worth doing in order to reach some cheap and handy goods. In no time you will spend all your TEFL salary away with the tap of your phone.

*Small tip here, don’t let anyone tell you Google Chrome web browser doesn’t work in China, yes, it’s a fact that many Google products are blocked in China but you can still use Google Chrome to go on all sites which are not blocked, e.g. not the Google search engine.

Fun Fact: Taobao is the 8th most visited website according to Alexa.

Number 6: Didi

Especially if you’re in the city, transportation is usually very convenient in most of the big cities in China with metro and bus stations plus share bikes. You can always hail a taxi too, local taxi drivers are very friendly, you can get some Chinese practice in there too. But don’t forget about China’s version of Uber, called ‘Didi’, they even have an English version for their app. Very convenient indeed especially if your claustrophobic and need to get somewhere quickly but trying to avoid the crowded Chinese rush hour period. *Like E Le Me, the Didi driver may give you a phone call if they can’t find you, so make sure you’re standing in the right spot and lookout for the right license plate of the car that matches to that on your phone screen.

Fun fact: According to the Business Insider, as of 2016, Didi completes 1.5 million trips each day in China

Number 7: Metro China Subway (Aka Metro Man)

So the last of our Top 7 apps in China and trust us, you need this. There are no two ways about it as a foreigner in China you will ride the metro here, it is not only convenient but also very cheap. The metro links in most major cities in China are great, you can get from A to Z very quickly. Here in Chengdu the metro is literally brand new and expanding with new lines, and dare I say it one of the most convenient. Anyway, one of the best apps to download is Metro China Subway (Aka Metro Man), this app is useful in any major city in China from Beijing to Shanghai to Shenzhen and Chengdu, so great for traveling. You can easily map out your metro journey routes, choose which line and metro station you’re starting from, then where you’re getting off, it will let you know the best route to get there, the train times, how much it costs, and how long it takes, taking into account line transfers too. Also with a super cool name like ‘Metro Man’, it should be one of the first apps you download before you get to China.

Fun fact: As of 2018 China has a Subway in 31 cities with a total of 133 lines covering 2700 miles. 20 of those systems and 100 of those lines were built in the past decade. Stats from citylab.com.

Last word about Top 7 apps in China

On a budget? Want to save some money and not purchase a VPN? Then you need to download and install these apps beforehand as the Google Play Store and Apple Store are both blocked by the Great Firewall of China. There are Chinese alternatives app stores though such as ‘Tencent MyApp’.

If you’re not willing to embrace Chinese culture and the Chinese way of life to the fullest or you’re not interested in a lengthy social media detox in the far east haha, then I’m going, to be honest, you will need to download a Virtual Private Network (VPN) whilst you’re in China. That is if you really need to feed your Facebook, Instagram and YouTube addiction, or you’re used to using Google for absolutely everything up to researching and getting learning materials and lesson plans for your English classes. Otherwise, you can use the Baidu search engine as a different option but it will be limited.

Well, that’s it, here’s our top 7apps in China, based on our experience and also that of our teachers. Do you agree with our list? Please let us know below if we’ve missed anything out.

Last but not least, we just want to say, whether you are or will be in China! You shouldn’t be glued to your phone screen, you should be out there, seeing all that China has to offer, “Sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Just getting into Mark Twain mode at the end.

Green is the colour in China and here’s why. As the pandemic continues globally and vaccinations continue to be rolled out, there is hope that an end is in sight. China seems to have gotten through the worst of it and has successfully gotten the virus under control, now hard at work trying to maintain a zero tolerance objective to stopping the virus, with the majority of the middle kingdom now back to a semblance of normality. Trying to keep the virus at bay, the new normal now requires all travelers, local or foreign, whether your teaching English in China, working or studying here, to have a green health code and itinerary pass. This is to be shown to security to gain access and enter certain public places in China – airports, metro stations, hotels, shopping malls, tourist attractions etc. We’ll show you how you can apply for this and the best and most convenient way to use it. Almost all provinces in China have launched their own provincial health code and itinerary card mini-programs or apps, which we’ll go into later. However the Chinese government has also launched a nationwide health code for those without mainland Chinese IDs. Inbound foreign nationals may apply for the health code to enable consistent and convenient inbound travel across the country. ... Nationwide Health Code To apply for China’s nationwide health code, you’ll need to search for the National Government Service Platform (国家政府服务平台) mini-program on WeChat or Alipay, or you can download the app directly from your app store. Enter those Chinese characters in the search and it shall come up. Once you’ve opened the program or app, you should see the below. *To apply for your health code click the circled ‘Health Code Traveler Version’ in the left picture above. This is specifically for foreigners and is in English for ease. *Once you’ve clicked on it you will be taken to the Pandemic Prevention Health Information Code where you’ll be able to register. Once you’ve registered you’ll just have to fill in some additional forms about your health and entry into China. *Then once you’ve submitted if your healthy and of low risk, voila, you should get your green health code, see top right. Please be aware you may not see the green health code immediately it may take up to 12 hours before it is visible, you’ll need to check back a few times. And if you have any technical issue like I did, as my code was just black and said there was no health information for me, you will need to contact tech at the following email: [email protected] and verify your details and health. They are usually very responsive and will get back to you within 12 hours or within 24 hours at most. Now you’ve got your green health code you can go almost anywhere in China. Enjoy! *Tip: When you need to login and show your health code, better to show Chinese version rather than English so locals can understand. It’s quite simple to do this, when logging in, just click ‘中文’ in the top right corner and input your phone number and password. ... Nationwide Itinerary Card/Pass Some places may well require you not only to have the green health code but also an itinerary card/pass. This basically tracks you’re whereabouts within the last 14 days and gives you a pass if you haven’t been to any high-risk areas during the pandemic. *To get this, just open the Chinese National Government Service Platform (国家政府服务平台) mini-program or app again and this time click ‘通信行程卡’, circled in the pic below left, which is to the right of ‘health code traveler version’. *Once you’ve clicked ‘通信行程卡’ a window should pop up asking you if you allow to launch the mini-program, click ‘允许’ to allow and launch. *Then you will be taken to the page seen below on the right where you will need to input your phone number and verify it with a verification code. *Once you’ve verified your number then you’ll be taken to the page below left. just tick”同意并授权运营商查询本人在疫情期间14天内到访地信息”，which means agree and authorize the operator to inquire on the information about places you have visited within 14 past days during the pandemic, then click” 查询”，which means ”inquire”. It will then track your movements via your phone number, WeChat or Alipay data, and sim card, and whenever you’ve had to scan a health code. *If all is good and you’ve been to no high-risk areas, then you should get your green itinerary card/pass, seen in below right. Green is definitely a go! As you can see it details the places you’ve been to in the past 14 days. As for the itinerary card/pass, you can also download the app directly from your app store, just search ‘通信行程卡’. Most places that require your itinerary card/pass will have the code displayed where you just scan to reach your pass. For example as seen below. *Tip: For convenience you should just use the Chinese National Government Service Platform (国家政府服务平台) mini-program or app as this platform gives you access to both the health code and the itinerary card/pass. *Tip: To get to your health code and itinerary card as easily as possible, swipe down on your WeChat contacts page to see recently used mini-programs or just download the app to your phone. The first mini-program is for the National Government Service Platform where you can access both health code and the itinerary card. The second mini-program is directly for the itinerary card. As we touched upon before, most provinces in China have their own provincial level health code and itinerary card mini-programs. We’d recommend if you’re based in a certain city or province with their own, to use the specific health code for your region/area. Below is a list of some of the health codes or some of the key provinces in the country, which you can search the mini-program. As we’re based in Chengdu, Sichuan, for those teaching English in Sichuan, working in Sichuan or studying here or will be and who need to apply for a Sichuan Tianfu Health Code, you can do so via the following link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/M2ZGyo3bIVm0kHGAB_niBg For other provinces please search for their mini-program if able or contact the local foreign affairs bureau for more info. We hope you’ve found our article useful. If you have any questions or have had any experiences relating to using the health codes in China and would like to share or elaborate, feel free to comment below. If you’d like to get in touch with us via email please do so at [email protected]