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For professionals heading to Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen. Essential Mandarin for meetings, dining, networking, and getting around — learned fast.
A focused pre-trip curriculum built for busy professionals. Every lesson has a direct business application.
Formal vs informal, how to address senior colleagues, reading a room
Two hands, slight bow, reading the card — the ritual that sets first impressions
Presenting, agreeing, disagreeing politely, asking for clarification
Toasting etiquette (gānbēi), declining alcohol gracefully, ordering for the table
Pricing, timelines, requests for discount, expressing interest without over-committing
Small talk openers, exchanging WeChat, following up after a conference
Telling drivers your destination, navigating subway systems, reading station signs
Medical, lost documents, flight changes — situations where knowing the words matters
Learn these before you land. Each one will come up — some multiple times per day.
Language is only half of it. These cultural norms matter as much as vocabulary.
Always present and receive cards with both hands. Read it carefully before putting it away — never write on it or stuff it in your pocket. Bring more cards than you think you need.
The host toasts first, and declining alcohol can be awkward. Learn the polite refusal ("我不喝酒") and use it confidently. Letting someone else order for the table is a sign of trust.
Gifts are appreciated but protocol matters: avoid clocks (associated with death), give in even numbers, and never wrap in white. Receiving a gift with both hands shows respect.
4 lessons in 2 weeks — everything you need before you land in China.
Introductions, business card ritual, meeting room phrases, and the tones that make your Mandarin intelligible.
Toasting culture, polite refusals, getting around by taxi and metro, and emergency phrases.
Expert Mandarin teachers who know business culture. Get trip-ready in 8 lessons.