China is the most populated country in the world. With a population of 1.4 billion. Of that, around 82 million people can speak English, which is 6% of the population.
In China there are around 1.4 billion people. Of these around 82 million speak English to conversational level. This is around 6% of the total population.
There are hundreds of millions of people in China studying English, but less than 1% of people from Chinese mainland are conversational, according to some estimates. Not surprisingly, more English is spoken in China's large cities than in the smaller towns. Don't panic!
Yes, you definitely can. In fact, the vast majority of foreigners I know living in China are unable to speak basic Mandarin. An inability to speak the language will create more challenges in smaller cities and remote areas.
The English language has become so important in China because the country wants to successfully promote internationalism and keep the lines of communication open for trade and business matters. As one of the global powers, it's in the country's best interest to keep afloat of shifting trends in international matters.
Chinese speakers sometimes find it difficult to pronounce English vowels consistently, especially since the spelling system of English is not regular, so the same letter(s) may correspond to more than one sound, depending on which word it appears in.
Difficulty in Pronunciation
Many English learners in Asia struggle with pronunciation, but it is most especially challenging for Chinese speakers. China's distinct language is the number one reason why many Chinese students find it hard to differentiate which pronunciation is correct and which one is not.
Is it hard to live in China as a foreigner? Many foreigners love living in China, but for some, living in China as a foreigner is unbearably difficult. Much is confusing and unfamiliar, especially if you live outside of a major city. Foreigners living in China must be patient, tolerant, and open-minded.
Learn a Few Easy Phrases
While you certainly don't need to know Chinese to travel in China, learning a few basic words and phrases may help you get around a bit more easily. For this purpose, we recommend bringing along a phrasebook in either book or app form.
Get China TEFL Guide
The job market for teaching English in China is the largest in the world. With over 1.3 billion citizens and an estimated 300 million English learners, China shows no signs that it will relinquish its title as the top job market for English teachers any time soon.
The United States and India have the most total English speakers, with 306 million and 265 million, respectively. These are followed by Pakistan (104 million), the United Kingdom (68 million), and Nigeria (60 million).
South Africa
Possibly the cheapest English-speaking country to live in is South Africa. Not only can you get by without having to go to language school, but most South African cities also have a high standard of living, similar to Western cities, which will make the transition much easier.
To narrow down this list, we first looked at the 13 countries where fewer than 10 percent of the population speaks English, according to The Telegraph. These include China, The Gambia, Malawi, Colombia, Swaziland, Brazil, Russia, Argentina, Algeria, Uganda, Yemen, Chile and Tanzania.
After all, Beijing is a capital city with a big foreign population, right? Overall, there are many Chinese people who speak very good English, although some are a bit shy in actually using their language skills. But whether you encounter those English speaking locals really depends on the specific location.
Even though figures of English learners in China rise up to 300 million, most statistics about English actual speakers in the country point out that figure of 30-40 million, which is less than 3% of the population.
the Shanghai dialect, Mandarin chinese, and English, as the three most commonly spoken languages in Shanghai, have each contributed to shaping Shanghai into the global city it is today.
Everyday there are many visitors visit either TAIWAN or China first, then go direct to China or Taiwan after. Always have no problem on Visa, so don't worry about it at all. Just treat each one separately for visa requirements. Neither one will interfere with the other.
You can't use Facebook or any other site banned by the Chinese government the same way you can in other parts of the world. But there may be workarounds to what is commonly called the Great Firewall, including virtual private networks or VPNs.
First and foremost, China is a safe country
Though petty crimes prevail in tourist hotspots, China is overall a very safe country for travelers. You should still take the same precautions you would when traveling anywhere solo; however, there is no need to worry about your basic welfare.
Although Chinese society is welcoming and Chinese people are friendly to foreigners, regularly failing to understand the culture or language can make you feel isolated. Poor internet connection. Chinese internet restricts access to Western social media and websites, including Google.
If you do decide to work in China, you're sure to find friendly and welcoming colleagues. Even in companies that are used to having foreign workers, some locals still find it exciting to meet someone from another country and will love to talk to you about the differences in your cultures and experiences.
Average Costs in China
According to research conducted by pandabuddy.net, the average cost of living in China ranges between $380-$1500, depending on the city. The majority of that money is spent on rent and utilities, which ranges from $250-$1000.
As a mentor for learning English in China, there have been many students that I have encountered that have difficulty pronouncing words such as “the”, “Vietnam”, “that”, “vet”, and “world”. This problem arises from the fact that Mandarin (and their dialects) do not have words that include the sounds “th”, “v” and “rl”.
In Chinese, there aren't separate gender pronouns (e.g., he and she, his and her). Thus, when Chinese speakers learn English, they often forget to use the appropriate gender pronouns. They mostly default to the masculine versions, which can lead to awkwardness when they refer to women using “he “or “his.”