Shanghai also has the most English speakers in the whole of China. Shanghai has a colonial history. Because of that, most locals got exposed to English. Aside from that, most youngsters in Shanghai are quite fluent in English.
You can get by in Beijing without speaking Mandarin but…
These examples show that in many daily life situations you can get by with English in Beijing, especially if you stick close to the expat areas. Still, you are in China and should not expect Chinese people to be able to speak English.
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.
A 2017 article from The Telegraph also suggests that less than 1 percent of people in China (some 10 million) speak English conversationally. According to a report on China Daily, many students start learning English in kindergarten before they start school.
It's possible that Shanghai has the most English speakers of any big city in Chinese mainland.
“Can people speak English in China?” This is a common question I get from people who haven't been to China yet. The short answer is yes, but English proficiency isn't as good in China compared to other countries you might have been to.
The rather unusual development is part of Songjiang New City, a district around 30 kilometres from Shanghai. It was built by Atkins, a British company, and if it looks very familiar to any British readers, that's because its designs are lifted directly from existing pieces of British architecture.
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). As of 2022, there were about 373 million native speakers of English.
English is one of two official languages in Hong Kong – the other being Chinese (Cantonese) – and is used in academia, business and the courts, as well as in most government materials. Major businesses routinely issue important material in both Chinese and English, and all road and government signs are bilingual.
Shanghai is a very safe place to live as an expat. It was ranked one of the safest cities in China because of its low crime rates. While most crimes are limited to pick-pocketing and minor thefts on public transport, expats are advised to keep to well-lit areas of the city at night.
Side Trips: Hong Kong vs Shanghai
The Hong Kong region is better for shopping for international products and luxury goods, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen are better for buying Chinese electronics, clothing and many other things since the area is a big industrial region.
English is a compulsory subject in China's standard national curriculum. Many Chinese students begin learning English at an early age, some even in kindergarten. In general, they receive their first English lessons in the third grade in primary school.
For decades, English has been a compulsory subject in all Chinese schools from primary school through high school — the only class to receive this status apart from Chinese and math.
Mandarin (1,118 million speakers)
However, it's the most spoken language in the world if you count only first-language (native) speakers due to China's significant population. Mandarin is not actually a language, but a set of dialects of the Chinese language.
The Netherlands has emerged as the nation with the highest English language proficiency, according to the EF English Proficiency Index, with a score of 72. It is ahead of five other northern European nations at the top of the chart.
The 11 best places for expats to live in China are Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi'an, Qingdao, Kunming, Tianjin, Nanjing, and Fuzhou.
Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 until its handover to Chinese rule in 1997, with the exception of Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945.
The phrase Tianchao was first translated into English and French in the early 19th century, appearing in foreign publicans and diplomatic correspondences, with the translated phrase "Celestial Empire" occasionally used to refer to China.
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.
Crime Rates Are Low
China is quite safe. Foreigners commonly walk around after dark almost anywhere without issue. People leave their apartments and homes unlocked regularly. Families leave shoes and bicycles outside apartment doors.
With a permanent residency, a foreigner is allowed to live and work in China without any restriction – they do not need to apply for other residence and work permits, nor do they need additional visas to enter and exit China.