Greetings
你好 / Nǐ hǎo
nee HOW
Hello. Hangzhou's own dialect is a Wu variety related to Shanghainese and is still spoken by older residents, but Mandarin runs everything.
Culture
西湖 / Xī Hú
shee HOO
West Lake. A UNESCO World Heritage site, free to enter since 2002, and the organising fact of the whole city.
Daily life
临时住宿登记 / Línshí zhùsù dēngjì
lin-shr JOO-soo DENG-jee
Temporary residence registration at the police station, within 24 hours of moving into a private flat. Asked for again at every later immigration step.
居留许可 / Jūliú xǔkě
joo-lyoh SHYOO-kuh
Residence permit — what actually lets you live here. The visa in your passport only got you across the border.
Food
龙井 / Lóngjǐng
long-JING
Dragon Well green tea, grown on the hills immediately west of the lake. The spring harvest is a genuine local event and the price difference between grades is enormous.
外卖 / Wàimài
why-MY
Food delivery, through Meituan and Ele.me — the latter is an Alibaba company headquartered here.
东坡肉 / Dōngpō ròu
dong-poh ROH
Braised pork belly named after the Song poet and governor Su Dongpo, who also built the causeway across the lake. The city's signature dish.
Work
内卷 / Nèijuǎn
nay-JWAN
'Involution' — the word Chinese tech workers use for grinding competition that produces no gain. You will hear it constantly in this city.
打工人 / Dǎgōng rén
dah-gong REN
'Worker' with a wry edge — how tech employees here describe themselves. A useful piece of vocabulary for reading the local mood.
发票 / Fāpiào
fah-PYOW
Official tax invoice. Needed for rent if you claim the expatriate housing exemption, and for anything you expense.
Emergency
110 / 120 / 119 / 122
yāo-yāo-líng…
Police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119, traffic accidents 122. Four separate lines rather than a single emergency number.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.