Chinese at a Glance: Phrase Book and Dictionary for Travelers

Having spent quite a bit of time in China, I found the pronounciation guide in Barron's to be the most accurate and well defined. Same for social customs. The history section is interesting and well written. I have purchased other "Travelers" phrase and dictionaries and this one is the best.

I would not suggest this book as a means of learning Chinese. Nor is this a book you would want to use for the translation of Chinese documents into English. The reasons being that only a few hundred words are in the dictionary and the book does not concentrate on grammar. Rather, the intention of this book is to be a handy travel dictionary and in this function, the book works very well. I carried this book with me everywhere during my year of travel in China. The first edition of the book was written during the time when foreigners could only shop in the Friendship Stores and so some of the shopping and restaurants phrases were a bit out of date. However, the book presents a translation of words and phrases, separated by topics such as "at the restaurant" or "at the hotel". There are words and phrases for use at the hotel such as "I would like to pay my bill", or "There is a problem with my room." You will find the words for dozens of foods which are arranged for example in groups of meat, vegetables or dessert which is very convenient when you go to a restaurant. Best of all, the book not only shows the pinyon, but also the characters. So, even if you can not pronounce the word correctly, you have the characters to show the waitress what you want to order. Very handy!

I just returned after 6 weeks in China. This book is excellent in terms of the useful words and phrases that it lists for virtually every situation you might encounter. It also has a nice little dictionary section at the back (both English-Chinese as well as Chinese-English) that comes in handy. HOWEVER, it badly needs an update in terms of the descriptions and "tips" that it provides regarding things like travel, currency, food, taxis, shopping etc. If you're buying this book - and I certainly recommend it as a handy phrase book - I strongly suggest that you ignore all the tips and advice it provides you. You're better off getting something else that is more up-to-date for this.

I've done international business with China for 20 years, speak some Mandarin, and I carry this book in my passport/airline ticket folder. My general Chinese is pretty good, but this book is invaluable. The tips and hints are also extremely insightful, and I heartily recommend it to anyone traveling to China or Taiwan for the first or the hundredth time.

This book is an excellent resource for both the tourist and the student. Carry this handy reference around China or keep it within arm's length as you study the language at home -- you'll be reaching for it often in either case.