Lonely Planet Mandarin Phrasebook

I'm not a scholar of Mandarin although I have completed the Pimsleur Mandarin course level 1. My experience as a relative novice was that this book was extremely useful. Every Chinese person that I showed it to, when trying to communicate, also thought it was very good and several asked where they could buy it. I looked in Beijing and couldn't find it. Chinese pronunciation is fairly difficult although grammar is straightforward. I've got by in Vietnam in the past with the Lonely Planet's Viet phrasebook without any previous tuition. If you can retain phrases and remember to transliterate words down quickly before you forget then even this book on its own would be very handy. Pinyin is frequently not pronounced how a Westerner would expect from its spelling. For example the word "wo" for "I" is pronounced like "war" and not "woe".

I bought this book at a bookshop in Beijing after having all but worn out my friend's copy -- and it has been worth every penny.Words and phrases are helpfully arranged by topic. Cultural tips are both witty and informative. There is a brief explanation of grammar (which is all that is needed; Chinese grammar is very simple), as well as a brief explanation of pronunciation. The pronunciation guide, while among the best in phrasebooks, is not nearly sufficient for learning the precise pronunciation that is necessary for communicating in Chinese. If you've never been to China, and plan on being able to communicate, however modestly, you'll want to get started on pronunciation right away. A book with an audio aid would be better for this, but there is really no substitute for a real-life Mandarin speaker. All words are romanized for the reader's convenience according the pinyin system, which is slightly confusing at first, but is generally the most helpful system in the long run. Characters are included so that the distressed traveler (and there will be times of distress if you travel in China -- nothing to worry about, but still a fact of life in the Middle Kingdom) can simply point to the characters if all else fails.In all, this phrasebook is a nonpareil among Chinese phrasebooks. Its limitations simply reflect the limitations of phrasebooks in general, though the authors have done a remarkable job of making it as useful as possible. Whether you know no Mandarin at all, or have a rudimentary knowledge of it and want a safety net, this book is the one to buy.

I bought this book to use as a side-on-hand phrasebook, but it has become my favorite out of class learning tool. The Lonely Planet Mandarin Phrasebook has made learning the basics easy. It contains pictures, usefull comments, tips on the culture, and every day used words. Also, the nice thing about this book is that gives explanations for the nessesity of correct pronunciation of words, as it has a section on grammar and phonetics. It is also small so it can fit in almost any bag or coat pocket.

This phrasebook was extremely useful during my family's trip to China. The two way dictionary is definitely helpful in terms of translations as well as pronunciation. There are also plenty of interesting notes on practical information you need to live day to day, such as how to show number quantities using your hands. Very good resource for a trip to china.

I have not seen previous editions of this phrasebook, but I do own three others, and this 4th edition by Rudelson and Qin is by far the best. The phrasebook is clear, remarkably concise, well organized and dense with clearly tabulated information. It fits nicely in a man's front trouser pocket, but not in your back pocket. I have used the book for a week and have neither found a misprint, nor a need to annotate the book. You will find everything from handsigns for counting (p. 113) to dirty words (p. 108). The two way 112-page dictionary included at the back is a masterpiece. The only other pocket dictionary that I can find (that actually fits in a pocket) is the classic by James C. Quo. Unfortunately, this uses antiquated (Wade-Giles) romanization. So Rudelson and Qin's phrasebook also happens to contain the best pocket dictionary (that actually fits in a pocket) on the market.This dictionary is new to the 4th edition (the 3rd edition is by a different author, Taylor). Rudelson and Qin should next create an electronic version as for a PalmPilot. Put down all other phrasebooks or pocket dictionaries, and find yourself one of these.