Sending Mail to China

[NY-Viking]

When I was a student in China, I used to make up labels with my school address in both English and Chinese for friends and family. My experience in Nanjing, Beijing and Shanghai, however, is that listing the address in Chinese characters might be slightly faster, but not by much. In six years I had one letter lost that was sent to me and one lost going the other way towards the US. The one that was sent to me in Shanghai which was lost had both Chinese and English on it, I think. I agree with the comments that using Chinese characters might be more helpful in smaller cities. I doubt that traditional/simplified will make much of a difference.

[yyn701]

you are right - i have seen "pinyin".  but I have also seen "pinyon".   I think it depends on how it is translated!  However, I will gladly use pinyin from now on.  And it is not just clerks.  On the *train* from Kunming to Chengdu, not a single officer or attendant could read pinyin.  it made filling out my forms tough.

honestly, your pinyin is actually pretty good as an American.(I've seen some of your posts) you sound have known China very well not only the language, culture and geography but things we Chinese even haven't known, ah...curiously, how have you been learning the language, any tips? does your SO help a bit/a little/a lot? I'd love to help on improving my darling's Chinese so he could communicate with my family better.(he does speak some though), Just dont know how.

 

Rosey

[Joseph-1]

English usually works but really Chinese is preferred. I had Lynn write her address by hand and I got a Chinese friend to Type it in Chinese, I made myself some mailing labels that I stick onto the envelopes. I still do that. It really works well. I also use Global Priority from the Post Office. The only thing to remember is to add Peoples Republic of China in english along with the postal code.

 

Click Here Example.

 

http://www.geocities.com/lynnandjoseph/chinalabel.jpg

[NY-Viking]

... The only thing to remember is to add Peoples Republic of China in english along with the postal code.

I think it might be better to just write CHINA in large letters in English along with the postal code.

 

I say this because I wrote out People's Republic of China on my address labels and on more than one occasion there was evidence (i.e., postmarks) that the letter had been sent from the U.S. to Taiwan, then back to the U.S. before arriving at my address in the Mainland. This happened both when I was living in Nanjing as well as Shanghai. It added an extra week onto the normal 7-10 day delivery time.

 

I think this is because the U.S. post office processing the letters somehow didn't see the word "People's" on the address.

 

I note this only happened in a minority of the letters I received, but it didn't happen once after I made new labels that just read CHINA.

[olemanoman1950]

I sent my wife an Anniversary Card December 9th and she got it yesterday.

It was addressed in Both English and Chinese. Sent Via US Postal $1.55. So I guess it pays to have both on the envelope.