Living in Hong Kong as a Non-Chinese Speaker

Can you live in Hong Kong without knowing any Chinese? Yes, BUT I've had so many instances where it would have been so helpful if I knew a few phrases before coming here. Here's a breakdown...

- My background

- My expectations

- Expectations of others

- Cantonese vs Mandarin

- My experience and advice

My Background.

I have been living in Hong Kong for about three months now, and I am a fourth generation Japanese American, who was raised in an English speaking household, was taught some Hawaiian in public school, took Spanish in high school, and is only familiar with a few Japanese words that my grandparents or parents would say once in a while. All that to say, I am only fluent in English and unfortunately, none of the other languages I was (somewhat) familiar with could help me in Hong Kong.

My Expectations.

I originally thought everyone would speak Chinese and hardly anyone would speak English, but a few people reassured me that there are a lot of English speakers in Hong Kong. After being here for a few months, I found that this is true, but it also depends where you are. A lot of areas have English translations and most young people will respond back to you in English, but you'll hear a lot of Cantonese everywhere. I also did not think they could tell I was a foreigner, but locals told me they could see a difference. When I asked how, many explained that they could tell by the way I dress, do my makeup, and color my hair because it looks Western or American. Others would also add it is because of my slightly darker complexion. Based on this, I've had people ask me if I was Korean, American-born Chinese, Singaporean, Taiwanese, or Malaysian. Only a few would guess right and say that I'm Japanese. Another big giveaway they mentioned is that I speak English too well haha.

Expectations of Others.

Back home, it's common for others like me to only speak English, no matter what their ethnicity is. A lot of times it is simply because our grandparents immigrated when they were young and we grew up speaking and listening to English. I always find myself explaining this, because what I was used to isn't what most people are used to. Pretty much if you look Asian, most locals will start speaking to you in Cantonese and expect you to speak your ethnic language. Not to worry, most young people speak English well, and I was surprised to find that many of them also studied abroad to either London or to the States.

Cantonese vs. Mandarin.

The Chinese language is split into two dialects: Cantonese and Mandarin. Mandarin is supposedly easier to learn, but in Hong Kong, most people speak Cantonese and in Mainland China, most speak Mandarin. Yes, although Hong Kong is technically a part of China, they consider themselves separate from Mainland China and their language reflects the difference.

My Experience.

Whenever I'm with my friends who can translate for me, it's never a problem, but I've had multiple experiences where communication was difficult: ordering at some canteens (cafeterias), ordering in local restaurants, asking for help at my hostel's (dorm's) front desk, some conversations in class, and getting my hair done in a salon, to name a few. Overall, you can survive living in Hong Kong with just English, but in local areas it can be tough and I highly recommend you go with someone who speaks Chinese. Honestly, it's so disheartening when you don't understand what's going on around you, can't get help when you need it, or can't have a conversation because of the language barrier.

Advice.

Learn some phrases before coming to Hong Kong, especially if you are going to be here for several months like me. It also helps to ask those who know how to speak Chinese to teach you a few words. Right now my roommate is teaching me how to count in Cantonese ;)