China's Instagram: 小红书

A few weeks ago, I shared a list of Chinese apps with you that you can also use to improve your Chinese, and today I’d like to share a few more interesting details about one of these apps, Xiaohongshu.

几周前我推荐了一些中文软件，其中包括：小红书。今天我会具体聊一聊如何使用小红书帮助我们找到有用的信息。

Some people refer to it as China’s Instagram, as this app is also about user-generated content, with countless photos and videos uploaded to the platform every day as people share their favorite restaurants, coffee shops, travel spots, or travel itineraries.

有人称小红书为中国版本的Instagram，因为这里每天都有无数人通过视频或照片分享日常生活，比如自己喜欢的餐厅，咖啡店，景点和旅行攻略等等。

But what is lesser known among foreigners is that the app is not only useful within China’s borders—you can use it anywhere in the world. There are so many Chinese travelers globally that you can now find content on Xiaohongshu about almost any location you can think of. For example, if you want to find the best Chinese restaurants in your hometown, frequented by Chinese people who either live there or are visiting, this is the app that can help you with that.

其实小红书不仅可以在中国国内用，在国外也可以使用。现在中国的游客遍布世界各地，所以在小红书上可以找到几乎世界上所有地方的信息。如果你想找自己家附近好吃的中餐厅，也可以试一试在小红书搜。

The app itself can be used in both English and Chinese. However, since most of the content is uploaded by Chinese users, the primary language used in posts is Chinese, though you can also find posts in other languages here and there. At first, you might feel intimidated by all the Chinese characters in the app, but today I’ll share some keywords and key sentences that you can use both in and outside of China if you’re looking for specific things.

这个软件是支持中英文双语言的，也有用英文发布的内容，不过由于大多数用户是中国人，所以大部分帖子都是中文。今天我会分享一些中文关键词，帮助你在使用小红书时能够快速地找到自己需要的信息。

Find your location’s Chinese name in Google Translate and use the following keywords when using Xiaohongshu:

If you want to find some great Chinese restaurants at a specific location:

• (city name) +…

• (曼谷)中餐厅 - Chinese restaurants

• (曼谷)中国菜 - Chinese cuisine

• (曼谷)中国烧烤/火锅 - Chinese BBQ/hot pot restaurants

For the best local coffee shops, eateries, bars, use the following keywords:

• (city name) +…

• (曼谷)咖啡店 - coffee shops

• (曼谷)当地人推荐美食 - restaurants recommended by locals

• (曼谷)当地人酒吧 - bars recommended by locals

If you want to find the best travel spots in a certain location:

• (city name) +…

• (曼谷)必去景点 - must-visit scenic spots，

• (曼谷)必玩 - must-do activities

• (曼谷)景点分布图 - attractions distribution map

• (曼谷)景点路线 - attractions route

• (曼谷)游玩项目 - things to do

If you need a travel itinerary:

• (city name) +…

• (曼谷)旅游攻略 - travel guide

• (曼谷)一日游 - one-day tour

• (曼谷)三天四夜 - three days and four nights

• (曼谷)攻略行程 - itinerary guide

For finding houses/apartments to rent:

• (city name) +…

• (曼谷)租房 - house/apartment rentals

• (曼谷)房子出租 - houses for rent

• (曼谷)找房子 - looking for a house

If you’re a beginner Chinese learner, using the app might feel challenging at first. So I recommend starting with Xiaohongshu on your computer, as you can use the free Zhongwen browser extension to quickly translate characters you don’t know. This makes using the platform much less intimidating. I’ve written about how to use Zhongwen here.

如果你刚开始学中文，用小红书可能有些挑战，不过你也可以在电脑上使用这个软件，这样就能借助插件：中文，帮助你翻译自己不认识的字词。

And one more interesting tidbit about Xiaohongshu: I came across this article that I recommend you read as well: Xiaohongshu has revolutionized Chinese tourism in Southeast Asia). You can also find travel spots on Xiaohongshu that are often overlooked by both local and non-Chinese tourists. One example is the "Lonely Tree" in Luang Prabang, a photogenic yet otherwise ordinary tree on the side of the road. According to a local driver, it's mainly Chinese tourists who visit for pictures, while it's almost completely unknown to the locals.

今天在这里也想和你分享一个有意思的文章，这里讲了小红书在当下是如何影响中国人在东南亚的旅行的。其中故事之一是：琅勃拉邦有一棵树在小红书大火，并被称之为“孤独的树”，很多中国人纷纷前去和大树拍照，而本地人对这棵树的大火竟然毫不知情。

So if you want to discover places in your hometown that are popular among Chinese visitors, or if you're traveling and want to see the best spots recommended by Chinese tourists, then Xiaohongshu is the perfect app for you. And who knows, you might even find your next language partner at one of these locations! 😉 

不管你在哪个地方生活或旅行，都可以去小红书看看大家在推荐什么好玩的地方，没准儿你还会在这里找到语言伙伴呢。😉 

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