1️⃣ When visiting China, the first thing you need to do is install WeChat. In addition to the messenger, dozens of other options and applications are already built into it, from buying tickets to paying for the phone. This application has the highest penetration in the world: 98% of the entire Chinese population uses WeChat. Through WeChat, you can pay a bill at a restaurant, buy corn from your grandmother on the street, and transfer payment to the supplier (if you have a Chinese bank card). You can also use it to connect to WiFi or subscribe to projects/shops/cafes of interest and read about their news.
2️⃣ Next, be sure to install a VPN. Remember that all Google services are blocked in China, as well as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and in some places Telegram/WhatsApp.
3️⃣ Google Translate is convenient for scanning hieroglyphs, and simple written and audio translations. If you need a translator without a VPN, use another service like Yandex Translator.
4️⃣ To order a taxi, you will need the DiDi application in English; you can link your card to it, enter the address, and select the class of car for the trip. Drivers in China love to call, you can safely hang up the call and use the quick message option to contact the driver, it also has a built-in translator.
5️⃣ Several companies in China provide cities with rental bicycles - they are used as public transport. You can download one of the apps, register, and then scan the code on one of thousands of bicycles and ride. One such application is MeiTuan, which is also a super app in which you will find many functions, including ordering food from a cafe (you will need a Chinese bank card for this).
In recent years, people in China have increasingly forgotten about cash and paid everywhere via WeChat or Alipay. Many foreigners may feel quite disadvantaged in their trips without these applications: in some cases they no longer accept cash, in water/snack machines you can only pay by barcode from your phone, at train stations you have to go to the cashier with cash because the machines (surprise) they are not accepted.