Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé comment maîtriser la fameuse application WeChat? Voici un petit guide pratique afin de vous aider à devenir un pro en quelques minutes seulement !
Petite introduction pour maîtriser WeChat
WeChat est le réseau social le plus utilisé en Chine, avec plus de 963 millions d’utilisateurs par mois. C’est en premier lieu une application de messagerie instantanée, mais c’est aussi bien plus que cela! Vous pouvez partager des photos et vidéos de votre vie quotidienne, ou même l’utiliser comme moyen de paiement ! WeChat ou Wēi Xìn en Chinois est essentiel à votre séjour en Chine. Vous en aurez besoin pour communiquer avec vos amis, collègues et famille tous les jours !
Comment créer un compte WeChat
C’est assez simple de créer un compte sur WeChat. De plus, si vous avez déjà utilisé WhatsApp ce sera simple. Première étape : télécharger l’application depuis ITunes, Google play… et créer un compte en utilisant votre numéro de téléphone.
Voici la procédure pas à pas pour configurer WeChat sur votre smartphone :
- Téléchargez l’application
- Une fois téléchargée, cliquez sur “S’inscrire avec le numéro de téléphone”
- Entrez votre numéro de téléphone et enregistrez-vous. Pensez bien à utiliser le bon indicatif pays: +33 pour la France, +86 pour la Chine…
- Puis, WeChat vous enverra un code de vérification au numéro que vous avez utilisé à l’étape précédente. Ensuite, allez dans vos messages, retenez le code et entrez le dans l’espace prévu à cet effet. Il y a aussi un petit puzzle à faire pour des questions de sécurité.
- Une fois confirmé, entrez votre nom, ajoutez une photo… en quelques mots : personnalisez votre compte.
- Et c’est parti!
Ouvrir le clavier
Pour écrire un message, ouvrez le clavier comme dans WhatsApp ou dans vos messages texte. S’il n’apparait pas directement, cliquez sur l’espace à côté du symbole “haut-parleur” vous aurez accès à votre clavier!
Ajouter des amis
Maintenant que votre compte est opérationnel, c’est le temps de se faire des amis! Ajouter des amis sur WeChat est simple et rapide. Cela aidera votre réseau à s’agrandir si tel est votre souhait !
Cependant il y a plusieurs méthodes pour ajouter des amis. Le plus simple est de les rechercher selon leur identifiant WeChat ou numéro de téléphone. Sinon vous pouvez aussi scanner leur QR code.
Ajouter un contact via son Identifiant ou son Numéro de téléphone
- Cliquez sur le ” + ” en haut à droite de votre écran, puis « Ajouter un contact ».
- Cliquez sur la barre de recherche où vous voyez « ID Wechat/Téléphone ».
- Entrez le nom d’utilisateur/numéro de téléphone.
- Après avoir entrez le nom/numéro cliquez sur “Rechercher” à côté du logo vert.
- Le contact va apparaitre sur votre écran et vous n’aurez plus qu’à l’« ajouter ». En cliquant sur la phrase bleue en Chinois que vous voyez sur la photo 3.
- Personnalisez votre demande et envoyez la !
Ajouter un contact via son code QR
- Cliquez sur le ” + ” en haut à droite de votre écran.
- Sélectionnez “ Numériser ”.
- Demandez à votre ami de vous présenter son code (remplacé ici par un de nos stickers !).
- Mettez votre téléphone au-dessus du sien pour scanner.
- Le contact va apparaitre, vous n’aurez qu’à cliquer sur “Ajouter”.
- Bravo! Vous avez ajouté votre premier contact!
Permettre aux autres de vous ajouter
Ils peuvent utiliser votre ID WeChat, ou votre numéro de téléphone associé à votre compte WeChat. Ils peuvent aussi scanner votre code QR s’ils sont à coté de vous.
- Pour montrer votre code QR à quelqu’un, allez sur l’icône “Moi”.
- A coté de votre identifiant (ID), il y a un petit icone ressemblant à un QR Code.
- Cliquez dessus afin d’ouvrir votre code QR.
Créer une discussion de groupe
- Ouvrez l’onglet “contact” dans la barre de menu en bas de l’application.
- Sélectionnez Chat en groupe.
- A vous d’ajouter les contacts que vous voulez voir apparaître dans ce groupe de discussion ! Puis cliquez sur Ok.
Suivre des comptes officiels
Les comptes officiels sont très utilisés par la communauté WeChat. De plus, Pagoda Projects les utilise également afin de partager des activités, et informations utiles. Afin de vous tenir au courant de nos « Thursday Diners », ou des voyages organisés… Pensez à vérifier que vous suivez bien le compte officiel Pagoda Projects afin de rejoindre les différents chats de groupe.
Il est possible de suivre un compte officiel de la même façon que pour ajouter un contact – juste en choisissant la dernière catégorie “Comptes officiels”. Demandez à notre équipe de vous donner les comptes officiels à suivre pour votre destination !
Comment communiquer sur WeChat
Avec WeChat vous pouvez écrire un message, envoyer un message vocal, appelez en audio ou en Visio… C’est un peu un mélange entre WhatsApp et Skype.
Envoyer un message vocal
- Pour envoyer un message vocal, cliquez sur le bouton « Haut-parleur » en bas à gauche
- Pour enregistrer votre message vocal appuyez sur “Maintenez pour parler”
N’oubliez pas de maintenir le bouton tout au long du message. Votre message peut durer jusqu’à 59 secondes. Lâchez pour envoyer, et faites glisser vers le haut pour annuler.
Appel Vidéo
Il est fort probable que vous ayez à vous en servir lors de votre entretien avec votre entreprise pour votre futur stage. Il est donc impératif de savoir le maîtriser.
- Ouvrez la conversation du contact voulu en la recherchant dans vos contacts. Ou ajoutez cette personne comme décrit précédemment.
- Ouvrir le menu en appuyant sur le “+” situé en bas de votre écran de conversation, celui dans une petite bulle.
- Choisissez l’option Appel Vidéo
- Et c’est parti !
Faites de même pour passer un appel vocal !
Enfin, dans ce même menu, vous trouverez plusieurs façons de communiquer et de partager des informations avec vos contacts. Nous vous laissons les découvrir par vous même !
Une fois votre compte WeChat configuré et ces quelques astuces maîtrisées, vous êtes prêts à entamer votre vie en Chine !
I’m sure you’ve all heard of WeChat and have managed to set up your account. However, for many of you, it may have ended there. Finally, after years of feeling left out of the loop, us “Wai Guo Ren” (foreigners) can saunter up to a till point and nonchalantly wave our phones at the cashier. Has anything been more thrilling than this?!
The Chinese company Tencent announced today that it will be accepting international bank cards as payment through WeChat wallet, meaning you no longer have to go through the hassle of opening a Chinese Bank account. This guide will help you to achieve your dreams of scanning and paying!
A Step By Step Guide to add your Bank Card to WeChat Wallet:
Step 1
Select the “Me” icon from the bottom menu in WeChat and then select the “Wallet” option.
Step 2
Select “Cards” from the top menu.
Step 3
This screen may be different for some of you but essentially you want to select “Add a new card.”
Step 4
With this being China, you can either snap a quick pic of your card or manually enter your card number.
Step 5
After this select your bank card. If your bank doesn’t appear go ahead and select Visa or Mastercard (whichever one is applicable) and then credit card (even if it’s a debit.)
Step 6
You will then be asked to enter all you personal details in the following menu.
Good to know:
If your region is not shown, enter your closest city, and for your phone number it’s up to you whether you use your international or Chinese number!
After entering these details your card should be connected to your WeChat!
In some cases this doesn’t allow you to transfer money from your bank account to WeChat or pay with you bank card. However it does allow you to receive money from others, so I’m sure you can ask your Chinese friends to help out if you give them some cash! Then they can transfer you the equivalent value so it’s available for you to use on WeChat!
For international payments, we always recommend using TransferWise. They’re cheaper than the banks, because they always use the real exchange rate – which you can see on Google – and charge a very small fee. They’re also safe and trusted by over 2 million people around the world. You can sign up here.
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About Me
Hello everyone ! My name’s Audrey and I come from Strasbourg, France, and I just graduated with a Bachelor degree in Trade in the European Environment. As part of my studies I already had the opportunity to do an internship in Shanghai in 2015, and this was by far my most memorable and rewarding experience! The idea of going back again to China has been haunting me since, s0 now I’ll be interning in the Zhuhai office for 6 months!
Background
I always had an interest in Asia, I could not explain it, it is just a part of me! My trips to Shanghai made me fall in love even harder. Before I arrived in Zhuhai, I wasn’t stressed at all- I waited for so long after being offered the role that it felt much more like a release to finally arrive! My adrenaline level was at its height when I jumped in the plane and made my way to Zhuhai via Hong Kong and Seoul. At the airport, my roommate and fellow office intern picked me up and brought me home!
Zhuhai so Far
It has been 1 week so far and Zhuhai is better than expected. The people are nice and welcoming, the food is delicious, the views are stunning and the relaxing vibe is amazing! The IC office staff are always keen to help and explain anything I need to know. Although I got overwhelmed in the beginning of my stay, the more time passes by, the more this experience seems like to be the opportunity I needed to move on and find my path. I kind of struggled with English at the start of my stay, but time will help and now I feel more at ease with people. Especially as I can enjoy the nightlife here with people from all over the world!
My Expectations
I hope to :
- Develop my “Guanxi”.
- Acquire new professional competencies through my work within an international team.
- Gain more self-confidence.
- Re-discover and deepen my knowledge of China and its business environment.
- Enjoy the city and its possibilities as well as the local culture.
Ever wondered how to use the famous WeChat? Here’s a handy guide to turn you from no to pro.
A Little Introduction
WeChat is the biggest social media platform in China, with over 963 million monthly users. It is primarily an instant messaging app however there are many more features than just instant messaging. WeChat or Wēi Xìn is the bread and butter of daily life in China and an essential part of your stay. You’ll need it to speak to friends, contact colleagues and even buy your coffee with it!
Getting Started with WeChat
It’s actually really easy to set up a WeChat account. The process is very similar to Whatsapp, in that you need to download the WeChat app from the app store (iTunes, Google Play etc.) and create an account using your phone number.
Here’s a step-by-step guide of how to set up WeChat on your phone:
- Download the app.
- Once downloaded, open the app and click “sign up”
- Type your number into the field and click sign up, be sure to choose the right area code, e.g UK, USA etc.
- WeChat will send a verification code to the chosen number: go into messages, find the verification code and enter it into the “Code” field.
- Once confirmed, type in your name and finish creating your account.
- After this you’re good to go!
Opening your Keyboard
To start a text chat, open your keyboard just like in WhatsApp or SMS. Tap the space beside the speaker icon and your keyboard becomes accessible!
Adding Friends on WeChat
Now that your account is ready to go it’s time to start making friends. Adding people on WeChat is quick and easy, so it’s great for networking or if you’re on the go.
You can add friends a few ways. The first is to search for their username or phone number, and the second is to scan their personalised QR code.
Adding Contacts by Username & Phone Number
- Click the ” + ” icon at the top right hand of your home screen.
- Click the space beside the search icon which says “WeChat ID/ Phone.”
- Type the username/ phone number into the space saying “WeChat ID/ Phone.”
- When you type in the username, click on the green search button that appears.
- Their contact card will appear on your screen. Click “Add”
- You’re now connected!
Adding Contacts with a QR Code
- Click the + icon at the top right hand of your home screen.
- Select “Add Contacts” then “Scan QR Code”
- Ask your friend to show you their “Profile QR code”.
- Point your phone camera at the code to scan it.
- Their contact card will appear on your screen. Click “Add”
- Congrats! You’ve just added your first contact!
Lettings Others Add You
Others can add you by your username, the phone number associated with your account or by scanning your personalised QR code.
To access your personal QR code, go to the “Me” page in WeChat, click on either your profile picture or the QR code beside your username, and open your QR code!
Making a Group Chat on WeChat
To make a group chat in WeChat, simply go to the ” + ” symbol in the top right of your screen, and then select the “Group Chat” option. Then, add your contacts!
Following Official Accounts
Groups are a big part of how people communicate via WeChat and we regularly use them to post updates about IC activities. To keep up to date with weekly dinners, trips and the latest news be sure to follow the official InternChina subscription accounts and join the group chats.
You can join the subscription accounts the same way you add contacts- simply choose “Official Accounts” in the menu, and then search for the account you want to follow! You can type in “IC” and this will bring up all the InternChina city accounts.
How to Communicate
In WeChat, you can text, send voice messages, make phone calls and make video calls (similar to Skype.)
Sending a Voice Message
To send a voice message, click on the speaker icon beside your keyboard. Then, press the “hold to talk” button, and continue holding this until you are finished speaking. Then simply release and your message is sent! To cancel a message, just drag and release your finger.
Video Calling with WeChat
You will most likely use a WeChat video call for your interview with your host company, so it’s important you know how to make one!
- Open the right conversation- either an existing chat with the contact, or open a new chat by finding the contact in your contacts list.
- Open the chat menu by pressing the ” + ” button at the bottom of your conversation screen.
- Select the option for a video call.
- You’re ready to go!
The same method applies to starting a voice call.
Once you have your WeChat set up you are ready to start life in China!
Check out our other posts about WeChat: Adding an Internationak Bank Card to WeChat Wallet.
If you’re headed to China to study abroad, the chances are that you’ve done some research on the place. It’s also likely that you did this research with a popular search engine, such as Google. While there is so much that China has to offer, Google is not one of them. In addition to getting used to a new culture, language, time zone, and entire way of life, you’ll also have to adjust to the internet culture of the world’s largest country. In this article, we’ll explore the top five apps that will help you navigate a semester or two in China and make the most of your smartphone as you live and learn on the other side of the world.
1: WeChat (Weixin)
Think about how often you communicate with Whatsapp, Viber, or Facebook Messenger. Now multiply that times at least ten. Now you have an idea of how integral WeChat is to Chinese communication. Since many other messaging platforms are limited or restricted by the Chinese government, WeChat is the most popular texting app in China; almost everyone uses it. It is also the most popular platform for sending messages to people in China, even when you are not in China yourself. In this way, WeChat is useful not only for making friends while you study abroad, but also for staying in touch after you’ve left the country.
It’s also a good idea for your family and friends who will be missing you from afar to download WeChat too. This way, they’ll have a surefire and reliable way to contact you.
2: Pleco
Pleco is the most recommended Chinese-English offline dictionary app. It is easy to use for everyone, from beginner to advanced level Chinese speakers. What’s more, it features all of the Chinese entries in transliteration (called “pinyin”) so that you can get an idea of how to pronounce words without having to know Chinese characters. Pleco also introduces you to common phrases and handy sentences, as well as idiomatic expressions that could prove to be quite useful!
3: Waygo Visual Translator
This is definitely one of the coolest language apps on the market! Waygo uses your smartphone’s camera to analyze Chinese characters and then produce an English translation directly. This app is especially handy for translating things like menus, road signs, and other simple or straightforward messages. The best thing about Waygo is that it works offline, so even if you aren’t connected to the internet, you can figure out exactly what it is you just ordered!
4: TripAdvisor
Of course, you want to look like a local and blend in to your surroundings. But it doesn’t hurt to do some sightseeing while you’re in a big city for just a short time! The TripAdvisor app is especially useful for when you first arrive, since it features offline maps of many cities throughout China. This allows you to navigate a new city before you’ve even found a WiFi connection. Just be sure to download the appropriate maps and guides before you head out, and you’re sure to know the way to go!
In addition to taking advantage of TripAdvisor, take a look at what InternChina has to offer in terms of information. They have a fantastic 48 hour guide to Zhuhai, and once you get some time to yourself, you will want to visit some of their recommendations for places to visit. They are experts regarding the country, and you need the best information to make the most of your stay.
5: Air Quality China
The air quality in China has become increasingly unpredictable in recent decades, largely due to the heavy industry that has moved into cities all across the nation. Just like you should check the weather before you head out for the day, you should also check the air quality. Air Quality China gives you up-to-the-minute information about the smog and pollution levels of all of the major cities in China. This can be particularly useful for planning everything from outings to outfits!
Finally, when studying abroad in China, the most important thing to remember is that you’re there for the experience! While these apps were specifically designed to help people navigate new places and explore new cultures, don’t let the apps get in the way of actually navigating a new place and actually exploring a new culture.
There is no substitute for local friends and connections: the greatest learning experiences that you’ll have during your time in China will come from the people around you, not from the device in your pocket!
WeChat payment for foreigners
As we already mentioned in a post from last week, Wechat is becoming a great platform for online payment. But unfortunately there are always uncertainties about online shopping for foreigners in China. Chinese customers use Taobao and Wechat payments, but for the creation of the bank account they provide their own Chinese ID. That becomes an issue for foreigners that plan to stay longer in China, and blocks them from all the benefits of cheap online shopping.
We can inform you that there is a way around this. For WeChat payment a foreigner can create account in some banks and enjoy the freedom that this creates. Not all banks allow people from abroad to sign-up for WeChat payment. Some of them require a Chinese ID and the process gets you stuck. Here are a few options that will allow this procedure:
Chinese Merchants Bank – for both debit and credit cards
Agricultural Bank of China – credit cards only
These are the banks that we know of so far. We are certain that in the future this operation will increase as China becomes more open towards the foreign markets and many foreigners come to live here.
As mentioned in our earlier article, a person can add his credit or debit cards through the “Wallet” menu in WeChat. Simply press the “Add Card” option and follow the procedure.
The next menu will just ask for your card details and then if needed it will require the Chinese ID. But for the banks that we suggested there won’t be a requirement for Chinese ID.
WeChat offers a lot of extremely convenient functions which benefit everyone. After the credit/debit card is set up, a person can get access to each of these features:
- Mobile Top Up – top up your credit for the phone. Very convenient and easy.
- Wealth – Track your spending and savings in the account.
- Lottery – who feels like some gabling? It’s on the tip of your fingers.
- Order Taxi – Easy way to get a taxi if you are in a big city.
- Specials – Online shopping mall for any kind of products.
- QQ Coins – buy currency for your QQ account with an ease.
- Lucky Money – Send and receive money from friends or contacts.
- Group Buying – special offers for meals in restaurants. Reduced prices and promotions.
- Credit Card – send money to another card or account.
- Tencent Charity – Donate money for charity.
- Movie Tickets – Buy tickets for the cinema.
- Go Dutch – find a dining place, choose how much you would like to pay and meet new people on that table using the same program.
- Air Ticket – Buy plane tickets.
All these awesome features are easier and easier to access. Tencent is creating a dominant platform for online shopping and is challenging Alibaba on its own territory. But this struggle between giants benefits only us the simple customers, because we receive more special offers and reduced prices. Hopefully this article was helpful for every foreigner that plans to stay for a longer period of time in China.
Make sure you check our Blog for more amazing news and opportunities in China!
Currently there is a raging war in the field of online micro-transactions. Everyone is speaking about Apple and their announcement of Apple Pay – a system for online payment similar with PayPal. But there are other micro-transaction companies that are already making a move. If you missed the news, the biggest social network in Asia is already offering these features and more to its customers.
WeChat is a mash up between Whatsapp, Facebook and PayPal with 438 million monthly active users. Chinese users already benefit freely from the so called “Quick Pay” (in Chinese “刷卡”, “swipe card”)
Here’s how it works:
Once a person enters their WeChat account in the “Me” section there is the option “Wallet”. Once you click it the “Wallet” menu will open. On the top there is the “Quick Pay” option:
If you didn’t add a card to it, it will ask for your bank card information. We will cover this in our next blog about WeChat and how to add a card as a foreigner in China. The option will then simply display a bar code which a person can show to the cashier in the partner stores. If you have to pay below 300 RMB you simply need to show the code and the transaction is done. If the amount is above 300RMB you will need to enter a secret payment code that you set up before.
There are many companies that have signed up to the WeChat payment system. It is not a surprise that many enterprises in China are already interested in the easy pay system. As the biggest social media platform and still rapidly growing each year, it’s getting more and more important to make the key partnership. Some companies that are already listed as payment partners are as follows:
Chinese e-commerce giant JD is also one of the key partners with Tencent. A shopping feature is soon going to be implemented in WeChat making it a fundamental part of everyday life in China. It will create a virtual shop combining all the partners of Tencent into one massive virtual mall on each person’s phone.
In the next post we will share with you how to create a wallet account as a foreigner in China. Follow us on our Blog page for more awesome news about China each day!
By Max
You might be aware that Facebook and Twitter do not work so well here in China without the help of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). So have you ever wondered how Chinese people do social networking and how you are going to survive your days in China without your usual dose of social media?
Fortunately, there are indeed tons of social media platforms you can sign up to to make your social life more colorful in China. RenRen and Weibo are good substitutes for Facebook and Twitter. They have similar looks and almost the same functions. And more than that, RenRen has a function that most Facebook users may desire: RenRen can actually show you who your recent visitors are. Cool, no?
Besides RenRen and Weibo, there are a couple of other mobile apps you might like to know about: WeChat and MoMo! They are good substitutes for WhatsApp Messenger. But they are also more than that. Aside from sending messages to your friends for free, they have an amazing function with which you can always find other users near you. So, literally, you can try to make friends with everyone. Life is never going to be dull.
Would you like to know more about Chinese modern lifestyle? Come to China for an internship! Apply now or send us an email for more information.