Chinese Phrase Book

Apartment towers lining the edge of the city's largest park house many of Beijing's expatriates. They are well served by the cafes and restaurants clustered around Chaoyang Park's West gate. To the north there's the Lufthansa Centre and surrounding office towers. The German school is here, as is the new US embassy. The area includes Lady's Street, a flower market and bazaar.

One of the older expatriate neighbourhoods with the Holiday Inn Lido at its epicentre. A leafy area with good expatriate amenities. 798, a 50s era factory turned creative hub is here. To the northeast, there's Wangjing, a large mid-tier residential neighbourhood. Some larger corporations are building dedicated office complexes here.

The busy central business district contains a high concentration of office towers with China World at it's centre. Ritan Park and the surrounding leafy embassies afford a small green lung. Preferred by those wanting easy access to amenities and a quick commute to work.

Beijing's geographic and administrative centre containing Tiananmen, the Forbidden City and Houhai. Populated by government employees and tourists, few expatriates choose to live here due to a lack of quality homes and a dearth of amenities. The area includes Financial Street, to the West of Tiananmen, a commercial area that has attracted a number of financial institutions.

Although home to the city's top universities, this is not Cambridge. Promoted as a tech development zone, it isn't Palo Alto either. There is a vibrant student scene, but expatriates working here choose to commute from the eastern side of the city.

A large cluster of leafy embassies here, but the neighbourhood is most renowned for its bars, cafes and restaurants. The Bookworm, a literary cafe, and small independent boutiques add a bohemian flavour. The Workers Stadium and French School are also here. To the north there's Dongzhimen, a transport hub that includes the airport line.

Expatriate suburbia, minutes from the airport and less than an hour's commute to the CBD. The major international schools are here. A wide range of expatriate amenities have sprung up around the villa communities. This quieter and greener area is a family friendly biosphere.

Office and apartment developments have extended north along the 3rd Ring into Sanyuan Qiao. Few amenities here, but it's a short hop to Sanlitun and Chaoyang Park. The subway and airport line allow easy access to most parts of the city.

Home to the Olympic Stadium and its surrounding facilities. The vast park area is a boon for the neighbourhood but with no quality homes, few expatriates choose to live here.

Once the wrong side of the railway tracks, the south is still underdeveloped. Low property prices mean favourable rents for bargain hunters. No amenities, but some apartments are close to the CBD.

Just outside the East 4th Ring, the area was once an industrial hinterland. Some mid to low-end residential developments here. A short commute to the CBD, but few expatriate amenities in the area.