---
title: "Chinese Apps, Social Media and Brands in Chinese: WeChat, Douyin, Huawei and BYD, and How to Say Them"
description: "83 Chinese apps and brands by their Chinese names, with pinyin and sound: the apps to use in China (微信, 支付宝, 高德地图, 滴滴), social media (微博, 抖音, 小红书, B站), tech companies (华为, 小米, 腾讯), car brands (比亚迪, 吉利, 红旗, 蔚来) and what their names mean, clothing brands (李宁, 安踏) and food and drink (茅台, 喜茶, 瑞幸), with what their names mean."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-brands-and-apps"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

Free · 83 names

# Chinese apps, social media and brands

[Print as flashcards](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flashcards?level=mine&words=%E5%BE%AE%E4%BF%A1%20%E6%94%AF%E4%BB%98%E5%AE%9D%20%E9%AB%98%E5%BE%B7%E5%9C%B0%E5%9B%BE%20%E7%99%BE%E5%BA%A6%E5%9C%B0%E5%9B%BE%20%E6%BB%B4%E6%BB%B4%20%E7%BE%8E%E5%9B%A2%20%E5%A4%A7%E4%BC%97%E7%82%B9%E8%AF%84%20%E6%90%BA%E7%A8%8B%20%E7%99%BE%E5%BA%A6%20%E5%BE%AE%E5%8D%9A%20%E6%8A%96%E9%9F%B3%20%E5%B0%8F%E7%BA%A2%E4%B9%A6%20%E5%BF%AB%E6%89%8B%20B%E7%AB%99%20%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%20%E7%9F%A5%E4%B9%8E%20%E8%B1%86%E7%93%A3%20%E6%9C%8B%E5%8F%8B%E5%9C%88%20%E5%85%AC%E4%BC%97%E5%8F%B7%20%E6%B7%98%E5%AE%9D%20%E5%A4%A9%E7%8C%AB%20%E4%BA%AC%E4%B8%9C%20%E6%8B%BC%E5%A4%9A%E5%A4%9A%20%E4%BC%98%E9%85%B7%20%E7%88%B1%E5%A5%87%E8%89%BA%20%E8%85%BE%E8%AE%AF%E8%A7%86%E9%A2%91%20%E7%BD%91%E6%98%93%E4%BA%91%E9%9F%B3%E4%B9%90%20%E5%8D%8E%E4%B8%BA%20%E5%B0%8F%E7%B1%B3%20%E8%81%94%E6%83%B3%20%E5%A4%A7%E7%96%86%20%E4%B8%80%E5%8A%A0%20%E8%85%BE%E8%AE%AF%20%E9%98%BF%E9%87%8C%E5%B7%B4%E5%B7%B4%20%E5%AD%97%E8%8A%82%E8%B7%B3%E5%8A%A8%20%E7%BD%91%E6%98%93%20%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A7%BB%E5%8A%A8%20%E6%AF%94%E4%BA%9A%E8%BF%AA%20%E5%90%89%E5%88%A9%20%E9%95%BF%E5%9F%8E%E6%B1%BD%E8%BD%A6%20%E5%93%88%E5%BC%97%20%E5%A5%87%E7%91%9E%20%E9%95%BF%E5%AE%89%E6%B1%BD%E8%BD%A6%20%E7%BA%A2%E6%97%97%20%E4%B8%8A%E6%B1%BD%20%E5%90%8D%E7%88%B5%20%E4%BA%94%E8%8F%B1%20%E5%AE%9D%E9%AA%8F%20%E5%B9%BF%E6%B1%BD%20%E4%BC%A0%E7%A5%BA%20%E5%8C%97%E6%B1%BD%20%E9%A2%86%E5%85%8B%20%E6%9E%81%E6%B0%AA%20%E8%94%9A%E6%9D%A5%20%E5%B0%8F%E9%B9%8F%20%E7%90%86%E6%83%B3%E6%B1%BD%E8%BD%A6%20%E9%97%AE%E7%95%8C%20%E9%9B%B6%E8%B7%91%20%E8%85%BE%E5%8A%BF%20%E6%B1%BD%E8%BD%A6%20%E6%96%B0%E8%83%BD%E6%BA%90%E8%BD%A6%20%E6%9D%8E%E5%AE%81%20%E5%AE%89%E8%B8%8F%20%E6%B3%A2%E5%8F%B8%E7%99%BB%20%E7%BE%8E%E7%89%B9%E6%96%AF%E9%82%A6%E5%A8%81%20%E5%9B%BD%E6%BD%AE%20%E5%9B%BD%E8%B4%A7%20%E5%93%81%E7%89%8C%20%E8%8C%85%E5%8F%B0%20%E9%9D%92%E5%B2%9B%E5%95%A4%E9%85%92%20%E6%B5%B7%E5%BA%95%E6%8D%9E%20%E5%96%9C%E8%8C%B6%20%E8%9C%9C%E9%9B%AA%E5%86%B0%E5%9F%8E%20%E7%91%9E%E5%B9%B8%20%E6%B5%B7%E5%B0%94%20%E6%A0%BC%E5%8A%9B%20%E5%BA%94%E7%94%A8%20%E4%B8%8B%E8%BD%BD%20%E6%89%AB%E7%A0%81%20%E4%BA%8C%E7%BB%B4%E7%A0%81%20%E7%BD%91%E8%B4%AD%20%E5%A4%96%E5%8D%96%20%E6%89%93%E8%BD%A6)

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## What their Chinese names mean

| | In Chinese | Literally |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WeChat | 微信 Wēixìn | Tiny message |
| Alipay | 支付宝 Zhīfùbǎo | Pay treasure |
| Taobao | 淘宝 Táobǎo | Hunt for treasure |
| Douyin (TikTok) | 抖音 Dǒuyīn | Shaking sound |
| RedNote | 小红书 Xiǎohóngshū | Little red book |
| Huawei | 华为 Huáwéi | China achieves |
| Xiaomi | 小米 Xiǎomǐ | Millet |
| Luckin Coffee | 瑞幸 Ruìxìng | Auspicious luck |

## Apps to use in China

wēi微xìn信

WeChat (messaging app)

zhī支fù付bǎo宝

Alipay

gāo高dé德dì地tú图

Amap / AutoNavi (map app)

bǎi百dù度dì地tú图

Baidu Maps (app)

dī滴dī滴

Didi (ride-hailing company)

měi美tuán团

Meituan (Chinese food delivery and local services platform)

dà大zhòng众diǎn点píng评

Dianping (review platform)

xié携chéng程

Ctrip; Trip.com (Chinese online travel company)

bǎi百dù度

Baidu (Chinese internet company and search engine)

## Social media

wēi微bó博

Weibo (Chinese social media platform)

dǒu抖yīn音

Douyin (Chinese short-video app, the Chinese version of TikTok)

xiǎo小hóng红shū书

Xiaohongshu; RedNote (Chinese social media app)

kuài快shǒu手

Kuaishou (Chinese short-video app)

bBzhàn站

Bilibili (Chinese video-sharing site)

bì哔lī哩bì哔lī哩

Bilibili (Chinese video-sharing website)

zhī知hū乎

Zhihu (Chinese question-and-answer website)

dòu豆bàn瓣

Douban (Chinese review and social networking site)

péng朋yǒu友quān圈

Moments (WeChat social feed)

gōng公zhòng众hào号

official account (on WeChat)

## Shopping, video and music

táo淘bǎo宝

Taobao (Chinese online shopping platform)

tiān天māo猫

Tmall (online shopping platform of Alibaba)

jīng京dōng东

JD.com (Chinese e-commerce company)

pīn拼duō多duō多

Pinduoduo (Chinese e-commerce platform)

yōu优kù酷

Youku (Chinese video website)

ài爱qí奇yì艺

iQiyi (Chinese video streaming platform)

téng腾xùn讯shì视pín频

Tencent Video (streaming platform)

wǎng网yì易yún云yīn音yuè乐

NetEase Cloud Music (music app)

## Tech companies

huá华wéi为

Huawei (Chinese telecom and electronics company)

xiǎo小mǐ米

Xiaomi (Chinese electronics company)

lián联xiǎng想

Lenovo (computer company)

dà大jiāng疆

DJI (Chinese drone company)

yī一jiā加

OnePlus (phone brand)

téng腾xùn讯

Tencent (Chinese tech company)

ā阿lǐ里bā巴bā巴

Alibaba (company)

zì字jié节tiào跳dòng动

ByteDance (Chinese tech company)

wǎng网yì易

NetEase (Chinese internet company)

zhōng中guó国yí移dòng动

China Mobile (telecom company)

## Car brands

bǐ比yà亚dí迪

BYD (Chinese car and battery maker)

jí吉lì利

Geely (Chinese car maker)

cháng长chéng城qì汽chē车

Great Wall Motor

hā哈fú弗

Haval (SUV brand of Great Wall Motors)

qí奇ruì瑞

Chery (Chinese automaker)

cháng长ān安qì汽chē车

Changan Automobile (car manufacturer)

hóng红qí旗

Hongqi (Chinese car brand)

shàng上qì汽

SAIC Motor (short for 上海汽车)

míng名jué爵

MG (car brand)

wǔ五líng菱

Wuling (Chinese car brand)

bǎo宝jùn骏

Baojun (car brand of SAIC-GM-Wuling)

guǎng广qì汽

GAC Group (Guangzhou Automobile Group)

chuán传qí祺

Trumpchi (GAC car brand)

běi北qì汽

BAIC Group (short for 北京汽车)

lǐng领kè克

Lynk & Co (car brand)

jí极kè氪

Zeekr (Chinese electric car brand)

wèi蔚lái来

NIO (Chinese electric car maker)

xiǎo小péng鹏

XPeng (Chinese electric car maker)

lǐ理xiǎng想qì汽chē车

Li Auto (Chinese electric car maker)

wèn问jiè界

AITO (electric car brand developed with Huawei)

líng零pǎo跑

Leapmotor (Chinese electric car maker)

téng腾shì势

Denza (electric car brand)

qì汽chē车

car; automobile

xīn新néng能yuán源chē车

new energy vehicle (electric or hybrid car)

## Clothing and sportswear

lǐ李níng宁

Li Ning (Chinese gymnast; sportswear brand)

ān安tà踏

Anta (sportswear brand)

bō波sī司dēng登

Bosideng (Chinese down-jacket brand)

měi美tè特sī斯bāng邦wēi威

Metersbonwe (Chinese clothing brand)

guó国cháo潮

China-chic trend; national-style fashion

guó国huò货

domestic products; Chinese-made goods

pǐn品pái牌

brand; trademark

## Food, drink and home

máo茅tái台

Moutai (Chinese liquor)

qīng青dǎo岛pí啤jiǔ酒

Tsingtao beer

hǎi海dǐ底lāo捞

Haidilao (Chinese hot pot restaurant chain)

xǐ喜chá茶

HEYTEA (tea chain)

mì蜜xuě雪bīng冰chéng城

Mixue Ice Cream & Tea (chain)

ruì瑞xìng幸

Luckin (coffee chain)

hǎi海ěr尔

Haier (Chinese appliance brand)

gé格lì力

Gree (Chinese appliance maker)

## Using apps

yìng应yòng用

(computing) app; application

xià下zài载

to download

sǎo扫mǎ码

to scan a code (QR or bar code)

èr二wéi维mǎ码

QR code

wǎng网gòu购

online shopping

wài外mài卖

takeout; food delivery

dǎ打chē车

to take a taxi; to hail a ride

## What apps do you need in China?

微信 (Wēixìn), WeChat, for messages and paying, and 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo), Alipay, for paying: both take foreign cards. Then a map, 高德地图 (Gāodé Dìtú) or 百度地图 (Bǎidù Dìtú), since Google Maps is out of date in China; 滴滴 (Dīdī) for taxis; 美团 (Měituán) for food delivery; 大众点评 (Dàzhòng Diǎnpíng) for restaurant reviews; and 携程 (Xiéchéng), Trip.com, for trains and hotels. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram do not work in mainland China without a VPN.

## What social media do Chinese people use?

朋友圈 (péngyǒuquān), Moments, inside WeChat is where friends post; 微博 (Wēibó) is China’s Twitter; 抖音 (Dǒuyīn) is the Chinese TikTok, made by the same company, 字节跳动 (Zìjié Tiàodòng), ByteDance; 小红书 (Xiǎohóngshū), RedNote, is for tips and reviews; B站 (B zhàn), Bilibili, for videos with 弹幕 comments flying across them; and 知乎 (Zhīhū) for questions and answers.

## How do you pronounce Huawei and Xiaomi?

华为 is Huáwéi: “hwah-way”, both syllables rising. 小米 is Xiǎomǐ: “shyow-mee”, both dipping. Press Play on each name on this page to hear it. Other names English speakers often get wrong: 比亚迪 BYD is Bǐyàdí, 蔚来 NIO is Wèilái, “the future”, and 青岛 in Tsingtao beer is Qīngdǎo, the city, in an old spelling.

## What are the Chinese car brands, and what do their names mean?

The big makers are 比亚迪 (Bǐyàdí), BYD, its letters taken from the pinyin; 吉利 (Jílì), Geely, which means lucky; 长城汽车 (Chángchéng Qìchē), Great Wall Motor, whose SUVs are 哈弗 (Hāfú), Haval; 奇瑞 (Qíruì), Chery, “unusual and auspicious”; 长安 (Cháng’ān), Changan, “lasting peace”, the old name of Xi’an; and 红旗 (Hóngqí), Hongqi, “red flag”, the state limousine. 上汽 (Shàngqì), SAIC, owns 名爵 (Míngjué), MG, “noble title”, and 五菱 (Wǔlíng), Wuling, “five diamonds”. Electric brands include 蔚来 (Wèilái), NIO, which sounds like 未来, the future; 理想 (Lǐxiǎng), Li Auto, “ideal”; 问界 (Wènjiè), AITO, made with Huawei; 极氪 (Jíkè), Zeekr; 小鹏 (Xiǎopéng), XPeng, named after its founder; and 零跑 (Língpǎo), Leapmotor. A car is 汽车 (qìchē), and an electric or hybrid car is a 新能源车 (xīnnéngyuán chē), a new energy vehicle.

## What are the Chinese clothing brands?

The best known are sportswear: 李宁 (Lǐ Níng), founded by the Olympic gymnast of that name, and 安踏 (Āntà), Anta, which also owns FILA in China. 波司登 (Bōsīdēng), Bosideng, makes down jackets, and 美特斯邦威 (Měitèsībāngwēi), Metersbonwe, is high-street fashion; SHEIN is 希音 (Xīyīn). Chinese brands in a Chinese style are called 国潮 (guócháo), China-chic, and buying Chinese-made goods is buying 国货 (guóhuò). A brand is a 品牌 (pǐnpái), or in everyday speech a 牌子 (páizi).

## Why do Chinese brands have different English names?

Most choose an English name for its sound or feel, not a translation: 瑞幸 (Ruìxìng), auspicious luck, is Luckin; 喜茶 (Xǐchá), happy tea, is HEYTEA; 联想 (Liánxiǎng), association, is Lenovo. Some keep an old spelling, like Tsingtao for 青岛, and a few are initials of the pinyin, like BYD.

## Can’t hear it?

Play uses your device’s Mandarin voice. Edge, Chrome and Safari have one; a browser with none plays each character in our recorded voice instead.

## More for life in China

- [Chinese internet slang](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-slang)
- [Travel phrases in Chinese](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-phrases/travel)
- [Money in Chinese](https://mandarinthewild.com/money-in-chinese)
- [Chinese abbreviations](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-abbreviations)

Names, pinyin and meanings from our own dictionary; the literal meanings are of the characters, not the companies’ own stories.