Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

NEW WORDS
(1) Apartment: gong(1) yu(4)
(2) Rent / Lease: zu(1)/ zu(1) jie(4)
(3) Contract: he(2) tong
(4) Bond: bao(3) zheng(4) jin(1)
(5) Bedrooms: wo(4) shi(3)

LESSON

• I would like to look for a new apartment.
  wo(3) xiang(3) zhao(3) yi(2) jian(1) xin(1) de gong(1) yu(4).
• How much is the rent per month?
  mei(3) ge(4) yue(4) de zu(1) jin(1) shi(4) duo(1) shao(3) ?
• How many months bond should I pay?
  wo(3) ying(1) gai(1) jiao(1) ji(3) ge(4) yue(4) de bao(3) zheng(4) jin(1)?
• Is the apartment one or two bedrooms?
  gong(1) yu(4) li(3) you(3) yi(2) ge(4) wo(4) shi(3) hai(2) shi(4) liang(3) ge(4)?

* Tip: If you are coming to China for a short stay, hotels or serviced apartments remain the best option. China's larger cities boast all of the world's major hotel chains and offer accommodation ranging from three to six stars.

For those looking to stay longer (and who wouldn't given the excitement of the 2008 Olympics and China's upcoming entry to the WTO), renting an apartment may be the best option. As with any other major world city, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have apartments available to suit any budget and taste.

Some cities enforce the policy that only allows foreigners to live in 'approved' (read 'expensive') apartments, but from time to time, authorities have been known to turn a blind eye.

Rents and apartment quality in China's major cities are comparable to New York, London, Sydney or Toronto and most owners will ask for three months rent as a bond and one month rent in advance.