How to Convert a Chinese Address to English (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you've ever tried to ship a package to China, fill out a visa form, or verify a business address, you've probably run into the same problem: Chinese addresses don't work like English ones. The characters are different, the order is reversed, and a straight copy-paste into a form usually ends in rejection.

Here's the good news — converting a Chinese address to English is straightforward once you understand the structure. This guide covers everything you need, including real examples for Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Why Chinese Address Conversion Isn't as Simple as Translation

The biggest challenge isn't the characters — it's the order.

Chinese addresses are written from largest to smallest: Country → Province → City → District → Street → Building Number → Room

English addresses are written from smallest to largest: Building Number → Street → District → City → Province → Country

For example:

• Chinese: 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街1号
• English: 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Just transliterating Chinese characters into pinyin won't fix this — you also need to flip the entire order and translate the administrative terms (市, 区, 路, 号) into their English equivalents.

The Fastest Method: Use an Address Translator

The quickest and most accurate way to convert a Chinese address to English is to use a dedicated address converter that verifies the result against Google Maps data.

Here's how to use Addran.com to convert any Chinese address:

1. Go to Addran.com
2. Select "Chinese (Simplified)" or "Chinese (Traditional)" from the language dropdown — or leave it on Auto Detect
3. Paste your Chinese address into the input field
4. Click "Convert to English Address"
5. Copy the result — it will be in standard English format, verified against Google Maps

The tool handles both Simplified Chinese (Mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia) and Traditional Chinese (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau) automatically.

Understanding Chinese Address Components

Before you convert manually or verify a result, it helps to know what each part of a Chinese address means:

• 省 (shěng) — Province (e.g., 广东省 = Guangdong Province)
• 市 (shì) — City or Municipality (e.g., 深圳市 = Shenzhen)
• 区/县 (qū/xiàn) — District or County (e.g., 南山区 = Nanshan District)
• 路/街/大道 (lù/jiē/dàdào) — Road, Street, or Avenue (e.g., 中山路 = Zhongshan Road)
• 号 (hào) — Number (e.g., 88号 = No. 88)
• 楼 (lóu) — Floor or Building (e.g., 3楼 = 3rd Floor)
• 室/房 (shì/fáng) — Room or Unit (e.g., 301室 = Room 301)

Important: In Mainland China, the building number comes at the end (e.g., 建国门外大街1号 = 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue). In Taiwan, "No." precedes the number (e.g., 信義路五段7號 = No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road).

Real Conversion Examples

Mainland China (Simplified Chinese)

Beijing:

• Chinese: 北京市朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸大厦A座
• English: Tower A, China World Trade Center, 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100004, China

Shanghai:

• Chinese: 上海市浦东新区陆家嘴环路1000号恒生银行大厦
• English: Hang Seng Bank Tower, 1000 Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 200120, China

Guangzhou:

• Chinese: 广东省广州市天河区天河路385号太古汇
• English: Taikoo Hui, 385 Tianhe Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510620, China

Taiwan (Traditional Chinese)

Taipei:

• Chinese: 台北市信義區信義路五段7號
• English: No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City 110, Taiwan

Taiwan uses a slightly different format — "No." before building numbers and "Section" for 段.

Hong Kong (Traditional Chinese)

Hong Kong:

• Chinese: 香港中環皇后大道中99號中環中心
• English: The Center, 99 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Hong Kong addresses typically don't include a province — just the district and territory name.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Keeping the original Chinese order

Copying the Chinese address order directly into English produces a backwards result that couriers and official forms won't accept. Always convert from big-to-small to small-to-big.

2. Using pinyin for administrative terms

Transliterating every word into pinyin (e.g., "Chaoyang Qu" instead of "Chaoyang District") creates an address that's harder to verify and looks informal. Translate administrative terms into English.

3. Skipping the postal code

Chinese postal codes are 6 digits. International couriers — especially FedEx, DHL, and UPS — require them for delivery. Never leave them out.

4. Confusing Simplified and Traditional Chinese regions

Mainland China uses Simplified Chinese (简体). Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau use Traditional Chinese (繁體). Address conventions differ between regions, so make sure you select the correct region in your converter.

5. Omitting the country name

For international shipping, always include "China", "Taiwan", or "Hong Kong" at the end of the address.

What to Include for International Shipping

When sending a package to or from China, your address label should contain the following in order:

• Recipient's full name
• Building name or number
• Street address in English
• District or county
• City name
• Province name
• 6-digit postal code
• Country name

For example, a package to Shanghai would be addressed as: Room 1502, Jing'an Mansion, 1266 Nanjing West Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai 200040, China.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Google Translate to convert a Chinese address?

Google Translate can transliterate Chinese characters into pinyin or approximate English text, but it doesn't automatically reverse the address order or verify that the location actually exists. For accurate results — especially for shipping labels — use an address converter that queries Google Maps Geocoding API directly, like Addran.com.

What's the difference between Simplified and Traditional Chinese addresses?

Simplified Chinese (简体中文) is used in Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia. Traditional Chinese (繁體中文) is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Beyond the character differences, Taiwan formats building numbers differently (No. X, Section Y) and Hong Kong omits provincial information entirely. An address converter handles these regional differences automatically.

My converted address looks different from what I typed on Taobao or a Chinese e-commerce site. Is it correct?

This is normal. Chinese e-commerce platforms often use abbreviated or informal address formats. The converted English version may reorder or expand parts of the address to match the internationally recognized standard. If in doubt, verify the result on Google Maps by searching for the English address.

Do I need to translate the building or company name?

For international shipping, use the official English translation of the building or company name if one exists (e.g., "China World Trade Center"). If no official translation is available, the pinyin romanization is acceptable — couriers will process both.

How accurate is automated Chinese address conversion?

Tools using Google Maps Geocoding API are highly accurate for major cities, business districts, and well-known addresses. Accuracy may vary for rural areas, newly built developments, or addresses not yet indexed by Google Maps. For critical shipments, verify the result by searching the converted address on Google Maps.