Most FT's can't speak Chinese and do need to point at the pictures when they visit budget noodle shops. I found that ex-pats in China who can't speak Chinese who are married to Chinese women were often arrogant: know alls, but can't communicate unless the wife translates everything. I knew one bloke who couldn't even order food in a restaurant or get a taxi unless his wife was with him.

I respect your right to disagree.

However most FT's I met, including africans, could speak Chinese very well. I knew one african FT who was a mate of mine who even surprised me with how good his chinese was, and I consider myself pretty fluent. Chinese (Mandarin) is not too difficult if one practises and works at it, only 4 tones, but then I learned through immersion and out of necessity. Won't go into that any further for personal reasons. Now cantonese, that is a whole other ball game as has been discussed before, 9 or maybe more tones.

It is good however that said noodle shops have pictures; does make things easier for a quick lunch on the go.

Hmmmm, about the expats married to chinese women being arrogant, yes I would agree, I knew a brit guy who was like that, and despite being in China and having a chinese wife a long time, his chinese was worse than mine. He was arrogant and lazy to put it bluntly and I have now terminated our friendship, as I found him to be grovelling and self centred and p***y whipped by his younger chinese wife.

Good luck silverboy!!!