Book excerpt: It's amazing how 100 key words and phrases provide instant communication! Do you want to speak simple Mandarin Chinese but are too busy to study it? Are you visiting China for a short time and want a Mandarin phrase book to help you communicate in the Chinese language? If so, this Mandarin phrasebook and dictionary is for you. It's tiny 0.4 x 4.1 x 5.9 inches size makes it incredibly convenient to travel with but without losing the most essential content for communication. This new, expanded edition contains 15% more content, fun manga-style illustrations, and additional information on which destinations, personalities and trends are hot in China right now! The idea of Instant Chinese is simple--learn 100 words and phrases and say 1,000 things. The trick is knowing which 100 words to learn, but the author Boye Lafayette De Mente has solved the problem, choosing only those words you'll hear again and again. Even with a vocabulary this small, you'll be surprised how quickly and fluently you too can communicate in Mandarin Chinese. Words are repeated in different combinations, building familiarity without effort. All phrases are given in both simplified Chinese characters and standard Hanoi Pinyin romanization. A brief guide to pronunciation allows the user to say the phrases correctly. An English-Chinese dictionary makes looking up a word or phrase simple and quick. Here's a sample of what you'll be able to do with this chinese phasebook: Meet people. Go shopping. Ask directions. Ride the subway. Order food and drinks. And much more.