How to write clear emails to Chinese suppliers
Use short sentences, numbered questions and annotated images tied to the current specification. Spell out dates and units, state who should act, and ask the supplier to repeat critical instructions in its own words before work starts. Cambridge China Bridge can help clarify these exchanges through its own staff in China.
Give each email a clear purpose
Put the product or order reference and the requested action in the subject line. Start with what you need the recipient to do. Use short sentences with a single idea, familiar verbs and consistent names for parts. Avoid idioms such as “get the ball rolling” and vague requests such as “make it better”.
Keep technical terms that carry meaning, but explain them where necessary. Separate background from instructions. Link to the product specification guide when preparing the underlying requirements; the email should identify the current specification and the action needed, rather than recreate the whole specification.
Number questions and make replies traceable
Give each question its own number and ask the supplier to reply beneath the matching question. Separate material confirmation, production timing and packaging approval. Ask for the particular evidence you need, such as a measurement photo or a marked drawing. Invite the supplier to flag uncertainty instead of guessing.
Use this pattern: “Please confirm the material shown in the attached specification. If you propose a different material, identify it and explain why.” End with the requested reply date and the person responsible. When an answer is missing, resend the unanswered question with its original number.
Annotate images without replacing the specification
Send an overall image for orientation and a close-up of the feature in question. Add an arrow or outline and a written label describing the required action. Distinguish an acceptable example from a defect example in words; colour alone can be missed. Match each label to the relevant question.
Identify the product, drawing revision and attachment filename in the email. Write dimensions and tolerances explicitly rather than asking the factory to estimate from a photograph. If text has been translated, use the translated drawing approval guide to check the technical meaning before treating the attachment as approved.
Spell out dates, units and delivery milestones
Write the day, the month name and the full year. For a deadline that includes a time, state the time zone explicitly. Replace “next Friday” or “end of the month” with a calendar date. Say whether the date means sample dispatch, production completion, shipment departure or arrival at the buyer’s premises.
Write the unit beside every measurement. Define whether dimensions are internal or external, whether weight is net or gross, and whether a quantity means individual pieces, sets or cartons. Ask the supplier to repeat the date, milestone, quantity and units in its reply. Resolve conflicting values before approving work.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
Check understanding before releasing work
For critical instructions, ask for a restatement rather than “Do you understand?” For example: “Please describe which material you will use, which drawing revision your production team will follow, and what you will do if the specified material is unavailable.” A reply saying “OK” confirms receipt but leaves the interpretation untested.
Ask the person responsible for production to confirm the instruction, with a marked drawing, sample or measurement where appropriate. Resolve discrepancies and send a consolidated instruction that identifies superseded attachments. State exactly what your approval permits; see the inspection and shipment approval guide for those separate decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use translation software for supplier emails?
It can help prepare a draft. Have technical terms, prohibitions and approval conditions checked by a competent bilingual person, then ask the factory to restate the intended action.
What should I do if a supplier only replies OK?
Ask it to describe the planned action, repeat the critical values and identify the attachment it will use. Request a marked drawing or sample if words alone leave uncertainty.
How do I write dates in emails to Chinese suppliers?
Use the day, month name and full year. Add the time zone when giving a time, and specify whether the deadline concerns dispatch, production completion or arrival.
Can I give factory instructions using photos?
Use labelled photos to identify the feature and requested change. Include written dimensions and the current drawing reference, then ask the supplier to confirm its interpretation.