快速结论
I tried cash-only for a day in Shenzhen—could not buy breakfast at a QR-only stall. ¥300 in my pocket did not help when there was no cash slot.
详细回答
Detailed Answer
What happened: Experiment day in Shenzhen—I disabled mobile pay to “see if cash still works.” A convenience breakfast stall had only a personal Alipay QR—no cash drawer, no card terminal. I had ¥300 in notes; the owner could not accept them. A local customer scanned for me (I repaid cash)—I would not do that with a stranger today.
What I do now: Wallets first, ¥200–400 as fire extinguisher (cash question). Cash saved me later when both apps glitched at a metro machine—not as a primary wallet.
Official stack: How to pay in China.
下一步
Set up both wallets before flying; carry small notes as backup—not as plan A.
怎么做
Run payment checklist at home.
Carry ¥10/¥20/¥50 mix.
Use cash when QR fails—not instead of QR setup.
常见坑
Thinking cash replaces Alipay/WeChat in cities.
Letting strangers scan QR for you at stalls.
Exchanging huge RMB at airport instead of fixing digital pay.
可能变化的部分
Policies and app flows change—verify on official sources before you travel.
常见问题
How much cash do you carry now?
¥300 for a week in tier-1—matches [/questions/do-tourists-still-need-cash-in-china](/questions/do-tourists-still-need-cash-in-china).
Survive cash-only?
Not comfortably in urban China—this thread is why.