Asia · plug & voltage guide
China plug type and voltage
China uses Types A and I outlets at 220 V and 50 Hz. Some outlets in China take U.S. plugs, but others are Type I. Pack a Type I adapter to be safe.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
All are used; check your hotel
U.S. outlets: 120 V
U.S.: 60 Hz
Check your devices
Quick answer
China uses Types A and I at 220 V. Some outlets in China take U.S. plugs, but others are Type I. Pack a Type I adapter to be safe. 220 V is about twice the 120 V of the United States. Chargers marked 100–240 V (phones, laptops, cameras) only need an adapter; single-voltage devices such as hair dryers and straighteners need a converter, or bring dual-voltage ones.
- Plug types
- Type A, Type I
- Voltage and frequency
- 220 V, 50 Hz
- Adapter from the U.S.
- Sometimes
- Converter
- Check your devices
Do I need a plug adapter?
- Plugs
- Types A and I
- Voltage
- 220 V
- Frequency
- 50 Hz
Some outlets in China take U.S. plugs, but others are Type I. Pack a Type I adapter to be safe.
220 V is about twice the 120 V of the United States. Chargers marked 100–240 V (phones, laptops, cameras) only need an adapter; single-voltage devices such as hair dryers and straighteners need a converter, or bring dual-voltage ones.
The outlets you'll find in China
Many outlets take both two-prong Type A and angled Type I plugs, but the voltage is 220 V.
Type A
Two flat parallel pins
Not grounded · also used in U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan
Type I
Two flat pins in a V and a grounding pin
Grounded · also used in Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina
What to pack for China
- A Type I plug adapter, one per device you charge at the same time.
- Dual-voltage hair tools, or a voltage converter if yours are 120 V only.
- Leave U.S. power strips at home: most are rated for 125 V, not 220 V.
- A three-to-two prong adapter for grounded plugs, since many outlets are two-prong.
Check the label first
Look for the input line on your charger or device. INPUT: 100–240V means it works anywhere with just a plug adapter. A single number such as 120V means it only works at that voltage.
Plugs in other Asia destinations
- AfghanistanC, F · 220 VType C
- ArmeniaC, F · 230 VType C
- AzerbaijanC, F · 220 VType C
- BangladeshA, C, D, G · 220 VSometimes Type C
- BhutanC, D, F, G, M · 230 VType C
- BruneiG · 240 VType G
- CambodiaA, C, G · 230 VSometimes Type C
- GeorgiaC, F · 220 VType C
- Hong KongG, D, M · 220 VType G
- IndiaC, D, M · 230 VType D
- IndonesiaC, F · 230 VType C
- JapanA, B · 100 VNo adapter
- KazakhstanC, F · 230 VType C
- KyrgyzstanC, F · 220 VType C
- LaosA, B, C, E, F · 230 VSometimes Type C
- MacauG, D, M · 230 VType G
- MalaysiaC, G, M · 230 VType C
- MaldivesD, G, J, K, L · 230 VType D
- MongoliaC, E, F · 220 VType C
- MyanmarA, C, D, F, G, I · 230 VSometimes Type C
- NepalC, D, M · 230 VType D
- North KoreaC, F · 220 VType C
- PakistanC, D, G, M · 230 VType C
- PhilippinesA, B, C · 230 VSometimes Type C
- SingaporeC, G, M · 230 VType C
- South KoreaC, F · 220 VType C
- Sri LankaD, G, M · 230 VType D
- TaiwanA, B · 110 VNo adapter
- TajikistanC, F, I · 220 VType C
- ThailandA, B, C, O · 230 VSometimes Type C
- Timor-LesteC, E, F, I · 220 VType C
- TurkmenistanB, C, F · 220 VSometimes Type C
- UzbekistanC, E, F · 220 VType C
- VietnamA, B, C, F · 220 VSometimes Type C
China plug FAQ
China uses Types A and I. Many outlets take both two-prong Type A and angled Type I plugs, but the voltage is 220 V.
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Plug types and voltages rarely change, but hotels sometimes have older or international outlets.
- IEC: World Plugs, plug types and voltages by country
- Wikipedia: Mains electricity by country (compiled from IEC data)
Read how we collect and check this data, or tell us if something's out of date.
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