Mainland China does not share North America's routine tipping culture. Restaurants and taxis generally expect the bill or meter amount, while hotels may disclose a service charge in their own price structure. A foreign visitor can be kind without turning every payment into a gratuity calculation.
Three common payments are already complete
No tip is not a complaint
A zero-tip payment can feel uncomfortable to visitors trained by a North American terminal. In an ordinary mainland restaurant it is simply the local default. Thanking the server, leaving the table orderly or giving clear positive feedback can communicate appreciation without introducing unexpected cash.
A service charge and a tip are different objects
Higher-end and international hotels or restaurants may add a disclosed service fee. That is part of the bill, not an invitation to stack another percentage on top. Read the room rate, menu and final total before adding anything voluntarily.
Private tours live in a different ecosystem
Guides and drivers who work largely with overseas groups may operate under agency-specific gratuity expectations. Ask what is included before the tour begins. If no gratuity is promised, a direct end-of-day amount for exceptional help can be warm and clear, but it is not a national restaurant rule.
Do not force the envelope
An employee may decline an offered tip because of custom or workplace policy. Accept the refusal gracefully. Repeatedly pressing money into someone's hand can turn thanks into an awkward negotiation.
Use the money for a more local thank-you
Invite a host to tea, bring a thoughtful small gift where appropriate, write a positive review or tell a manager that someone helped you. In China, appreciation can be memorable without appearing as a percentage beside the payment.