For international students prepping for tech interviews in North America, picking between LeetCode's English and Chinese versions isn't straightforward. I've been through this dilemma myself, and trust me, the choice really matters - it can make or break your interview performance. Both platforms have their perks, but which one works best depends entirely on where you're at in your coding journey.
The English version (leetcode.com) is basically the gold standard for cracking Silicon Valley interviews. Having used it extensively, I can confirm many interview questions come straight from this pool - sometimes word for word. What really gives it an edge is how it trains you to think and explain solutions in English, just like you'd need to during actual interviews. My roommate at Stanford swears by it - after three months of daily practice, he went from stumbling through explanations to acing his Google onsite.
The Chinese version of LeetCode is suitable for those students who want to quickly improve their algorithmic foundation. The Chinese community is very active. Under almost every question, there are detailed explanations and different solutions. This is especially helpful for students who are just starting to deal with algorithm problems or are not yet confident in English expression. Moreover, domestic Internet companies update interview questions at a very fast pace. Some newly emerged question types and variant questions can also be found in the Chinese version. If you are preparing to interview with both domestic and North American companies at the same time, the Chinese version offers a more comprehensive question bank.
Here's something most people don't realize - the two versions actually test slightly different skills. The English version tends to focus more on practical, real-world scenarios (think: designing a cache system), while the Chinese version often includes more abstract, mathematically intensive problems. During my last interview cycle, I noticed several problems that were super common on the Chinese version never came up in my US interviews, and vice versa.
The most ideal way is to switch flexibly according to different stages. At the beginning, you can use the Chinese version to quickly lay a solid foundation, master the core algorithms and data structures, and use Chinese parsing to help understand the questions. After mastering the basics, move on to the US version, focus on practicing common questions in North American interviews, and adapt to the English problem-solving environment. This way, not only can a comprehensive knowledge system be guaranteed, but also targeted preparations for the interview can be made.
But here's the real talk: no matter which version you pick, consistency is everything. The students who land the best offers aren't necessarily the geniuses - they're the ones who stick to a daily practice routine. I keep a spreadsheet tracking every problem I've solved, with special markers for ones I got wrong. Every Sunday morning with my coffee, I revisit those tough ones - it's boring but absolutely worth it.
And don't make my early mistake - don't get so obsessed with LeetCode that you neglect everything else. Those system design questions can sneak up on you, and behavioral interviews matter more than most engineers want to admit. The students who really shine are the ones who balance their prep - maybe 60% coding problems, 30% system design, and 10% practicing their "tell me about a challenge" stories.
Release time:2025-05-06
