Two hundred first- and second-grade Chinese children's knowledge of basic relational concepts in following directions was assessed on the "Applications Booklet" of the "Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Revised" (BTBC-R, 1986). Chinese children's performance was then compared with that of the standardization sample of the BTBC-R. Results indicated that both the American and Chinese children made significant improvements between the end of first and second grades, yet both American and Chinese children experienced difficulties on items such as following multiple-step directions. American children, but not Chinese children, had difficulties following directions involving the concepts of "right" and "left" in combination with other relational concepts, the quantity concept of "equal", and comparative and superlative features such as "farther" and "farthest." Language Differences in the Translation of the BTBC-R Application is appended. (Contains 2 tables.)