Related Party Transactions - Transactions with CMCC Group (Detail) - CNY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Interest expenses	¥ 187	¥ 142	¥ 21
Short-term bank deposits received	21,637	10,873	8,611
Short-term bank deposits repaid	10,873	8,611	5,552
China Mobile Communications Corporation [member]
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Consideration of assets transferred	873
China Mobile Communications Corporation [member] \| Telecommunications [member]
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Services revenue	495	71	47
Services charges	103
China Mobile Communications Corporation [member] \| Property leasing and management [member]
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Services revenue	197	226	188
Services charges	1,129	1,009	999
China Mobile Communications Corporation [member] \| Network assets [member]
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Charges for use of network assets	1,448	2,308	2,494
China Mobile Communications Corporation [member] \| Network capacity [member]
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Charges for use of network capacity	¥ 30	¥ 402	¥ 1,047

Charges for use of network assets.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Charges for use of network capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Short-term bank deposits received related party transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Short-term bank deposits repaid related party transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	chl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fair value, at acquisition date, of the consideration transferred in a business combination. [Refer: Business combinations [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 3
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph B64
-Subparagraph f
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=3&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_B64_f&doctype=Appendix&subtype=B
-URIDate 2019-03-27

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- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of interest expense on other financial liabilities. [Refer: Interest expense; Other financial liabilities]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 112
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_112_c&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

The amount of revenue arising from the rendering of services in related party transactions. [Refer: Revenue; Related parties [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 24
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=24&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_21_c&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

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- Definition

The amount of services received in related party transactions. [Refer: Related parties [member]]

+ References

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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