Related Party Transactions - Significant transactions with associates of the Group and of CMCC Group (Detail) - CNY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Prepayments and other current assets	¥ 27,002	¥ 24,552
Bank deposits	291,887	279,371
Telecommunications services revenue	670,907	668,351	¥ 623,422
Interest and other income	15,885	15,883	16,005
Associates and joint ventures [member]
Disclosure of transactions between related parties [line items]
Accounts receivable	240	313
Interest receivable	829	997
Other receivables	12,518	12,565
Prepayments and other current assets	160	51
Available-for-sale financial assets		31,778
Financial assets at FVPL	41,128
Bank deposits	44,955	62,969
Accounts payable	3,252	4,479
Accrued expenses and other payables	7,301	5,429
Telecommunications services revenue	604	828	637
Telecommunications services charges			422
Property leasing and management services revenue	40	99	1
Charges for use of tower assets	37,837	36,335	28,144
Interest and other income	4,083	4,807	4,140
Dividend income	¥ 691	¥ 847	¥ 1,944

Accrued expenses and other payables related party transactions.

No definition available.

Name:	chl_AccruedExpensesAndOtherPayablesRelatedPartyTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	chl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The charges from rendering of telecommunication services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	chl_ChargesFromRenderingOfTelecommunicationServices
Namespace Prefix:	chl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income associated with interest and other financing activities of the entity and operating income that the entity does not separately disclose in the same statement or note.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amounts receivable resulting from related party transactions. [Refer: Related parties [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 24
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=24&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_20&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 24
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 18
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=24&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_18_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AmountsReceivableRelatedPartyTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of current prepayments and other current assets. [Refer: Other current assets; Current prepayments]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 55
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_55&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_CurrentPrepaymentsAndOtherCurrentAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfTransactionsBetweenRelatedPartiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of financial assets that are measured at fair value and for which gains (losses) are recognised in profit or loss. A financial asset shall be measured at fair value through profit or loss unless it is measured at amortised cost or at fair value through other comprehensive income. A gain (loss) on a financial asset measured at fair value shall be recognised in profit or loss unless it is part of a hedging relationship, it is an investment in an equity instrument for which the entity has elected to present gains and losses in other comprehensive income or it is a financial asset measured at fair value through other comprehensive income. [Refer: At fair value [member]; Financial assets]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_8_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_FinancialAssetsAtFairValueThroughProfitOrLoss
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of non-derivative financial assets that are designated as available for sale or are not classified as (a) loans and receivables; (b) held-to-maturity investments; or (c) financial assets at fair value through profit or loss. [Refer: Derivative financial assets; Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss; Held-to-maturity investments]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2021-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_8_d&doctype=Standard&book=b
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_FinancialAssetsAvailableforsale
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of interest recognised as a receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 112
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_112_c&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_InterestReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of leases where the entity was the lessor in related party transactions. [Refer: Related parties [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 24
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=24&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_21_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_LeasesAsLessorRelatedPartyTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of operating lease income. Operating lease is a lease that does not transfer substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to ownership of an underlying asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Effective 2019-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 16
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 90
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=16&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_90_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_OperatingLeaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount receivable by the entity that it does not separately disclose in the same statement or note.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 78
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_78_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_OtherReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of dividends recognised as income. Dividends are distributions of profits to holders of equity investments in proportion to their holdings of a particular class of capital.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_RevenueFromDividends
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of revenue arising from the rendering of telecommunication services. [Refer: Revenue]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_RevenueFromRenderingOfTelecommunicationServices
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of short-term deposits held by the entity that are not classified as cash equivalents. [Refer: Cash equivalents]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ShorttermDepositsNotClassifiedAsCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of payment due to suppliers for goods and services used in the entity's business.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 78
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_78&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TradeAndOtherPayablesToTradeSuppliers
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_CategoriesOfRelatedPartiesAxis=chl_AssociatesAndJointVenturesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: