Features of etiquette in China

In this article, we will tell you about the most interesting features of etiquette in China. The information can amaze you, but it is worth familiarizing yourself before traveling to the Middle Kingdom.

Acquaintance and small talk

Features of etiquette in China somewhat different than in the West. But they are similar in the list of allowed or undesirable topics of conversation.

The standard greeting in China to strangers sounds like “Nĭ hăo!” equal to “Hello!”. In order to emphasize respect for the interlocutor – “Nín hăo!”. This form adopted with respect to people of older age, leaders, teachers.

When calling the interlocutor by name, you can use the address “Xiānsheng”, which is equivalent to “Master” or “Mister”. “Xiăojiĕ” – when referring to a girl as “Miss” or “Nǚshì” – when referring to a woman as “Madam”.

After greeting you may be asked:

• Jin lái zěnme yàng? = How are you doing?
• Shēntǐ hǎo ma? = How is your health?
• Jiālǐ zěnyàng? = How is your family?
• Gōngzuò máng ma? = How is your work?
• Xuéxí máng ma? = How is your study?

You can answer by using these phrases:

• Hěn hǎo = Very good
• Hái xíng = Good
• Mǎmǎhǔhǔyang = Not bad (So-so)
• Jiù nàyàng = As usually

One common greeting is  ”Nǐ chīfànle méiyǒu“ = ”Have you eaten?“. This kind of greeting is one of the features of etiquette in China. The meal has a more marked social significance in China than in the West. Therefore, both food and culinary preferences are always welcome topics for discussion.

Sometimes you may be embarrassed or stressed by fairly straightforward questions about your marital status, work, family. Sometimes they can ask about your salary, it is normal in Chinese culture. In general, Chinese people speak much more direct. This is due to the language difference and has no intention of offending you.

There are some topics which better to avoid in your conversations with Chinese:

• the cultural revolution
• criticism of the Mao system
• Tibetan and Taiwan issues
• animal cruelty

Please note that the Chinese tend to touch you during a conversation. This is just a sign of sympathy, and you should not react rudely to it.

Loss of face

“Save face” and “Loss of face” are very important features of etiquette in China. The Chinese are very proud of their culture, cuisine and traditions. Respect this and try not to put the Chinese on the spot in which they can lose face in front of their compatriots. Try to be polite, smile and compliment their English skills. The Chinese are very sensitive to your behaviour and tend to respond in kind.

Also try to remain calm, self-possessed and friendly in stressful situations. Anger is not constructive here and will not help you in solving the problem. Even if you were deceived, try to solve the problem as gently and flexibly as possible. And you will reach your goal much faster.

In conclusion, a few more words about tolerance. Certain local habits and customs may be unpleasant or difficult to tolerate. Widespread smoking or spitting on the street are usual things. This is natural for the locals, so try not to be annoyed in vain and accept it as part of the culture.

Guests

In general, the Chinese are known for their hospitality. Inviting a foreigner to visit your home is a sign of great trust. If you received such an invitation, you should express your gratitude and answer exactly. If you are busy at the appointed time, you should express your regret and try to arrange another time.

Choosing gifts

When making a visit, it is better to bring a gift with you, especially if there are small children in the house. A gift must not be expensive. Moreover, an expensive gift is more likely to put the owner of the house in a difficult position. When choosing a gift, take into account the tastes and interests of the owner of the house. As well as the event for which you were invited, and buy something meaningful and practical or something artistic, or just a souvenir.

The taboo on numbers. A Chinese proverb says that happy events often come hand in hand, so it is considered a good omen to give paired items. And try to avoid odd numbers when giving wedding gifts.

The taboo on colours. The Chinese associate black with sad events, for this reason, black wrapping paper should not be used for gifts. Rural populations in China often dress in white at funerals, so white is taboo in many cases. The Chinese, especially the older generation, are very fond of red and regard it as a sign of favour. Red garlands, lanterns and other red and gold decorations are traditionally used to decorate homes on New Years and at weddings.

Special taboos. In China, you run the risk of offending a Chinese by presenting things like a watch. “zhong” = watch = end. Also, word “li” = pear = separation.

Gifts must be festively wrapped, don’t use newspapers or plain brown paper. The price tag should be cut. The host will thank you and put your gift aside since it is indecent to unfold the gift in front of guests.

Features of table etiquette in China

Upon arrival, it is worth observing the features of etiquette. You can sit down at the table after the older generation takes their places. At dinner you will most likely be offered wine or beer. If you do not drink alcohol, it is better to notify the owner in advance. While the next dish is being served, the owner of the house can get up and propose a toast to your health. At this moment, you should interrupt, put aside the devices and listen to the toast while standing. As a guest, you should also propose a toast in return for the host and other guests.

During the meal, the host can take the initiative and choose food for you. You should never show that you did not like a particular treat.

It is considered bad form to remain silent at the table throughout the evening. At the same time, your voice should not be too loud. It is permissible to stretch across the table for any dish in front of the faces of your neighbors. The bones are placed directly on the table or in a special plate. Never collect them on your plate.

After the end of the meal, the chopsticks are placed on the table or on a special chopstick holder. Putting chopsticks parallel to each other on a plate is considered bad omen. It is also unacceptable to stick sticks vertically into a bowl of rice. Try not to drop your sticks – this is also a bad omen.

Don’t leave the house right after dinner. Stay and have conversations after dinner over a cup of tea. As you leave the house, be sure to thank the host again for their hospitality and say goodbye to all other guests and family members.

All these features of etiquette in China can really confuse you. However, it is worth familiarizing yourself with them before traveling to China. We also recommend reading the article on the differences between Chinese and Westerners.

What to pack for China?

“What to pack for China?” is the main question for students who received a visa and ready to go. Travel to another country is always an adventure. Exciting, but intriguing and fascinating. Even more so when it is planned to leave for a long time. Ahead is new, unknown, but quite often, expectations are much nicer than the trip itself. Why? English writer Jeff Dyer once said: “The ideal is to feel at home anywhere, everywhere”. Therefore, for the departure, it is necessary not only to prepare psychologically but also, for example, to competently approach the choice of what to take with you on a trip.

We have prepared for you check-list of things, that must be in your baggage. Read and check with yours. Ready? Go!

Clothes

We really are what we eat. And also what we put on. Clearly, that you want to take all your favourite things, but it makes no sense. For example, take a down jacket with you if you plan to arrive in China in spring, summer or even autumn. Believe me, you will have enough time for shopping.

• one jacket for the season, universally – sports, because in the fall, you can wear a sweater, sweatshirt, jumper, etc under it;
• warm hat in winter or autumn, the rest of the time – baseball cap;
• several T-shirts and tops, if desired – shirts;
• a pair of shorts, tights, several pairs of socks (you don’t have to limit yourself here, since they won’t take up much space), several sets of underwear;
• comfortable(!) shoes, the best – sneakers;
• from the accessories, it is reasonable to take sunglasses, although buying them will not be a problem. A few handkerchiefs can also come in handy.

Medicines and personal hygiene

The most important items. Not a single human body is completely protected from colds, food poisoning, and stressful situations. Take this moment with all responsibility: you may also need to consult with your doctor. We offer to take with you:

• specific medicines (appointed by your doctor, like, asthma medicine);
• medicines for digestion – Chinese food is very tasty, but
• the difference in the ingredients of the dishes, the methods of their combination and preparation + short-term discomfort from jet lag can cause many problems;
• allergy pills, since there are too many new things in China and it is not known how the body will react to this.  For the same reason, by the way, you can grab anaesthetic and antipyretic;
• vitamins will also be useful: ascorbic acid or multivitamin complexes;
• toothbrush, toothpaste (small tube), a bar of soap, razor, shampoo, antiperspirant, loofah and towel – all these things you can buy on the first day, but we recommend you to prepare it for the first time.

Gadgets

Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine anyone without a phone and laptop, so the necessary electronics, of course, must move around the world together with its owner. The development of technology, however, makes it possible not to take a hard drive – information (all scanned documents) can simply be uploaded to the cloud and downloaded upon arrival. Although the most important thing should be on the hard drive, in case of problems with the Internet. Necessarily needed:

• mobile phone: upon arrival in Сhina you will need to buy a SIM card of a local operator;
• personal laptop: of course you can by one in China (it could be cheaper than in your country), but the laptop won’t be adapted to your language;
• tablet, photo camera – if there is a need;
• battery charger, memory card and adapters (China has its own standards).

Food

Chinese food is diverse and delicious. However, there is a shortlist of food, which we advise you to take:

• coffee – if you like that drink, then for the first time we recommend taking it, especially since the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire are ambivalent about it;
• spoon and fork, they will not take much place. Don’t forget to put them into baggage, not into hand baggage;
• you can take chocolate because in China it is expensive.

Money

The main rule: “More money, less stuff”. Since almost everything can be purchased in China. Take with you:

• yuan – about 2.000 (300$). No need of dollar, euro or other foreign currencies. It will be very hard to exchange money in yuan;
• international banking card (Visa or MasterCard). They must be serviced abroad. Do not forget to also remove the limit “for cash withdrawals”, as well as connect the mobile banking service and install the appropriate (if available) application on your smartphone.

This is, perhaps, the most important thing that you should take. You will probably want to take something that is not included in our check-list, something impractical, but favourite. It can be a toy, a mascot, a book. In other words, everything that will create a good mood. We hope we answered your question “what to pack for China?”. Good luck!

If you are still thinking about admission to Chinese universities, we advise you to read our article about scholarships. And feel free to leave your questions in the comments below or ask our consultants.

Illustrations by Yang Liu

Chinese differ from Westerners in their worldview, behaviour, reactions and preferences. There are many volumes of literature, hundreds of dissertations about that issue. No matter how many years you have lived and worked with Chinese, you will not be able to get used 100% to the differences. Even after you’ve learned the classics by heart, you may admit that you don’t understand Chinese at all.

We want to show you a series of graphic illustrations made by the Chinese artist Yang Liu. She lived in China until the age of 14, then moved to Germany. She was able to quite clearly display the difference between the Eastern and Western approaches to life. Of course, China is changing and modernizing rapidly. And, perhaps, after some time, some of the postulates from this scheme will become obsolete. Moreover, any scheme is a generalization. And there are always exceptions to the rule.

The blue parts are Western, the red parts are Chinese.

Freedom of expression

This scheme illustrates not only freedom of expression, but also the way to attain the goal. Western clearly see the goal and goes to it. The Chinese follow a twisting route. They focus not on the goal, but on the way to it – the process is more important. This path will never be straight. Only evil gooie spirits walk on straight paths. This feature is also embedded in speech: due to the fact that there are many homophones in the Chinese language. Homophones – words that sound the same, but are spelt differently and have different meanings. Such situations often arise when the interlocutors misunderstand each other. Therefore, the Chinese say the same thing several times, in different words. A European will say this much faster, with a minimum of words and phrases.

Punctuality

“Accuracy is the courtesy of kings and the duty of all good people”. With these words, the rapid development of etiquette begins in Europe. The Chinese have a more vague framework. However, if the Chinese want to please you, he will appear second a second, and sometimes in advance.

Queue behaviour

Quite often the Chinese stand like this – in a bunch. And as space becomes free, they rush to the target, actively working with their elbows. You snooze, you lose. At the same time, if you politely ask to let you pass, they will do it without any questions.

The noise level in public places

In Europe, public places are generally much quieter than in China. They all speak loudly. However, you quickly get used to it.

If you want to study in China, please, contact our consultants. They will answer all your questions. Also, you can leave your questions in the comments below.

Social communications

Western society is more atomic; a person does not have many personal connections. In China, personal connections play a very important role. Basically, everything is achieved through personal connections. The web of all kinds of relationships – family, friendship, business. Thanks to this, many issues can be solved quite easily. However, this is also a serious obstacle.

Problem-solving approach

If the problem can be circumvented, the Chinese will do it. This is the art of Tao – not to go through the thicket, but to get around obstacles. Just like water flows around a stone. In this regard, the Chinese differ from Westerners quite strong.

Own ego

The ideas of human rights, personal integrity and private property have a long history in Europe. Collectivism is one of the characteristics of the Chinese. The ego is criticized both in traditional teachings (Confucianism, Taoism) and in Buddhism. The ego is what obscures the Tao, the true nature of reality, from the person.

Relationship with the leader

Between the leader and subordinates in China, a vertical relationship of the “senior-junior”. It is governed by the Confucian principles of “fatherly love” and “filial piety.” Even if the boss is younger than the subordinate.

Travel behaviour

Comparing Europeans and Chinese people, the Chinese take a lot more pictures. Moreover, they still love to be photographed. Sometimes it is difficult to photograph an object because a Chinese woman or a couple taking the most incredible poses while someone photographs them.

Three meals per day

Europeans and Americans often use semi-finished foods. The Chinese, on the other hand, prefer freshly prepared food or food in eateries. However, young people actively buy semi-finished products and eat them.

Popular dishes

For a Westerner, Western food is still more familiar and popular, and for the Chinese, Chinese. But with exotic things the opposite is true. For us, exotic is oriental cuisine, and for the Chinese – European cuisine.

You may be interested in reading this article to help you prepare for your trip to China.

Drink preferences

The fact that all Chinese people drink tea is not entirely true. Good tea is very expensive. Therefore, many Chinese people still prefer plain water.

Attitude to weather and life situations

Keeping face in all situations is another quality of the Chinese. This is primarily about educated Chinese or those who want to please you.

Party behaviour

At parties in Europe, buffets are often held. Society is split into small groups. The Chinese, on the other hand, often sit at a large common table with dishes.

Attitude towards elders

The Chinese do not have such a developed pension system as in European countries. Caring for the older generation often falls on their children and grandchildren. Moreover, in traditional society, the older generation is the bearer of knowledge and traditions that it must pass on to young people. However, on the Chinese streets, you will not find grandparents with grandchildren everywhere. Usually, you will the elderly near parks or houses.

In this article, we have explained how the Chinese differ from Westerners using illustrations by Yang Liu. You can find more illustrations by following that link.

Chinese numbers

As in all countries of the world, numbers in China are used to represent different digits. As elsewhere, Chinese numbers are divided into two types:

• ordinal numbers: which denote the serial number of something, for example, the first, second;
• quantitative numbers: denoting quantity or count.

You should write numbers in China, like all other written characters, by using hieroglyphs. This is the main difference between the Chinese numbers and European ones. You can write composite numbers by combining hieroglyphs in the desired order.

In China, you can count up to trillions, the large digit capacity of numerals in Chinese will allow you to do this. There are two styles to write numbers in China:

• regular: they have a simplified form and people use them in everyday life;
• official: this style means writing numbers in the form of a complex combination of hieroglyphs. People use them mainly in official documents, invoices, checks in stores.

The picture below illustrates how Chinese numbers can be shown by hand:

The numbers in China look like this:

一	yī	1
二	èr	2
三	sān	3
四	sì	4
五	wǔ	5
六	lìu	6
七	qī	7
八	bā	8
九	jǐu	9
零	Líng	0

In order to write down the numbers from 11 to 19, you must first write the hieroglyph 十 (shí), meaning “ten”, then the numbers from one to nine are added. Numbers from 20 to 99 can be written in a similar way, the only difference is that the hieroglyph “ten” must be written not before the number, but after. If the number has a capacity in units, then it is indicated by the third hieroglyph from the right. We will show you some examples:

20 – 二十， 30 – 三十， 40-四十， 50-五十，25-二十五，38-三十八，99-九十九

If we talk about ordinal numbers, then everything is simpler. They are formed only with the prefix di (第), for example, Dì yī – the first, Dì wǔ – the fifth, etc.

Interesting fact. In Chinese, all items are counted exclusively in pieces. For example, you cannot say “two bananas”, the Chinese say “three pieces of bananas”.

Since ancient times, numbers in China have been used not only to indicate numbers but also as symbols. Odd numbers are Yang masculine, and even numbers are Yin feminine.

Meaning of numbers

We will briefly tell you what the Chinese numbers from 0 to 9 mean:

— 0 is used to denote completeness, emptiness and God. Zero is infinity; it has no beginning or end.

— 1 symbolizes leadership, honor and dignity and denotes continuous improvement and development.

— 2 is the balance between Yin and Yang, that is, between a woman and a man, also denotes cooperation. Often at wedding ceremonies, you can see the hieroglyph of this figure, because it means “double happiness”.

— 3 According to the “Book of Changes”, which describes all the numbers in China, the number 3 is the unification of earth, sky and man. Three for luck, success and achievement of goals.

— 4 it is a figure of the material order, it symbolizes the material world. However, this figure can be compared with our number “13”, it is also considered an unfavourable sign and is pronounced like the word “death”. In Chinese hotels, you cannot find a fourth floor and a fourth room.

— 5 these are water, fire, metal, wood and earth (philosophical elements), as well as health, longevity, love of life, prosperity and death (blessings). A very significant figure for the Chinese.

— 6 auspicious number, similar to the word “prosperity”.

— 7 considered a feminine number that determines her future life.

— 8 denotes abundance. People use as a talisman and defining a man’s life.

— 9 contains the characteristics of all the above numbers, therefore it is considered the number of the emperor.

These are such mysterious and interesting numbers in China, not just squiggles indicating the quantity, but symbols of wisdom.

Also, advise you to read our article about the differences between Chinese and Westerns.