What are some common mistakes that foreigners make when interacting with the Chinese people?

Here’s a guide to help you navigate some common pitfalls when dealing with Chinese people, written in a casual style that your foreign friends might appreciate:

🙅🏻‍♂️ Don’t mess up these Chinese social conventions or you’ll look like a real 🍌!

Name Card Faux Pas

• 🤦‍♂️ Forgetting your name cards or not having enough of them is a major no-no! Name cards are a big deal in China, you should always have them on hand.
• Also, don’t just fling your name card at the person you’re meeting. Remember to use both hands when giving or receiving them—it’s a sign of respect.
• Don’t go folding or shoving the name card you’ve been given into your pocket. That’s straight up rude!

Getting People’s Names Wrong

• Chinese names can be confusing, especially the three-character ones. Don’t be that guy who butchers them or doesn’t know who the most senior person in the room is. You’ll probably end up calling someone’s grandpa “little” something by mistake 😳.
• Also, know when to use formal titles like “Mr. Wang” and when it’s appropriate to be more casual like “Teacher Wang”.

Not Getting Indirect Communication

• Chinese people often beat around the bush instead of giving a direct answer. If you’re not getting a straight reply, that’s probably the reason.
• When someone says “是”, it could mean anything. You might need to ask their assistant or a translator to get the real answer.

Dinner Time Mistakes

• 🥢 Never stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. That’s a symbol of death and super bad luck.
• Use the public spoon to dish food from the central plates, not your own chopsticks.
• Leave a little food on your plate. Don’t clean it all up—your hosts will think you’re starving!

Taboo Topics

• 🗣️ Stay away from sensitive topics like politics. Don’t criticise the government or get into discussions about Hong Kong or Xinjiang. These are considered major 🆊💂‍♂️.

Time Awareness

• Being late is a major disrespect. Need I say more? Don’t be that late guy—it’s not cool.

Unappropriate Gestures

• 💅🏻 Don’t point at people when you’re talking about them or gesturing. It’s super rude and could be seen as aggressive.

If you want to fit in and not look like a 🧍‍♂️🧐, just keep an eye on what the locals are doing and follow their lead. You can also politely ask someone to show you the ropes. The key is to be humble and open-minded!