Chinese Culture

Chinese Culture Points

Chinese Appellations

中国人的称谓很复杂,同事之间可以称职务,如“麦总,刘经理”等,熟人之间可以直呼其名,或者在姓的前面加上“老,小”来称呼,如:“老王,小王”等。比较正式的场合对不熟悉的人一般可以称“先生,女士,太太,小姐”等。

The Chinese system of names and titles is by and large complicated. Titles may be used to address each other among one’s colleagues, e.g. “màizǒng and Liú Jīnglǐ”. For acquaintances personal names and surnames may be preceded by “lǎo” (old) or “xiǎo” (young).…

在中国过春节 (Zài zhōng guó guò chūn jié) Celebrating Spring Festival in China

Background

The Chinese Lunar New Year is also known as the Spring Festival because it starts at the beginning of spring. It is the most important festival in China and is traditionally a time for family reunions. Many of China’s ethnic minorities celebrate their Lunar New Year around the same time as the Han people, although some maintain their own calendars.…

Can I give “钟(zhōng) Bell” as a gift to Chinese people?

After accepting invitations from a friend, you must choose a special gift for the host. Many things could be on your present list: fruit, clothes, or books. However, in China, the Bell “钟”(zhōng) could never be given as a present. In Chinese, “钟”(zhōng) has the same pronunciation as “终”(zhōng), which means “the end, the death.”…

Scroll to Top