You have a 100% personalized experience. There other is to simply stick out three fingers. Around 100 years ago, handshake was introduced to China. The same concept applies to greetings. Using your thumb and index finger to form a little heart has recently become an incredibly popular gesture in Asia because of how adorable it looks. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you're learning. left hand on the outside. You may just want to offer a handshake instead. Is your desire for learning more interesting Chinese culture aroused? Here’s a picture of the correct hand gesture made for the Chinese New Year. Difference between fist palm salute and hold palm salute. The best part is that FluentU always keeps track of your vocabulary. – Free Chinese Coloring Pages for Kids, Ray, Owner An easy and commonly accepted way to explain this is that 八 looks like how the fingers are positioned. You can tap on any word to instantly look it up. As the old proverb goes, “wine should be served full while tea half.” People should pay attention not to fill the cup with eight points as advised. When throwing back a shot during a Chinese toast, stand up or tap the table with your palm somewhat loudly while drinking. Once again, remember that those are only used between close friends. Unlike what many foreigners think, Chinese etiquette does not include bowing when greeting Chinese people. (你今天好吗？) or zuìjìn zěnme yàng**? If you are female, the honorble side is the right, and you should do the fist palm salute the other way which should be right-hand on the top. How to Say I Love You in Chinese – Romantic Word List, The 10 Most Useful Chinese Sentence Patterns, Chinese Keyboard: How to Install and Type in Chinese, How to Celebrate April Fools’ Day in Chinese. Westerners will sometimes use their index finger to tell someone to “come here,” but that’s not how it’s done in many Chinese-speaking cultures. As you can see, in Chinese number gestures from one to five, the hand gestures are nearly identical to those in western countries. When you want to summon someone to come to you, as commonly known in Western culture, you usually make this sign with your palm facing up. Make sure you toast everybody at the table before drinking, too! Here’s a picture of the correct hand gesture made for the Chinese New Year. You should also do this when you accept or offer business cards. If you want more lessons on Chinese salutations then I recommend that you check out the following: Huí tóu jiàn! When you are attending funeral, you should do the fist palm salute on the opposite way. However, it can mean different numbers in different regions. Maybe you just need a little guide on using differe... You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Chine... China has always been known for its long-cultivated history and culture. Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. This mimics the appearance of funeral incense and is considered a sort of “death” omen. In the Qing Dynasty, it was a custom for people to entertain guests with a hearty meal, leaving courteous behavior to the descendants when dining and drinking together. There is a common saying that, “to be good, to be modest.” Respecting others is not indicative of being courteous or paying a formal salute, but respecting one another. Many celebrities are starting to do it as well to show their love for their fans. Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World China Page for Kids Songs from China and, The Mama Lisa’s World Taiwan Page for more Chinese Children’s Songs. Similar to in Western culture, you can certainly indicate “OK” with your fingers since the English phrase “Okay” (along with many other simple English phrases) have been integrated internationally and are now a part of Chinese people’s daily lives. Learning certain gestures is a necessary part of communicating fluently with native speakers. If you want continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU. - Level 1, Rocket Chinese How Scandinavians mark the end of the season by “plundering” the Christmas Tree on St. Knut’s Day. This is just considered a more participatory, social way of making a toast at a party or business venture. We tot... Have you ever wondered why your speech or writing is so dry? How in Colombia, in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s usually warm in December. Many experts that study this ritual believe that the fist-and-palm salute is a greeting that can best symbolize the spirit of China. What do Chinese people say after the conversation? This is known by the saying, “dining with others, never to taste first.” There are a series of dining rules including, “not sighing at the table, not to be full with a shared meal, not to use your hands during a meal,” and “never throw bones to the dog,” among others. Thanks for subscribing! The guest and host should respect each other to create a harmonious dining atmosphere.          Â. THIS IS A DOWNLOADABLE EBOOK AVAILABLE INSTANTLY. Chinese usually focus their eyes on the lower neck of the person they are talking to, stand very close to them, and try to avoid staring. In ancient time, if people met a stranger, one would tend to prepare for a fight if they have to, and hands were always ready for holding any weapons. Don’t address elders using ‘ni hao’ (/nee haow/). Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Chinese Skills! When it comes to hugging, Chinese people might be a bit reserved. Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture Blog, Touchiness and PDA are less common in Chinese culture, Get Your Culture On! Chinese nonverbal communication can go way beyond simple greetings and formalities—they can even be fun! Today, though Chinese would usually shake hands when meeting friends and relatives, similar like it in the west, people would still make fist and palm salutes when they are paying visit to someone during the traditional Chinese new year or attending someone's wedding reception, birthday reception or funeral. For each of these gestures, let’s look at what they mean and a few videos on how to execute them properly. Gong xi = Congratulations Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. My family always say: gung hey fat choi, ho sei gai. Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you When offered a gift, don’t snatch it up with one hand. In China, body language and gestures are commonly used to express friendly greetings in both formal and casual environments. Make sure the the left thumb is close to the index finger and does not point to yourself, as it indicates arrogance. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Chinese Skills! If you are male, right-hand half-fist, and then left hand hold the right hand in front of your chest. Two hands together with right fist on the left palm is the Wushu (Chinese Martial Art) greeting. The etiquette in celebrations and funerals symbolize the spirit of mutual support as well as the unification of the society.Â. You know you’re saying it correctly if they keep talking, expecting you to keep up! The gesture of fist and palm salute: firstly, stand at attention. The birthday ceremony (for an elderly person) is held after they turn 40. Basically those are what you can use at any time of the day. With an average rating of 4.7 stars you know Rocket Chinese works! In Modern China, fist and palm salute has already been one of the common etiquette frequently used on traditional occasions. There is an etiquette since ancient times where people in a lower class stoop when passing by people in the upper class to show their respect. The first part of the book covers some of the traditions that take place on days other than Christmas itself, like St. Nick’s Day and Epiphany. All Rights Reserved. Nodding with a polite smile or shaking hands are preferred gestures when greeting someone over friendly hugs. All Rights Reserved. Chinese people put emphasis on death so the etiquette is important during the funeral. Hold fist salute shows the humility. For example, in Taiwan, it means seven. Or if it is late at night, people also say wǎn'ān (晚安), which means good night. Otherwise, the etiquette is superficial and not consistent with the standard of decorum. (Logged-In Member Only). The people around the table should immediately stand up to give regards to the respected people at the table.        Â, Dining etiquette plays an important role in Chinese society. Right-hand on the top for men and left-hand on top for women. Among them the fist and palm salute is quite classic one. If you’re from the States, we’re probably both thinking of the same thing. People will feel so weird if you use those as greetings when you just got to know them, in which case you should use formal ways to greet them. On that day people will have a birthday celebration, relatives and friends will come to congratulate them with gifts. In many cultures, a pinky promise means an agreement. In your picture, the guy has his right hand on the outside. The bigest difference to fist & palm salute which is commonly used in daily occasiions, is that the hold fist salute is often widely used among the kung fu masters and students. You might feel it is weird, wondering why they would like to know whether people have had their meals and even use that as a greeting. Once you’re feeling confident with Chinese greetings you’ll learn some different ways to say goodbye in Chinese as well. If you meet people in the afternoon, you can say xiàwǔ hǎo (下午好) (Good afternoon). Anyhow, this is usually for people who are younger than you, kids, your employees, taxis, or waiters. For numbers six and seven, the reason why the finger is presented like this is very easy to understand: The thumb represents the number “five.” Now you can see how the fingers are added to become the number represented. Whether you've been studying Chinese for years or are considering giving Chinese a try, the following 10 hacks and simple tricks can help you to learn Chinese fast and effectively. Each video comes with interactive captions, flashcards and exercises to make sure you’re actively boosting your Chinese language skills while you watch. (The gesture of the fist-and-palm salute is: first standing and then cupping one hand in the other before the chest, showing politeness). This handshake must be initiated by your Chinese counterpart. People will host a dinner on the arrival of a guest to welcome them and have a farewell dinner when the guest leaves. Looking for a way to say Happy New year? Here are some gestures you should stay away from so that you make the best possible first impression: Now that we’ve shown you some actions to avoid, let’s look at some gestures you should use liberally while in China. The fist-and-palm salute, also called “zuoyi” in Chinese, is not only a symbol of appreciation and reverence, but also a type of greeting in China. Learning a language is a complex process that is different for each individual based on several different factors. The meaning for this gesture is a little controversial. I am having coloring pictures done of Chinese New Year Greetings from Taiwan, HK, and China since they are different. Here are a few of them. People will undergo various periods of life including, birth, adult, wedding, birthday-celebration and death, etc. An old saying goes, “no alcohol, no protocol.” Etiquette also exists when toasting at a banquet. The most significant part of the wedding is when the bridegroom goes to the bride’s home and escort her to the wedding ceremony, where she’ll pay ceremony to Heaven and Earth, and also to their parents. 3- Wave Hands You can use this gesture either in a formal business occasion or at a casual party to make some new friends. on Sunday, January 22nd, 2006 at 7:09 pm and is filed under Cantonese, China, Chinese, Chinese New Year, Countries & Cultures, Holidays Around the World, Hong Kong, Korean, Languages, Mandarin, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Vietnamese. Many thanks to Ray Lee for sending me the photo of the correct hand gesture to use for the Chinese New Year, and for help with the Cantonese, and to James Yannucci for help with the Mandarin.