Gesture to Communicate in Chinese

A major challenge English native’s face when communicating with Chinese is hand gestures and body language. Due to major cultural differences, what’s friendly in America can be very rude in China. To save yourself some real embracement, learning some of the most commonly used Chinese gestures is an essential part of your language lessons, particularly if you play to visit China in the near future.

No matter your Chinese skill level, you can highlight your phrases with this Chinese gesture and convey yourself more gaudily. Let’s take a look at the list of gesture should learn before you visit China!

Reasons you should familiarize yourself with Chinese gestures 

• Body language can be useful when you cannot recall particular words 

Any person who is well-versed in a 2nd language will still inevitably have to play some charades with others when a particular phrase or Chinese word draws a blank. Do not feel bad. It occurs to most of us. Knowing the right gesture can help you in this situation.

• Language is a lot more than speaking, reading, or writing 

Humans are fascinating when it comes to how we can communicate with one another easily. Even you expert in speaking and reading the Chinese language, you will still need some quick crash course in mandarin non-verbal communication if you plan to visit abroad.

• Gestures are very good to remember if you know little to no mandarin language 

If you are new to Mandarin, Chinese gestures can prove handy when communicating more than just a phrase or word!

• Understanding Gestures, manners, and etiquette are vital if you are traveling abroad or visiting China 

You are a guest in another tradition and culture’s country. If you are visiting the board for the 1st time, you might be staying with the family that is invited you into their house. It’d be a big shame to accidentally use a harsh cultural Chinese gesture and insult them!

• Chinese gestures paired with language abilities are part of improving fluency 

As I mentioned earlier, language involves more than reading or speaking ability. If you truly want to master mandarin and sound like a native Chinese speaker, incorporating some important Chinese gestures into your body vocabulary is a smart choice.

Gestures you should avoid in Chinese Culture 

Here’re some gestures you should avoid so that you can make the right possible 1st impression.

• Always keep your hand to yourself – making huge sweeping hand gestures while speaking Chinese should be avoided. Drawing huge attention to you and considered rude and slightly obnoxious in Chinese culture.
• No finger-pointing when talking – This is considered very rude. Using chopsticks or another kind of cutlery to point out somebody or something is another act to avoid also. Pointing is bad, but pointing at somebody with dirty chopsticks is rather antagonizing.
• Do not be late – Punctuality is extremely valued in Chinese culture. Being fashionably late in chine considered a bit tacky, so always try to arrive right on time to dates and meetings, though casual!
• No excessive touching – While we are on the niche of hand, public shows of affection are also frowned upon. Do not make out in front of a bunch of others in China. Do not do this in any place. Gross.
• Keep the tip – this might look crazy, but it is considered rude and very stuck up to tip a cab driver, waiters, or another same worker in China.
• Feet are created for walking – Our feet are considered polluted in Chinese culture, which is not very much diff from English culture, and moving your leg in someone’s side, putting your feet on a chair or table, showing the soles of your feet, and gesturing at people with your feet is rude in China.

Most useful Chinese Gesture you should know about 

Saying Yes

China is the same as the Western countries in that they nod when agreeing. Though, while business people normally shake hands to seal the deal, this is not done in China, where bodily contact among strangers is not considered quite socially acceptable. Interlocking your very last fingers with another is appropriate, as this hand gesture has a further meaning, goodwill, and wish for the contract to be fruitful and long.

Keep greetings formal

Are you a bigger hugger, sadly, this mightn’t go over so well in Chinese culture? Touchiness and PDA are very few in Chinese culture. Back-slapping, Kissing, hugging, or reaching out to touch a pin prior to complementing it are all big no-nos. Nodding with a gentle smile or shaking hands are highly preferred gestures when greeting anyone over friendly hugs. Additionally, always try to greet the oldest person first if you are meeting a family or group of Chinese. 

How to Point 

Pointing at others can be considered huge impolite, but even more so in Chinese culture. To point at someone with 1 finger is to display contempt. Fortunately, there’re certain ways to point respectfully.

• At yourself – if you want to identify yourself (including at the workplace, let’s say somebody asks, who was in charge of the monthly based report? And you need to show it was you), you can touch your nose with your index finger for this cause.
• At others – though if the person in charge of the monthly report is your partner and you have to point at him, don’t touch his nose, with your finger in its place, gesture towards your partner with your full palm upwards.

Come Here

When you need to call anybody to come to you, as generally known in English states, you normally make this sign with your palm facing up. This is a little different in Chinese culture. Chinese are accustomed to making their palms face down while summoning anyone. Anyhow, this is normal for people who’re younger than you, children, your staff, and waiters or taxis. For peers or your respectable elders, this might be considered inappropriate and perceived behavior as a lack of respect. You might in its place need to respectfully invite them over your arm and suggesting the way or with a right bow.

Place your chop sticks on top 

Instead of sticking a chopstick into your bowl or onto a napkin when you are done eating. It is customary to put a chopstick that is not in use horizontally on top of your dish bowl. In Chinese culture, also many other Southeast Asian cultures, it is a big no to stick your chop stick upright into your rice while eating with others. This mimics the form of funeral incense and is considered a sort of death omen. The younger Chinese generation does not mind as much – but doing this’ll still make one look slightly ignorant.

Make a Little Heart

Using your index finger and thumb to form a little heart has become an incredibly famous gesture in Asia because of how remarkable it looks. Several celebrities are starting to do it as well to show their care and love for the fans. If you’ve to close Chinese friend, or are someone able to meet the celebrity of your dreams, and you can want to show how much you like and appreciate her/him, this gesture is certainly an enjoyable way to do so.

Always accept gifts with both hands

When offered a present or gift, do not snatch it up with a single hand. Take the bag or box with your both hands. Additionally, when offering a present, do not offer it with just a single hand, no matter how small the gift is. You should also do this when you offer or accept business cards. You want to ensure your potential business associate persons you for the correct reasons, so be certain to use your both hands!

Toasts of Power

If you are at formal dinner with others, it is always polite to raise a toast to those in the room (just allow the most vital people to do it first). These toasting traditions have non-spoken manners of their own, which can look almost as complex as studying how to speak the Mandarin language itself. The primary thing you are going to want to do is to ensure that you toast the most respected person in the room first. 

If you are not sure who this is, try to go for the oldest person in the room. Next, you are going to want to position your glass at a little lower level than theirs. Basically, ensure that the top of your glass is at a similar height as the middle of your glass. This gesture shows huge respect and is very important – particularly during business gatherings. This might also be a great time to break out one of your well-known CHENGYU!

Talk about Yourself with Your Hands 

We all like to talk about ourselves. This is why, when you arrive in China, you’d most likely spend most of the time listening to other people talking about themselves. Yet, once you begin listening to natives talking about themselves at length, you are probably going to start noticing a frequent amount of touching on the nose. That is because, in china, nose touching means that you are talking about yourself, in Western cultures, when people want to indicate themselves, they normally point to their chest and their heart. In Chinese culture, it is the nose.

Make OK with your fingers 

Same too in Western culture, you can indicate OKAY with your fingers since the English words Okay (along with several other easy English words) have been linked internationally and are currently a part of daily lives in China.

Typical Pease gesture for taking images 

If there is one pose that all use at least once in their life for a photo, it is the peace sign. Though in China, they utilize it quite in a different way than a few English cultures, in Chins, people love to show the side of their palm finger to the camera while taking a photo. Moreover, women like to put the peace gesture near to their face or even directly mark it to their face.

The 2 Finger Thank You Tap

The 2 finger tap on the table is a classic gesture in Chinese culture for indicating thanks to a waitress or waiter. Instead of saying thank you directly (which can also be said to waitress or waiter as well), it is a great idea to tap your middle and index finger on the tale to show Thank you. This is particularly true if you are being served a drink, coffee, or tea.

Pinky Promise

In several cultures, a pinky promise means a contact. Several friends and couples love to make promises between each other in this way, and several Chinese think it is a great way to make a promise. One Important thing to keep in mind is that this is not seen as a proper contract in Chinese civilization, so be certain not to use it for an official meeting or discussion or anything like that.

Avoid Expressive Gestures

In general, the mandarin community has evolved eventually in a somewhat traditional way. Loud expressive Chinese gestures are not common place as well as fitting in is normally accepted as the norm. If you wish to learn how to speak the Mandarin language – including no-verbal communication – decrease physical contact as much as possible and do not wave your hands around while talking with anyone. If you are an expressive guy, try to tone it down just a slight bit.

Takeaway…

Did you’ve fun learning common gestures in china? Is your desire for learning Chinese culture aroused? If you want to learn about Chinese and their culture, just come to CCHATTY.Com to embrace every kind of source regarding the mandarin language and culture.

In the meantime, why not carry out these important gestures to understand mandarin more efficiently and without a lot more flair? But wants for your mandarin learning endeavors! What are you waiting for now, come and join us to learn the Chinese language online.