{"id":14916,"date":"2019-12-16T08:00:42","date_gmt":"2019-12-16T12:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=14916"},"modified":"2019-11-11T03:56:57","modified_gmt":"2019-11-11T07:56:57","slug":"14916-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/14916-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Gift Giving in China"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

Relations (\u5173\u7cfb gu\u0101n x\u00ec<\/strong>) play an important role in today\u2019s Chinese society. Social connections are a fundamental key to success in the Chinese community. A common way to strengthen one\u2019s relationships is by giving gifts (\u9001\u793c s\u00f2ng l\u01d0<\/strong>) to show affection, respect, or closeness.<\/p>\n

A unique Chinese traditional gift everyone loves to receive is the Chinese red envelopes called \u7ea2\u5305<\/strong> (h\u00f3ng b\u0101o<\/strong>). \u7ea2\u5305<\/strong> are small rectangular red envelopes containing money (notes only, no coins). It\u2019s a common gift given during holidays, weddings, graduations, for a baby\u2019s birth, and other special occasions. You can buy them at stationary shops at any time of the year, but make sure the characters on the envelope fit the occasion.<\/p>\n

Another traditional Chinese gift is local tea. My Chinese friend Xiaodong, for example, returned home last Spring Festival with money for his parents, and a gift to his grandpa: a large gift box (\u793c\u54c1\u76d2 l\u01d0 p\u01d0n h\u00e9<\/strong>) from one of the city\u2019s famous tea shops. Tea box (\u8336\u5305\u88dd\u76d2 ch\u00e1 b\u0101o zhu\u0101ng h\u00e9<\/strong>) is one of my favorite Chinese gifts to give. It\u2019s practical, authentic, and elegant.<\/p>\n

When I returned home for one of my vacations, many Chinese friends who came to bid farewell gave me fruits (\u6c34\u679c shu\u01d0 gu\u01d2<\/strong>). Fresh fruit is a common Chinese way to show you care when visiting friends, relatives or elders. I received my fruit in plastic bags, but today there are fruit gift boxes (\u6c34\u679c\u793c\u76d2 shu\u01d0 gu\u01d2 l\u01d0 h\u00e9<\/strong>), containing apples, pears, kiwis, oranges, and other goodies, for sale in supermarkets and even on the popular Taobao<\/a> website.<\/p>\n

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Mutual giving and receiving are basic factors to maintain one\u2019s \u5173\u7cfb<\/strong> (relations<\/em>). As the Chinese saying goes \u793c\u5c1a\u5f80\u6765<\/strong> (l\u01d0 sh\u00e0ng w\u01ceng l\u00e1i<\/strong>) \u2013 courtesy demands reciprocity<\/em>. If you are treated by a Chinese friend with a gift, meal, or some help, reciprocity will be expected in the future.<\/p>\n

But be aware \u2013 the etiquette of gift-giving in China may be a little different from western countries. There are some gifts you shouldn\u2019t send your Chinese friends, classmates, or relatives. Avoid giving clocks, for example, because the phrase \u9001\u949f<\/strong> (s\u00f2ng zh\u014dng<\/strong>, to give clock as a gift<\/em>) sounds like the phrase \u9001\u7ec8<\/strong> (s\u00f2ng zh\u014dng) which means to make funeral arrangements<\/em>. Shoes are also not appropriate as a gift, because the word \u978b<\/strong> (xi\u00e9<\/strong>) for shoes<\/em> sounds like the word \u90aa<\/strong> (xi\u00e9<\/strong>) for evil<\/em>, or misfortune<\/em>. Candles (\u8721\u70db l\u00e0 zh\u00fa<\/strong>) are not a proper gift either, since they were used for mourning the dead in ancient China.<\/p>\n

Another thing to pay attention to is the color of the gift and its wrap. Red, yellow, and gold are festive colors, while white and black are considered unlucky colors because they are used in funerals. When I asked my calligraphy teacher to write a beautiful greeting for a friend\u2019s wedding, she refused to do so without a red paper. Numbers are important, too. Four should be avoided, because its pronunciation (\u56db s\u00ec<\/strong>) is similar to the pronunciation of the Chinese word for death (\u6b7b s\u01d0<\/strong>). Eight, on the other hand, is the favored number in Chinese culture. Eight is associated with wholeness and completeness in Daoism. In modern China, the number eight is allotted a new association with wealth, because it sounds (\u516b b\u0101<\/strong>) similar \u00a0to the verb \u53d1<\/strong> (f\u0101<\/strong>), that means to prosper<\/em>, to become wealthy<\/em>, to get rich<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Hopefully, this post will be handy as Christmas approaches. Merry Christmas, everyone! \u5723\u8bde\u8282\u5feb\u4e50<\/strong> (sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ji\u00e9 ku\u00e0i l\u00e8)!<\/p>\n

Text vocabulary\u00a0 <\/u><\/p>\n

\u5173\u7cfb gu\u0101n x\u00ec = relations<\/p>\n

\u793c\u7269 l\u01d0 w\u00f9 = gift, present<\/p>\n

\u9001\u793c s\u00f2ng l\u01d0 = to send gift, to give somebody a present<\/p>\n

\u7ea2\u5305 h\u00f3ng b\u0101o = red envelope<\/p>\n

\u76d2 h\u00e9 = box<\/p>\n

\u793c\u54c1\u76d2 l\u01d0 p\u01d0n h\u00e9 = gift box<\/p>\n

\u8336\u5305\u88dd\u76d2 ch\u00e1 b\u0101o zhu\u0101ng h\u00e9 = tea box<\/p>\n

\u6c34\u679c shu\u01d0 gu\u01d2 = fruit<\/p>\n

\u6c34\u679c\u793c\u76d2 shu\u01d0 gu\u01d2 l\u01d0 h\u00e9 = fruit gift box<\/p>\n

\u978b xi\u00e9 = shoes<\/p>\n

\u8721\u70db l\u00e0 zh\u00fa = candle<\/p>\n

\u597d\u597d\u5b66\u4e60\uff0c\u5929\u5929\u5411\u4e0a\uff01<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u200d\u200d\u200d\u200d\u200d\u200d<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Relations (\u5173\u7cfb gu\u0101n x\u00ec) play an important role in today\u2019s Chinese society. Social connections are a fundamental key to success in the Chinese community. A common way to strengthen one\u2019s relationships is by giving gifts (\u9001\u793c s\u00f2ng l\u01d0) to show affection, respect, or closeness. A unique Chinese traditional gift everyone loves to receive is the…<\/p>\n

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