Chinese people address each other usually with the surname. My good friend Zhou Zejun is called Zhou. Notice the surname comes first and the given name follows.
Most Chinese have one-word surnames and two words for the given name, but it is possible to meet someone with a two-word surname, or a one-word given name.
In a business context, Zhou is called by his title, such as Director Zhou. Chinese people who regularly interact with foreigners usually give themselves an English name. In the U.S., my friend goes by “Gary Zhou.”
Quite a few Chinese have taken on silly English names, so try not to laugh when you are
introduced to Sonic, Apple, Lemon, Cinderella, Cloud, Megatron, or Lollipop. While we’re on the subject, try not to laugh when you are introduced to people with funny sounding Chinese names like Poo, Kok, Pee-Pee and Long Dong. These are especially prevalent in Singapore and Hong Kong. One doofus surnamed Kok actually took Harry as his English name.
In a personal context, people often call each other by a nickname that references the relationship. An older colleague might call my friend 小周 Xiao Zhou meaning little Zhou. Close acquaintances often call each other by family titles, especially younger sister, elder sister, elder brother, uncle, aunt, and so on, even though they are not related.
If you’ll be doing a lot of business in China, consider getting your own Chinese name. Mine is 司徒仁. The ideal Chinese name sounds like your English name, and has the same meaning. My Chinese surname 司徒 Situ sounds like Stu, and actually means “manager” just as Stuart means “steward” in English. In fact many famous people named Stuart have this as their Chinese name including Leighton Stuart, and the cute and competent mouse, Stuart Little. It helps that 司徒
is a normal family name without negative connotations. My given name was suggested by some Chinese friends. It is 仁 ren, which means benevolence and is an important Confucian virtue.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Greetings
When meeting Chinese people for the first time it is customary to make eye contact, shake hands, and nod gently. Don’t get too carried away and start bowing like the Japanese. Chinese people
are way mellower than Japanese people.
Also, avoid getting too touchy, patting people on the back, hugging and carrying on like some do in the U.S. Just as in the West, most people state their name and say “Nice to
meet you.”
It would be good if you’d learn to speak some basic Chinese,
especially 你好 ni hao meaning “hello,” or better yet, use the more respectful 您好
nin hao.
You should also learn to say 我叫 __________ wo jiao __________ meaning “My name is __________.” And finish up with 很高兴认识你 hen gao xing ren shi ni meaning “Very
happy to meet you.”
When you first meet your Chinese counterparts, it may not be apparent who the true decision-makers are. The person you interact with most was likely assigned to you because they speak better English than anyone else at the company. It is possible they majored in English, but do not know much about the business, especially technical matters.
Pay attention to job titles, and other clues, such as the way your counterparts interact with each other. An old tradition is that the most senior member of the group enters the room last.
Dress, offices, cars also offer clues to a person’s status in China. The lists below shows commonly used titles you might encounter. Use this list to try to determine your counterpart’s status.
Common Job Titles in Business
厂长
chang zhang
factory manager or director
车间主人
che jian zhu ren
plant foreman
工程师
gong chen shi
engineer
主人
zhu ren
director
经理
jing li
manager
总
zong
chief
Common Job Titles in Government
主席
zhu xi
chairman of a committee
部长
bu zhang
minister
处长
chu zhang
director
副
Fu
deputy or vice
副总理
fu zong li
cadre, party official
科长
ke zhang
section head
省长
sheng zhang
governor
市长
shi zhang
mayor
总理
zong li
premier
are way mellower than Japanese people.
Also, avoid getting too touchy, patting people on the back, hugging and carrying on like some do in the U.S. Just as in the West, most people state their name and say “Nice to
meet you.”
It would be good if you’d learn to speak some basic Chinese,
especially 你好 ni hao meaning “hello,” or better yet, use the more respectful 您好
nin hao.
You should also learn to say 我叫 __________ wo jiao __________ meaning “My name is __________.” And finish up with 很高兴认识你 hen gao xing ren shi ni meaning “Very
happy to meet you.”
When you first meet your Chinese counterparts, it may not be apparent who the true decision-makers are. The person you interact with most was likely assigned to you because they speak better English than anyone else at the company. It is possible they majored in English, but do not know much about the business, especially technical matters.
Pay attention to job titles, and other clues, such as the way your counterparts interact with each other. An old tradition is that the most senior member of the group enters the room last.
Dress, offices, cars also offer clues to a person’s status in China. The lists below shows commonly used titles you might encounter. Use this list to try to determine your counterpart’s status.
Common Job Titles in Business
厂长
chang zhang
factory manager or director
车间主人
che jian zhu ren
plant foreman
工程师
gong chen shi
engineer
主人
zhu ren
director
经理
jing li
manager
总
zong
chief
Common Job Titles in Government
主席
zhu xi
chairman of a committee
部长
bu zhang
minister
处长
chu zhang
director
副
Fu
deputy or vice
副总理
fu zong li
cadre, party official
科长
ke zhang
section head
省长
sheng zhang
governor
市长
shi zhang
mayor
总理
zong li
premier
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Business Cards
Offer your business card with two hands with the text upright so the recipient can read it. When you receive someone’s business card accept it with two hands, and resist the urge to toss it in your pocket shouting, “I’ll call ya!”
To give face, you should examine the card, reading every part of it. Flip it over and examine the backside. Never put someone’s card in your back pocket; it is an insult to put your nasty
stinky butt cheeks on someone else’s name card.
Chinese business cards generally have a Chinese side and an English side. If you’re going to do much business in China, you should also have bilingual cards made. If your company resists, just visit your local printer with a .pdf file and make them yourself, but read this sign as showing that
your company is not very serious about its China efforts.
Some people say you should use red and gold as a sign of wealth, but it’s been my experience those who are truly wealthy have simple black and white cards.
To give face, you should examine the card, reading every part of it. Flip it over and examine the backside. Never put someone’s card in your back pocket; it is an insult to put your nasty
stinky butt cheeks on someone else’s name card.
Chinese business cards generally have a Chinese side and an English side. If you’re going to do much business in China, you should also have bilingual cards made. If your company resists, just visit your local printer with a .pdf file and make them yourself, but read this sign as showing that
your company is not very serious about its China efforts.
Some people say you should use red and gold as a sign of wealth, but it’s been my experience those who are truly wealthy have simple black and white cards.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Dress Code
The business etiquette police make a point to emphasize, “Don’t wear bright colors. Dress modestly.” Ignore the etiquette police and just be yourself.
If you are an attorney or accountant, dress like one. If you are a scientist or technician, you should also look the part. Relax, be yourself, just avoid overdressing or underdressing.
Context should also help you decide how to dress. Business casual is fine at most meetings. Save the suit and tie for events that might be photographed such as ground-breakings or contract signings. Banquets tend to occur in the evening after work, and most Chinese take off the coat and tie and relax a bit.
Weather is also a factor. In the south and the east much of the year is very hot, so dress appropriately. Northern winters are quite harsh so you’ll need a full winter kit including long underwear. Few buildings utilize central heating, so you’re gonna freeze both outdoors and indoors.
After seven years of taking businesspeople and business students to China I’ve really only encountered two dress problems. The first is that we tend to overdress when visiting factories. It can be uncomfortable and embarrassing wearing a suit and tie walking past welding robots with sparks flying while everyone else is in steel toe boots and hard hats. The other problem is with Western women having little understanding of business attire standards in Asia. In many business contexts in the West, women wear shirts that are too low, and skirts that are too high. High heels are great for date night, but they connote aggressiveness or even sexual promiscuity in many contexts in China. Better to play it conservative and go with a low skirt and a high neckline.
If you are an attorney or accountant, dress like one. If you are a scientist or technician, you should also look the part. Relax, be yourself, just avoid overdressing or underdressing.
Context should also help you decide how to dress. Business casual is fine at most meetings. Save the suit and tie for events that might be photographed such as ground-breakings or contract signings. Banquets tend to occur in the evening after work, and most Chinese take off the coat and tie and relax a bit.
Weather is also a factor. In the south and the east much of the year is very hot, so dress appropriately. Northern winters are quite harsh so you’ll need a full winter kit including long underwear. Few buildings utilize central heating, so you’re gonna freeze both outdoors and indoors.
After seven years of taking businesspeople and business students to China I’ve really only encountered two dress problems. The first is that we tend to overdress when visiting factories. It can be uncomfortable and embarrassing wearing a suit and tie walking past welding robots with sparks flying while everyone else is in steel toe boots and hard hats. The other problem is with Western women having little understanding of business attire standards in Asia. In many business contexts in the West, women wear shirts that are too low, and skirts that are too high. High heels are great for date night, but they connote aggressiveness or even sexual promiscuity in many contexts in China. Better to play it conservative and go with a low skirt and a high neckline.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Business Meetings
Sadly, many noobs to Chinese business do not realize the business meetings are not where the actual deals take place. In many cases the real negotiations take place in informal conversations,
especially at meals. Both sides often know the terms of what will be agreed upon prior to the actual meeting, but not always, so stay alert at the business meetings.
Business meetings tend to be overly formal affairs. Your party will be led into a fancy conference room with microphones at each seat. Uniformed attendants will seat you, offer you tea, and linger around like waitresses. Avoid sitting down until you are told to; remember the timeless advice, “When you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to
you, “Friend, move up to a better place.”[i]
There is usually a long table running the length of the room and the big bosses sit in the middle of the table across from each other. If there is a video or slide show the bosses tend to sit at that end of the table, where they get a front row seat to watch the A/V technician struggle with the equipment for the first 30 minutes of the meeting.
Business meetings are usually heavy on small talk and light on details of the actual business deal. This is customary. At the end of the meeting you might come to agreement in the hallway outside or later that day at dinner.
If the parties agree to work together, the frequency of formal meetings will taper off and be replaced with meals together, especially banquets celebrating national holidays and company anniversaries and accomplishments.
[i] Holy Bible, Luke 14: 10.
especially at meals. Both sides often know the terms of what will be agreed upon prior to the actual meeting, but not always, so stay alert at the business meetings.
Business meetings tend to be overly formal affairs. Your party will be led into a fancy conference room with microphones at each seat. Uniformed attendants will seat you, offer you tea, and linger around like waitresses. Avoid sitting down until you are told to; remember the timeless advice, “When you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to
you, “Friend, move up to a better place.”[i]
There is usually a long table running the length of the room and the big bosses sit in the middle of the table across from each other. If there is a video or slide show the bosses tend to sit at that end of the table, where they get a front row seat to watch the A/V technician struggle with the equipment for the first 30 minutes of the meeting.
Business meetings are usually heavy on small talk and light on details of the actual business deal. This is customary. At the end of the meeting you might come to agreement in the hallway outside or later that day at dinner.
If the parties agree to work together, the frequency of formal meetings will taper off and be replaced with meals together, especially banquets celebrating national holidays and company anniversaries and accomplishments.
[i] Holy Bible, Luke 14: 10.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Gifts
Gifts are regularly exchanged at initial business meetings. Gifts are considered goodwill gestures between the two companies, rather than between the individuals. Just as in the U.S., companies give a variety of pens, bags, and other practical things that bear the company’s logo. For more thoughtful gifts, consider something related to your hometown.
Coming from California, we’ve found our Chinese counterparts appreciate a box of See’s candy or a gift box of California products such as cashews.
If you forgot your gifts or ran out, just visit the local fruit shop or flower shop. Both will quickly prepare a beautiful basket for you at a fraction of the cost you’d expect to pay.
It is customary to refuse gifts and invitations at least twice before accepting. The Chinese are very hospitable and will offer generously even when it is not in their means to be generous. Stories abound of the ignorant foreigner who accepted a farmer’s offer to have dinner not knowing the farmer’s family would consequently miss a meal. Refusing a gift gives significant face to the other person. If they are sincere in their offer, they’ll offer again. If not, they didn’t really mean it.
It is important to wrap gifts, usually in red or gold paper or ribbons. Avoid using black or white because these are associated with funerals. Often the wrapping is more auspicious than the gift itself. I once received a necktie from my good friends at Zhejiang University. The tie itself was
packaged in nine different layers of wrapping, ribbons, boxes, and so on.
Present and receive gifts just as you would business cards, that is, with two hands. The Chinese historically did not open gifts in front of the giver, lest the giver lose face if the gift is not as auspicious as it could be.
These days many folks seem to want you to open the gift in front of them so they can see your reaction, but also because they may not know what the gift is, because their assistant picked it out.
I once exchanged gifts with Zhou Wei, the famous fashion photographer. He told me to open the package, so I did, and it was a preserved duck…the entire duck, head and all. I figured it must be some delicacy, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know what to do with it. Customs officials at LAX confiscated my duck anyway, so I never got to taste how delicous it must have been.
A few gifts are taboo, especially clocks. When the mayor of Wuhan visited our university in California, our provost gave the shocked mayor a clock. The words for “gift clock” are 送钟 song zhong, which sounds just like 送终 song zhong, which means “pay last respects.” Therefore clock gifts are a symbol of the recipient’s impending death.
Other death-related gifts are handkerchiefs, white flowers, or umbrellas. Similarly, sharp objects such as scissors and knives symbolize the severing of a relationship, so skip these.
Also be aware of numerology. For example don’t give four of anything, since four is associated with death. Better to round up to five, or better yet eight.
Coming from California, we’ve found our Chinese counterparts appreciate a box of See’s candy or a gift box of California products such as cashews.
If you forgot your gifts or ran out, just visit the local fruit shop or flower shop. Both will quickly prepare a beautiful basket for you at a fraction of the cost you’d expect to pay.
It is customary to refuse gifts and invitations at least twice before accepting. The Chinese are very hospitable and will offer generously even when it is not in their means to be generous. Stories abound of the ignorant foreigner who accepted a farmer’s offer to have dinner not knowing the farmer’s family would consequently miss a meal. Refusing a gift gives significant face to the other person. If they are sincere in their offer, they’ll offer again. If not, they didn’t really mean it.
It is important to wrap gifts, usually in red or gold paper or ribbons. Avoid using black or white because these are associated with funerals. Often the wrapping is more auspicious than the gift itself. I once received a necktie from my good friends at Zhejiang University. The tie itself was
packaged in nine different layers of wrapping, ribbons, boxes, and so on.
Present and receive gifts just as you would business cards, that is, with two hands. The Chinese historically did not open gifts in front of the giver, lest the giver lose face if the gift is not as auspicious as it could be.
These days many folks seem to want you to open the gift in front of them so they can see your reaction, but also because they may not know what the gift is, because their assistant picked it out.
I once exchanged gifts with Zhou Wei, the famous fashion photographer. He told me to open the package, so I did, and it was a preserved duck…the entire duck, head and all. I figured it must be some delicacy, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know what to do with it. Customs officials at LAX confiscated my duck anyway, so I never got to taste how delicous it must have been.
A few gifts are taboo, especially clocks. When the mayor of Wuhan visited our university in California, our provost gave the shocked mayor a clock. The words for “gift clock” are 送钟 song zhong, which sounds just like 送终 song zhong, which means “pay last respects.” Therefore clock gifts are a symbol of the recipient’s impending death.
Other death-related gifts are handkerchiefs, white flowers, or umbrellas. Similarly, sharp objects such as scissors and knives symbolize the severing of a relationship, so skip these.
Also be aware of numerology. For example don’t give four of anything, since four is associated with death. Better to round up to five, or better yet eight.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Dining
When having a group meal in a Chinese restaurant, the host is given one menu and orders for the entire group. Be advised that “going dutch” doesn’t exist, and the one who invites is the one
who pays.
Tipping is not practiced, and can be insulting if you attempt it.
Be careful on your birthday. My young American friend Todd was having his 19th birthday in China and all our friends said they wanted to take him out for a birthday meal. He was happy there were so many people who wanted to join him for the big birthday dinner and we all feasted sumptuously. We didn’t realize until the bill came that Todd was expected to pay for everyone’s
meal. After our Chinese friends left all the lao wai chipped in and covered the bill.
The banquet host is usually the one who invited everyone to eat. It is important for the host to save face, so he will usually order twice as much food as your group could actually eat. If there are multiple tables, each table will receive the same dishes. To be polite you should sample each dish.
Seating is important at Chinese banquets. Usually the host sits furthest away from the door with his back to the wall sort of like the old Mafia movies. His counterpart, that is the highest-ranking person in your party, sits next to the host, usually to his right. On the host’s left side are the
other managers or officials seated in descending order of rank. It is the same on your side.
Speech-giving is common at banquets with the host first giving a speech that ends with a toast. In a typical speech, the host stands holding a small glass of alcohol, then briefly says something about his company, your company, and the fruitful partnership and friendship. At the end he raises his glass, shouts 干杯! gan bei! literally meaning “dry cup.” This is the Chinese version
of “Cheers!” Soon after, the host’s counterpart on the other side is expected to give a similar speech. Keep it short; keep it positive. This sequence often continues through three managers then the cycle may repeat. In the end you maybe drunk and will have made new friends. This, of course, is the traditional banquet, but fortunately these are decreasing in popularity.
Your host may put food on your dish as a friendly gesture; it is okay for you to do the same. In mainland China, diners usually use their own chopsticks to pull food from the communal dishes in the middle of the table. It signifies trust; my germs and your germs are gonna be great friends. The Taiwanese are appalled by this practice. Germaphobes, perhaps. If you happen to
be sick, get a second pair of chopsticks to use for serving, but don’t announce that you’re sick. Banquets are a festive occasion and you shouldn’t be Debbie Downer.
Also don’t stick your chopsticks in your rice bowl standing upright. It looks like joss sticks at a funeral and is therefore yet another symbol of death.
Meals are often served on a Lazy Susan, and it is usually only spun clockwise giving everyone a chance to sample each dish. Just like pizza etiquette in the U.S., make sure you don’t take more than your share of a particular dish until the dish has made one complete circle around the table.
The Chinese typically have a great sense of humor and they may order one or two dishes just to shock you such as chicken sternums, duck heads, or cicada larva. For some reason cold pig ear salad has become popular these days.
If you really like the food, you must pace yourself, because the banquet may have up to twenty dishes. At the end leave some food on your plate to show the host you’ve had enough.
who pays.
Tipping is not practiced, and can be insulting if you attempt it.
Be careful on your birthday. My young American friend Todd was having his 19th birthday in China and all our friends said they wanted to take him out for a birthday meal. He was happy there were so many people who wanted to join him for the big birthday dinner and we all feasted sumptuously. We didn’t realize until the bill came that Todd was expected to pay for everyone’s
meal. After our Chinese friends left all the lao wai chipped in and covered the bill.
The banquet host is usually the one who invited everyone to eat. It is important for the host to save face, so he will usually order twice as much food as your group could actually eat. If there are multiple tables, each table will receive the same dishes. To be polite you should sample each dish.
Seating is important at Chinese banquets. Usually the host sits furthest away from the door with his back to the wall sort of like the old Mafia movies. His counterpart, that is the highest-ranking person in your party, sits next to the host, usually to his right. On the host’s left side are the
other managers or officials seated in descending order of rank. It is the same on your side.
Speech-giving is common at banquets with the host first giving a speech that ends with a toast. In a typical speech, the host stands holding a small glass of alcohol, then briefly says something about his company, your company, and the fruitful partnership and friendship. At the end he raises his glass, shouts 干杯! gan bei! literally meaning “dry cup.” This is the Chinese version
of “Cheers!” Soon after, the host’s counterpart on the other side is expected to give a similar speech. Keep it short; keep it positive. This sequence often continues through three managers then the cycle may repeat. In the end you maybe drunk and will have made new friends. This, of course, is the traditional banquet, but fortunately these are decreasing in popularity.
Your host may put food on your dish as a friendly gesture; it is okay for you to do the same. In mainland China, diners usually use their own chopsticks to pull food from the communal dishes in the middle of the table. It signifies trust; my germs and your germs are gonna be great friends. The Taiwanese are appalled by this practice. Germaphobes, perhaps. If you happen to
be sick, get a second pair of chopsticks to use for serving, but don’t announce that you’re sick. Banquets are a festive occasion and you shouldn’t be Debbie Downer.
Also don’t stick your chopsticks in your rice bowl standing upright. It looks like joss sticks at a funeral and is therefore yet another symbol of death.
Meals are often served on a Lazy Susan, and it is usually only spun clockwise giving everyone a chance to sample each dish. Just like pizza etiquette in the U.S., make sure you don’t take more than your share of a particular dish until the dish has made one complete circle around the table.
The Chinese typically have a great sense of humor and they may order one or two dishes just to shock you such as chicken sternums, duck heads, or cicada larva. For some reason cold pig ear salad has become popular these days.
If you really like the food, you must pace yourself, because the banquet may have up to twenty dishes. At the end leave some food on your plate to show the host you’ve had enough.
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