倒插门儿 dào chā mén ér ( When a husband lives with his wife family)
洋女婿 yáng nǚ xù ( A foreign son in law)
丈母娘 zhàng mǔ niáng ( Mother in law)
Chinese Greetings
Many western countries accept hugs and kisses as a popular form of greeting although a handshake is still the formal way of greeting people. In China, a handshake or a simple and kind salutation is common.
Form of Address:
A form of address is to some extent a reflection of social climate. In China, various forms of address are used according to circumstances. Choosing the appropriate and correct form shows your wit and high respect to others. Generally, for Chinese people it should be in accord with convention and care much about the personal favor of the people being addressed. There are four main categories:
Job Title: You can call someone directly by his job title or put it before his surname or full name. This is often used in the workplace and on more formal occasions:
Chinese Pinyin |
Chinese |
The same meaning in English |
Hú Zhǔ Xí |
胡主席 |
President Hu |
Zhāng Jīng Lǐ |
张经理 |
Manager Zhang |
Liú Zhǔ Rèn |
刘主任 |
Director Liu |
To address based on professional qualifications, which expresses respect to those being addressed:
Pinyin |
Chinese |
The same meaning in English |
Lǐ Jiào Shóu |
李教授 |
Professor Li |
Wáng Lǜ Shī |
王律师 |
Lawyer Wang |
Generally, you can call others by their family name or full name by putting the Mr. or Ms. in front. This is the general address most widely used in company, hotels, stores, restaurants, karaoke, bars and other places.
Phatic Communion
A smile, good eye contact and politeness are expressions of sincerity. These are the beginning of communication. Just like westerners, the Chinese usually pass the time of day with one another as a precursor to getting to the point of a conversation or presentation.
Different conditions require different styles in which conversational greetings may be exchanged. When you meet someone for the first time, the most commonly-used words are:
Chinese Pinyin |
Chinese |
The same meaning in English |
Nǐ Hǎo |
你好 |
Hello/Hi |
Hěn Gāo Xìng Rèn Shí Nǐ |
很高兴认识你 |
Glad to see you. / Nice to meet you. |
Xìng Huì (more formal ) |
幸会 |
How do you do? |
For greeting acquaintances, the words will be more informal and friendly like the following:
Pinyin |
Chinese |
Meaning in English |
Hǎo Jiǔ Bú Jiàn |
好久不见 |
Long time no see! |
Máng Shén Me Ne |
忙什么呢? |
What are you busying doing these days? |
Zuì Jìn Rú Hé |
最近如何? |
How are you doing recently? |
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