Every country has its own list of no-no’s, so what about in China? What are the taboos? Let’s take a look.
Don’t kiss to greet! Kissing a Chinese woman as a greeting will not only make her very embarrassed, but it will also embarrass and possibly anger any Chinese men with her. Kissing or hugging as a greeting is quite normal in the western world, but not in China. A warm handshake is enough!
When you are invited to a social event in China, it’s polite to bring a special gift for the host. For this, the options are nearly limitless: food, clothes, books, etc. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, in China, a clock should never be given as a present. In Chinese, clock (zhong) has the same pronunciation as a character meaning “death”. Giving a clock as a present means you are cursing (诅咒) them.
Don’t stand your chopsticks vertically in your bowl. It’s seen as very bad table manners in China. Vertical chopsticks look like burning incense (香), which is heavily associated with making offerings at tombs for one’s ancestors. So, when you are invited to dinner at a Chinese home, put the chopsticks down parallel on the edge of the bowl or on the table.
Wearing a green hat is bad news, for “green hat” carries a particular meaning in China. One story is that in ancient China the wife of a merchant had an affair with a cloth seller. She made a green hat for her husband to wear, and when the husband went out for business, the cloth seller would see the green hat and know that he could meet his lover. Since that time, “green hat” has been the symbol of a wife betraying her husband.
Knowing more about taboos is a part of learning different cultures, which is helpful for cross-cultural communication. I hope that after reading this blog you will have a better understanding of the cultural taboos in China. This will help you to better communicate with your friends, family members, or colleagues in China.
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1.What may kissing a Chinese woman as a greeting lead to?
A A friendly response.
B A dangerous relation.
C A firm friendship.
D A tense interaction.
解析：选D。D推理判断题。根据第二段中的“Kissing a Chinese woman as a greeting will not only make her very embarrassed, but it will also embarrass and possibly anger any Chinese men with her.”亲吻中国女人作为问候不仅会让她感到尴尬，还会让任何和她在一起的中国男人感到尴尬甚至生气。由此可知，这样做会让互动变得紧张。故选D。
2.What’s the right way to deal with chopsticks when you finish your meal?
A Put them straight up on a bowl.
B Always hold them on hands.
C Put them on the table.
D Give them to the host.
解析：选C。C细节理解题。根据第四段中的“So, when you are invited to dinner at a Chinese home, put the chopsticks down parallel on the edge of the bowl or on the table.”可知，吃完饭之后，应该将筷子放在碗的边缘或桌子上。故选C。
3.What does the underlined word “betraying” probably mean?
A Not being faithful to.
B Not telling the truth to.
C Not sharing things with.
D Not showing concern for.
解析：选A。A词义猜测题。根据倒数第二段中的“the wife of a merchant had an affair with a cloth seller”以及“She made a green hat for her husband to wear, and when the husband went out for business, the cloth seller would see the green hat and know that he could meet his lover.”可知，这个商人的妻子背叛了他，与一个布商有染，即“绿帽子”成了妻子对丈夫不忠的象征。故选A。
4.The passage is probably written for __________.
A Chinese overseas students
B international students in China
C Chinese immigrants
D the local Chinese people
解析：选B。B推理判断题。根据全文内容是一些关于中国文化中的禁忌以及最后一段的“This will help you to better communicate with your friends, family members, or colleagues in China.”可知，本文最有可能是写给在中国的外国人的。故选B。
