What personal habits of western people are most disgusting to Chinese?

There is quite a lot of habits that Western people tend to do that Chinese find either disgusting or inappropriate.

Much of this I learned first hand from my Chinese friends in Canada, as well as my many countless trips to China since 2010, and from living in China myself.

What’s also good to note, is that everything listed is pretty much the opposite effect on Westerners. Where as when Chinese do the opposite, many Westerners generally think it’s disgusting/inappropriate or just weird.

As with any answer like this, I will be generalizing.

  • Swallowing Spit. Chinese people think it’s better to spit out right away and not swallow any spit. Where as Westerners tend to swallow it.
  • Not Taking Shoes Off Inside. Shoes are really dirty, in Chinese culture (and other Asian cultures like Japan), it’s better to take off your outdoor shoes at the entrance and switch to indoor slippers or other footwear. Many Westerner households don’t do this.
  • Leaving Dirty Pots/Pans Soaking. Chinese do not like the idea of leaving dirty pots and pans out to soak in water. It’s better to wash right away and take care of it. Where as Westerns tend to have a habit of soaking the pans, sometimes for days and days forgetting about them before washing everything at once. When I was in China, I cleaned up after each meal, but in Canada I still don’t.
  • Taking A Business Card With One Hand. In many Asian cultures like China, you need to receive a business card holding both hands out, it’s rude not to. Westerners don’t really care about this aspect.Not Mopping Floor Frequently (Spring Cleaning). Westerners tend to be lazy when it comes to cleaning. It’s not done frequently. Some households only do a yearly cleaning, called Spring Cleaning. Chinese tend to clean weekly.
  • Not Showering Before Bed. In China, people shower before bed and not in the morning. This ensures you are not bringing the dirt to the bed, and sleeping dirty all night long. Westerners is mixed, but just as many people prefer to shower in the morning before work instead.
  • Washing All Clothes Together. Chinese prefer to wash undergarments separately from regular clothes. Westerners just bunch everything together.
  • Biting Nails. Chinese think biting nails is really weird and disgusting. Westerners is mixed on this with many people having this as a habit.
  • Kids Outdoor Clothes On Furniture/Bed. In China, when your kid has been out and about playing outside, they need to change their dirty clothes before going on couches or beds. Westerners don’t do this unless there is clear signs of dirt/mud.
  • Sticking Chopsticks Straight Up In Rice Bowl. This is in regards to the symbolism of funerals and passing of spirits in China. Often times this is done when someone has passed away. Westerns tend to do this a lot as they don’t have this symbolism.
  • Flipping Fish Over. In Chinese cuisine, you should remove the bones and move the skeleton to the side to get to the other side of the fish. Not flip it over. Can’t blame the Westerners as eating whole fish isn’t really a thing anyways.
  • Elbows On The Table. This is generally rude in almost all cultures. It’s even rude in Western culture. Yet Westerners still do it. You know how many times I’ve heard “elbows off the table” when I was growing up in Canada.
  • Sleeping In In The Morning. Chinese people tend to be rise and shine, got lots of stuff to do, and are always busy. Westerners like to sleep in on weekends, and hit that snooze over and over and over.
  • Chewing With Mouth Open. Chinese has this thing where you lift your rice bowl up to your mouth, and one thing it does is it can hide your chewing there. It’s not okay in China to chew with your mouth open. Ever walk around a food court mall in the USA/Canada? People eat with their mouths open all the time.
  • Eating Lots Of Desserts. China doesn’t have that many sweet desserts. Rice and other fillers are typically served at the end of a meal. Sometimes a very unsweet jello is, but mostly fruit. In the west, we got pastries, we got cake, we got pie, we got ice cream, we got everything you can think of that Chinese don’t care too much for.
  • Not Offering Food When Inviting People To Home. This is a no-no China. If you invite someone to your home, you must offer food. In the West, we usually offer like a beer, and that’s it (if it’s not a dinner invite).
  • Westernized Toilets. Chinese toilets are squatting type. It’s a hole in the ground. Westernized toilets are sit down types. Chinese think Western toilets, mainly public ones are gross because of how many people put their butts on it.
  • Gifting With One Hand. Whenever you give a gift in China, you always want to give it with two hands. It’s important. Westerners don’t really care about this.
  • Opening Gifts Right Away. In China, you don’t open gifts in front of the person you received from. Chinese wait until later, or alone. Westerners on the other hand always open right away.
  • Brushing Teeth. In China, you brush teeth when you wake up right away, and then after each meal, and sweet snack. In the west, you brush teeth typically 3 times a day (at least told to), though most people only do 1–2 times a day, and Westerners have a habit of snacking (especially desserts) after brushing teeth.
  • Keeping Dirty Kleenex In Pocket. Westerners have a habit of blowing their nose, and pocketing the Kleenex, or holding onto it for too long. Chinese would almost never do this, they find a garbage right away.
  • Giving Clocks As A Gift. In Chinese culture, giving a clock represents the same word as attending a funeral ritual. It’s very bad luck in China to give a clock, or watch as a gift. Westerners like to gift watches.
  • Giving Umbrella As A Gift. Same like above, but umbrella in Chinese is the same as scattering or breaking apart. So it symbolizes the end of a friendship. Westerners don’t follow this thinking.
  • Giving A Green Hat As A Gift. Another one like above two. Wearing a green hat in China represents a wife cheating on her husband. Westerners like to gift hats, doesn’t matter the colour.
  • Giving Anything In Number Four. Four in China sounds the same as the word for Death. Chinese avoid fours when possible at all costs. Westerners also don’t follow this line of thinking.
  • Getting Angry/Causing Scene In Public. Chinese people do not argue or cause scenes in public. Westerners tend to.
  • Drunken Public Outbursts. Chinese people do not get drunk and act stupid in public. Westerners tend to.

I could keep going, this isn’t even 10%. It’s a big culture difference between China and the West. Many of other stuff not listed is regional in China, and not as much generalized.


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While this may seem like a lot, Westerners have just as long as a list for Chinese. It’s just a big culture difference.


This information was taken from Quora. Click here to view the original post.

Do you think that the difference in Chinese and Western cultures is that huge?

#Geography #Society #Quora

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What are your thoughts on this subject?
140 Comments
Diane Coffey
Eating with mouth open is unacceptable here as well.Disgusting!
41
Sep 12, 2018 2:37AM
John Barber
What a load of rubbish, what about the slaughter of dogs so they can eat them. That's barbaric!!!
38
Aug 22, 2018 5:00PM
Una Butler
Good Lord people, why are so many of you so quick to take offense? There are norms in every culture which others find offensive or weird. This entire article is simply a collection of observations not a criticism. Relax. Exhale.
28
Sep 27, 2018 8:20PM
Vimala Padmaraj
I AM AN INDIAN AND I WONDER IF I SHOULD WRITE ABOUT CUSTOMS IN INDIA AND THOSE IN THE WEST. SHOULD BE INTERESTING. I MUST PUT ON MY THINKING CAP.
16
Sep 8, 2018 3:15AM
Kathy Roane
Respect for other cultures is important. There are practices in all cultures another might find repugnant. Personally, I really like proper grammar.
13
Dec 27, 2018 5:16PM
Lauri Chancellor-Phillips
Not everyone acts this way . I don’t understand why people here are upset about what offends the Chinese. I’m sure there are lots of things in every country that’s offends someone somewhere. Lighten up people and just read and learn. It’s okay to be different as long as no laws are broken.
11
Oct 11, 2020 4:56PM
cmyork
I just read some responses. Amazed at how ugly people are. This article spoke of things Chinese find unpleasant about people in the west. I have to admit that I with a lot of things listed. Just as I appreciate other cultures realizing my eccentricities I like knowing how to be a better guest in their home or country.
9
Sep 30, 2021 5:50PM
Ilias Tsiabardas
What about the Negative things that the Chinese people do ,Slaughtering dogs and eating all kinds of Disgusting things like Rats serpents etc.
7
Sep 22, 2021 8:53PM
Lynn Greyling
I would also not want to wear my shoes in the house if I knew everybody was spitting on the pavements...
6
Sep 11, 2018 11:48AM
tdelisi
I’m married to a Chinese woman. Many of those things seem accurate to me - but some, not exactly, at least with my wife. Many things mentioned are also from my western culture as well.
5
Dec 9, 2021 6:52PM
Eve
There are many things in this article that I, as a westerner, don't do and of course some that I do. It is interesting to learn about customs of other countries and especially if you plan a visit. Laws and customs vary throughout the world and to avoid problems you should always read up on them before you leave.
0
Aug 3, 2024 11:57AM
lmoores
Slaughtering digs and cats is disgusting as is spitting!!
0
Feb 18, 2024 7:27PM
Elsy O. Stromberg
Vimala Padmaraj, GO AHEAD!
0
Jul 29, 2023 1:34PM
marilynmitri
Some things are just good manners anywhere. Who wants to see food being masticated in anybody's mouth? Offering a guest something to eat and drink just seems the right thing to do. Something that bothers me is someone coming to my home with fast food/colas in his/her hand. If you're going to do that, at least bring me some too. Share what you have, that's the thing
1
Jul 4, 2023 3:31PM
Paulette Arnold
cmyork, I agree.
0
Feb 10, 2023 4:31PM
Paulette Arnold
Vimala Padmaraj, go ahead. I hope we can all learn from each other.
0
Feb 10, 2023 4:30PM
Paulette Arnold
John Barber, no, I think we could use a lot of better manners in this country!
0
Feb 10, 2023 4:29PM
dmarkc
I think it odd the Chinese have been around thousands of years and scrape food out of bowls into their mouths with sticks. I suppose it's better than everybody using their fingers.
1
Sep 21, 2022 3:50PM
Julie Allen
Peter de Loriol, Not too many people under about 40 seem to realise that.
0
Jul 25, 2022 9:38PM
Julie Allen
cmyork, Well said (apart from the missing agree ) :)
0
Jul 25, 2022 9:37PM
Julie Allen
Diane Coffey, Might be unacceptable but look around when you are eating out next, table manners pretty much, went down the drain when TV arrived. Eating with a fork in your right hand seems to be part of this, 30 years ago a friend had to ask me how to hold a knife and fork properly so she could teach her children because she never ate at a table growing up.
0
Jul 25, 2022 9:32PM
Peter de Loriol
Chewing with your mouth open is a no no in western culture as well.
2
May 5, 2022 3:50AM
Don Markusic
Ilias Tsiabardas, reminds me of the German people who were slaughtering their own fellow Country man at least this was only animals
3
Feb 2, 2022 6:39PM
B
B
John Barber, Chinese also tend to have an odor. :)
0
Dec 18, 2021 6:09PM

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