Though not much of a rib-tickler, it reveals that breaking wind even a millennia ago was taboo, especially for women. The only known exception to such windy activity in public is the Yanomami tribe of northern Brazil and southern Venezuela, for whom farting is a form of greeting.
Apparently it's polite to burp after a meal in China, and some Inuit groups in Canada don't mind when you fart because it shows that you enjoyed the meal.
Blowing your nose at the table, burping and audible munching are considered bad manners in Japan. On the other hand, it is considered good style to empty your dishes to the last grain of rice.
In China and Taiwan, burping is the highest form of flattery—it means you like the food! “The host considers the noise a compliment,” says Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick, founder and president of the Etiquette School of New York.
Society and culture
Some South Asian cultures view burping as acceptable in particular situations. For example, a burping guest can be a sign to the host that the meal satisfied them and they are full. In Japan, burping during a meal is considered bad manners.
Chewing open-mouthed (including chewing gum), slurping loudly, burping and talking with a full mouth are considered very rude. If you do any of these things accidentally, say "pardon me" or "excuse me."
Burping is polite
In China, burping isn't considered rude. In fact, it's actually a sign of gratitude to the cook and satisfaction with the meal. It's a great compliment, so don't be surprised when you hear a burp or two at the dining table.
Egypt. Contrary to the West, where burping after a meal is considered rude, in Egypt burping loudly after a meal is considered good dining etiquette and signifies your appreciation of the food you've just eaten.
China. In China, burping is treated as any other bodily process, and after a meal, it can indeed serve as a compliment to the chef. It's probably China that originated the pervasive myth about complimentary burping abroad. Sometimes, this rule is conflated with a Japanese one that has to do with slurping.
Don't burp: In some countries, for example in India, burping is a sign of satisfaction and satiety. But in Italy, it's unacceptable. Basically, you should avoid every loud sound—slurping is another good example.
Eating Culture and Etiquette. In general, Americans eat quietly with their mouths closed. Burping is seen as rude, not as a compliment to the cook. Americans like sweets!
It's considered both rude and crude — something you simply shouldn't do around other people. The act goes by many names — cutting the cheese, blowing a raspberry, letting it rip, passing gas, breaking wind and tooting.
6 China: Leave Food On Your Plate
This is the case in China. It's considered rude to eat everything on your plate because doing so implies that you're still hungry, even if you're not. That means that the host hasn't done a satisfactory job of providing enough food and can make them feel bad.
Always leave food on your plate in China.
That's not so in China. Finishing your plate when dining at someone's home in China suggests the food wasn't filling enough, and that your host was skimping on the portion size. Always leave behind a little food to show the host that their meal was filling and satisfying.
Slurping your noodles loudly is considered a compliment to the chef throughout Japan and China – a sign of deep appreciation for your one-bowl meal.
It is considered to be very rude for people to push past one another to enter a building, train car, or subway car, and especially rude to make physical contact with a stranger while doing so. On elevators or moving sidewalks, it is polite to stand to the right and walk to the left.
Instead, you may bring the bowl close to your mouth and drink it. For soup served in larger bowls — often containing noodles such as ramen, soba and udon — use the spoon provided for the broth. When eating the noodles, slurp away! Loud slurping may be rude in the U.S., but in Japan it is considered rude not to slurp.
Even if your lunch or dinner mate is easygoing, it's disrespectful arrive more than five minutes late. Aim to arrive at least five or ten minutes before the curtain goes up. Arriving after showtime can spoil the whole evening.
In China, burping is seen as a sign of satisfaction with the meal and is considered a compliment to the chef, so don't be surprised if it happens at the dinner table.
Burping is seen (and heard) as rude and crude. But burping (or belching) serves an essential purpose and shouldn't be silenced. Belching is a protective mechanism that prevents the stomach from overinflating.
Confusing, right? In France, when it comes to French etiquette at the table, you should simply refrain from producing any slurping, chewing, gargling, or burping sounds at the table, or really, in any public place.
Growing up in China, chewing with mouth open doesn't cause any frowning-upon. It's even sometimes expected because it is perceived that eaters are enjoying the food.
Do not touch, hug, lock arms, back slap or make any body contact. Clicking fingers or whistling is considered very rude. Never put your feet on a desk or a chair. Never gesture or pass an object with your feet.
Farts aren't funny
Our students fart in class all the time and we're the only ones trying to keep a straight face! It seems that any bodily functions are acceptable in public. Farting, burping, slurping, picking your nose and anything else that we would consider to be poor manners in the west, is totally normal here.