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.
Use a tissue or your hand to place them in the small plate provided — or observe how others deal with them. Don't tap your chopsticks. Tapping your bowl or the table with your chopsticks is considered rude and impolite. Don't use your own chopsticks to pick food from the central dishes.
In formal situations, people bow slightly or nod politely to greet one another formally. The bow is from the shoulders and should be greater if the person you are greeting has a higher status than you. If seated, the Chinese will stand up out of respect when they are introduced to someone.
To show respect, it is very important to greet the oldest person in the group first. Make sure to not use the person's first name unless requested by them. They should be addressed with their surname, followed by 'lady', 'sir' or by their job title.
Making eye contact in China is a sure-fire way to make enemies, not friends. The Chinese people view eye contact as a necessary tool, but not in the same way that other cultures do. In China, people make eye contact when they are angry. It is meant to challenge the other person and is a sign of disrespect.
The Chinese traditional cultural values of harmony, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty, and filial piety are embodied in China's diplomacy through the concept of harmony, the most important Chinese traditional value.
Chinese people prefer modesty and keeping a low profile both in regard to their own achievements and status as well as their interactions with others. Traditionally, in the course of polite conversation, Chinese people will downplay their own positions and achievements while emphasizing those of others.
Basic Etiquette
The correct decorum during interactions in China always entails showing deference to those who are older. It is expected that one bows their head slightly and speaks softly when conversing with someone elderly. The advice or opinion of the elderly should never be contested.
It is considered to be polite and respectful to address a Chinese people by his/her surname, followed by honorific titles like Xian1 Sheng1 (Sir), Nv3 Shi4 (Madam) or the job position. Given names are often called between good friends. Xiao3 Jie3 nowadays is considered to be an offensive way to address young ladies.
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.
If you're at all familiar with Chinese language and culture, you may already understand that it's considered rude to say "no" in Chinese or to directly refuse an offer. In fact, there is no word in Mandarin Chinese that is the exact equivalent to the word "no" in English.
The one-child policy (Simplified Chinese: 一孩政策) was a population planning initiative in China implemented between 1979 and 2015 to curb the country's population growth by restricting many families to a single child.
Every culture has its own taboos, and it is important to remain aware of them when traveling or encountering another culture to ensure you don't commit a social faux-pas. In Chinese culture, some of the most common taboos involve gift-giving, birthdays, and weddings.
Chinese smile for more reasons than Americans. A smile can mean the person is embarrassed, trying to be helpful, curious, happy or friendly. In the middle of an argument, smiling means that the speaker doesn't want this to become personal.
How do you respond? We are usually taught that it's impolite and considered arrogant in Chinese culture to just say “thanks” when you receive a compliment. That's why beginners often learn that a more appropriate response to a compliment is “nǎ lǐ, nǎ lǐ (哪里，哪里), ” which is easy to pronounce and remember.
Chinese compliment (plural Chinese compliments) (slang, idiomatic) A pretense of deference; a veiled or subtle insult.
Nonverbal communication in China
People will sometimes avoid eye contact in China during conversations, especially when talking to those of the opposite sex or to strangers. They will also not talk about feelings directly, but rather communicate them with facial expressions, tone of voice, or body posture.
The 12 values, written in 24 Chinese characters, are the national values of "prosperity", "democracy", "civility" and "harmony"; the social values of "freedom", "equality", "justice" and the "rule of law"; and the individual values of "patriotism", "dedication", "integrity" and "friendship".
Giselle Hou and Weiya Zhang: “Modern Chinese women are strong, confident, open-minded and independent, both emotionally and financially. They know what they want and are in control of their own life, especially when it comes to making purchasing decisions.”
The tradition of Chinese ethical thought is centrally concerned with questions about how one ought to live: what goes into a worthwhile life, how to weigh duties toward family versus duties toward strangers, whether human nature is predisposed to be morally good or bad, how one ought to relate to the non-human world, ...
He Might Show His Affection Using Gifts
Sometimes this means showering you with sweet gestures and presents. Gifts can range from flowers and candy to more practical items that he knows you need and could use. Presents can be his way of showing that he cares and that he can take care of you.