Gift-giving is a practically universal means of showing appreciation or affection. However, finding the right gift for a recipient can sometimes stress if you’re unsure as to what to buy — especially when taking into consideration proper cultural respects and paying proper etiquette.
Here are some dos and don’ts for Chinese gift-giving!
Do
Cash: While cash may seem improper or uncommon for Westerners, giving cash in the form of red envelopes is a very popular and common tradition in China — especially the Spring Festival (春节) and weddings.
Using Both Hands: Using both hands to hand a gift to a recipient (pictured above) is a common practice and a mark of respect!
Don’t
Green hats: While rather specific, a green hat is commonly a metaphor in Chinese 帶綠帽 (dài lǜ mào, with green hat) for adultery!
The Number Four: A very common superstition in China, the number four (四 sì ) is pronounced similar to the word for death (死 sǐ). As such, people should beware of gifts related to the number four — which would be associated with bad luck. Sometimes, even multiples of four are also taken as bad luck.
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