If you are meeting someone in a business context, shake hands and smile. If it is someone older than you with some sort of rank, you may do a very slight bow from the shoulders (as opposed to a full-fledged bow from the waist) as a sign of respect.
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.
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.
Let's start with how to greet each other. In Chinese, the most common way to say “Hi” is “你好(nǐhǎo)”. Sometimes we may use “您好(nínhǎo)” to show respect to our teachers or the seniors. Besides “你好(nǐhǎo)” and “您好(nínhǎo)”, there are other ways to greet others in daily life.
This benevolence, although based in familial ties, extends to friendships and social relationships, producing a full set of values that include justice, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty, self-discipline, and commitment. Righteousness refers to justice and correctness.
In general, polite expressions in Chinese can be classified into the following four major categories: honorifics, humble language, courteous speech, and euphemisms. The use of honorifics is the direct way of showing respect by elevating the standing of addressee or the referent in relation to the recipient.
Chinese often address people in a certain way to express politeness and respect for others. To greet a stranger, you would refer to them by their family name followed by xiansheng (Mr) or nvshi (Ms). For example, to greet a man surnamed Huang, you can say: “Huang xiansheng, ni hao (Hello, Mr Huang).”
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.
Since the time of Confucianism, 2000 years ago, modesty has been considered one of the highest virtues, the Golden Rule. While Westerners openly accept compliments with a simple “thanks”, in Chinese culture it's viewed as impolite and arrogant. Chinese people refuse to accept praise to show modesty and politeness.
The best way to build a quick rapport is to greet Chinese guests with “Nihao” (Hello) first followed by "Mr/Ms + their last name". For instance, “Nihao, Mr Li!” All the Chinese guests can understand you are welcoming them warmly.
The Chinese dislike being touched by strangers. 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.
Chinese can ask what seem to be quite personal questions. Be polite and gracious and evade anything you're not comfortable with, or you may enjoy the freedom to talk about some things that you don't back home. Find common areas to talk about: family, food, sports, etc.
In general, the Chinese are a collective society with a need for group affiliation, whether to their family, school, work group, or country. In order to maintain a sense of harmony, they will act with decorum at all times and will not do anything to cause someone else public embarrassment.
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.
The appreciative Chinese would say ting hao de (挺好的) meaning "very good", and gesture with a thumbs up, which in Chinese means "you're number one". High officials in the Chinese government see it as a sign of respect.
Fear not, we're here to explain why. The word "Qin亲(qīn)" is the short form of "亲爱的(qīnài de)", which translates as dear. While Dear is used to address relatively informal letters in the west, calling a random stranger"dear" online is not a typical way to interact.
节哀顺变 jié'āi shùnbiàn, may sound harsh when translated literally as "Please restrain your grief and gradually accept it," but it means the equivalent of "My condolences" or "I am sorry to your loss" in English.
你也是 / 你的也是。
Therefore, when Chinese people receive compliments from others, they would like to say something nice back to them. One of the Chinese phrases that can often be heard in similar situations is “你也是 / 你的也是” (nǐ yě shì / nǐ de yě shì). EXAMPLE: A: 你今天真漂亮。
In Chinese culture, people express love through actions as much as words. You might decide to demonstrate your love through touch, holding your partner's hand, or cuddling up together when you have a moment alone. It never hurts to do something nice for that special person in your life.