The overriding rule of Chinese table customs is deference. Defer to others in everything. Be conscious of the need to share what is placed in common. This means don't eat only from those dishes that you like.
The customs surrounding Chinese tables' manners is ingrained with tradition, and some rules are not to be broke. Failing to understand and follow all of the rules could result in offending the chef and ending the night in an unfavorable way.
Most western table manners also apply in China. For example, watching TV and playing with your phone during a meal is considered bad manners. Similarly, chewing loudly or speaking with your mouth full would be deemed impolite. Lastly, one should cover their mouth when coughing, sneezing, or picking teeth.
You should behave elegantly. When taking food, don't nudge or push against your neighbor. Don't let the food splash or let soup or sauce drip onto the table. When eating, you should close your mouth to chew food well before you swallow it, which is not only a requirement of etiquette, but also better for digestion.
And although most Chinese meals are eaten at a round table, there is still a place of honor, usually the seat facing the entrance or the access to the dining room. The next most important members of the family are seated to the left or right of the patriarch or matriarch in descending order.
In China, leave some food on your plate – it's rude to clean your plate, like you're telling your host that he or she did not provide you enough.
Generally, one should not leave the table before the host or the eldest person finishes his or her food. It is also considered impolite to leave the table without asking for the host's or the elder's permission. Normally whoever completes first will wait for others and after everybody is finished all leave the table.
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.
Tapping the table with the index and middle fingers when being served drinks is a very common practice in China. It basically means “thank you” in an unintrusive way – with the welcome effect it won't interrupt conversations at the dining table.
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.
It's a very rude table manner to lick your fingers at a table. If there is any food on your fingers such as sauce, curry or dip, always wipe it with your napkin discreetly or excuse yourself to wash your hands and then come back.
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.
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. In South Korea and Singapore, however, not so much.
The real difference is that in the West, you have your own plate of food, while in China the dishes are placed on the table and everyone shares.
Pointing at others can be considered disrespectful in many cultures, but even more so in China. To point at someone with one finger is to show contempt.
Thank You. To symbolize thank you in China, you let either palm rest on the fist of the other hand. In some parts of the country, this is followed by a slight bow. If a waiter is serving you tea, coffee or any food, you tap your first two fingers on the table to show appreciation for their good service.
Instead of saying thank you, quietly tap your fingers on the table during the pour. Legend traces this etiquette back to a Chinese emperor who liked to travel the countryside incognito. When he refilled his companions' cups, they would tap their fingers rather than bow before him, so as not to blow his cover.
What is this? China prohibits naming children strange names. This law is strange as one would expect that the choice of a baby's name depends on the parents as they are the ones who gave birth. In China, it is quite different as the government does not allow naming a child a name that sounds weird.
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.
Guizi (鬼子; pinyin: guǐzi) is a Mandarin Chinese slang term for foreigners, and has a long history of being used as a racially deprecating insult.
Rule No. 1: Don't slurp. If your soup is piping hot, blow on the spoon gently before eating it, and swallow silently. Don't blow on the whole bowl.
Answer: Back in the olden days, they used to place table tops on a log or tree stump, so if you put your elbows on the table, it would flip up, so that's how it became bad manners to put your elbows on the table.