I'm from the UK. years ago my friend bought her fiance a pen knife as a gift but before she gave it to him she asked him for a coin, he pulled 10p or 50p something small from his pocket and she kept it and gave him the gift of the knife. she told me it was bad luck to give a knife as a gift but if she took the coin from him then it wasn't a gift it was a transaction. basically she sold him his own present as local folklore where she lived decreed that by taking the small coin he would be safe with her gift choice. I found it a cute local custom that I had never heard of prior.
Same thing in my family (Belgian). We offered my Dad really nice knives years ago, he had to pay a coin for it. Otherwise it would have meant that we want him dead.
Lol make sure they're Chinese though, cause pear might not hint at separation in other countries, but a clock is almost a universal non-appropriate gift
Ohhhhh I sense a breakup really soon! Lol! If her parents offer fruits after dinner and there happen to be pear in there, but u gave him a clock u r so dead! They are only being polite! It's normal offer guest fruits 😂😂😂😂 Unless he actually offer u a basket full of pears as present.
Most of these things come from the same pronounciation of the words. Just think about it, if there wouldn't be same pronounciation of these characters, they wouldn't think about them as 'wrong omen' or negative things.
the koreans also dont like red pens, especially if you'd have to write your name with it, its like some sort of death sentence. And Dan, I feel you on office supplies... For me the smell and feeling of paper and the smell of ink... I could get high on it. I write on anything and that moment when you found the perfect pen/ pencil/fineliner or felt tip pen BLISS, but then the ink runs out.... sadness. And dont get me started on crafting paper and gelpens and yes, scissors, theyre the greatest things. You know..basically ALL stationery is great. Wow, this became a stationery appreciation post very quick.. Im sorry XD
Oohh... Now I get it. I was watching a drama the other day and I was really confused because the male lead made such a big deal about not wearing a green headband. Thanks Double Chen Show.
In the UK some people have told me that giving white roses or even white flowers by themselves (ie not in a bunch with mixed colours) symbolises death and you shouldn't do it. Other people have never heard of this. I don't know if it generational or even regional. I've also heard the same about white lillies (and they are often on bereavement cards) but they are also often in mixed bunches of flowers (which seems to be fine) and plenty of people do give them by themselves too. Similarly I'm pretty sure traditionally breaking a mirror was considered bad luck. (Again that seems to have been more in my grandparents generation and seems to have died out perhaps, and/or it could be regional - my family are from different parts of the UK, so it gets confusing sometimes). I'm also fascinated by the things that are not good to give Chinese people that are traditional gifts in the UK, especially books as you said about the USA, but also handkerchiefs (again this is especially in my grandparents generation - people who would be in their 90s now). Clocks and watches, especially mantlepiece clocks were also traditional gifts, especially for special occasions, eg retirement etc. Even umbrellas are relatively common gifts, perhaps because they break so easily and because they can come in cute or smart designs. White flowers aren't a traditional gift, but they are a trendy one, lol. Teenage girls give each other cute pens, like gel pens, pens that smell etc, including red ones.
I suspect watches are okay because they don't have the word "clock" them at all. "Song shou biao" doesn't sound like anything other than "give a watch," so it wouldn't be taboo.
Watch and clocks are different. I got a pocketwatch for my birthday and loved it, but if some got me a clock I would probably start a fight with them if they were Chinese.
I gave my Chinese friend flowers on her graduation day since that's my family's tradition... none of them were the white flowers used for funerals. And can you give a Chinese person an umbrella to use if its raining or is it still the same meaning? Also... would a photo/memory book be considered bad? because she seemed to enjoy both the flowers and the photo book... and she gave me a fan and Chinese tea (which was like the best tea I've ever had). Thank you for doing these videos, I'm learning so much.
I am asian. For me, this forbidden culture thing i already break it. Everything people give me a gift , i will accept that. Except dangerous thing but kitchen knife i accept and very useful.
I'm Chinese, and I feel like a lot of these are just BS cultural phenomena that we'd be better off without. Books are great for gifts. I don't know why anyone would take offense to that.
It's not so much homonyms themselves but rather the specific phrases/sayings they are associated with and sound like. Chinese people don't like speaking about bad luck, so they will do anything to keep bad luck from entering their lives (including avoiding things that sound like bad luck phrases). Superstitious is a good way to describe this but it goes much deeper, through all the spiritual beliefs and generations of traditions. Imagine how the West interprets the numbers 13 and 666, but on a much larger scale that includes full-on sayings.
Also, the entire language is tonal and without an alphabet, so homonyms effectively make up the language. It's also a reason why all of our jokes are based around similar-sounding words.
The one thing I was told by one of my Chinese friends, we don't receive cut flowers at all it's a sign of dead or death (as the flowers are dying) if you want to make a gift then send may be a living plant!
So, If I REALLY wanted to end a relationship with a chinese person... get an umbrella with a sword in the handle, open the umbrella part, and use it as a gift-basket filled with pears and small clocks?
That depends if that Chinese person believes in Superstitions. That person might take it as you want to spend both of your lives together, no matter how bad the weather is and for the rest of time.
I'm like Dan. Gifts of items from craft stores or office supply places are awesome. Then again, I spin my own yarn so I can knit with it and I grow my own produce to can. I'm weird like that. As for getting scissors as a gift, kitchen shears get gifted a lot, especially for things like weddings where people register for practical gifts. And one brand of sewing scissors is a common gift item. My basic fabric shears from them cost me $80. They also weigh a small on and can be sharpened for years to come. So yeah, I can think of several instances when scissors are considered gifts.
I also heard that if you give shoes as a present, it means they're able to run away and leave you and if you give a clock to them, if there was ever a time if they break or stop working, it means that your time will also stop which basically is death.
I gave my Chinese mother in law a potted plant once and it died. She thought this meant that my relationship was cursed and bad luck. Once for Easter, I gave her a chocolate rabbit which she couldnt eat because she was born in the year of the rabbit and also bad luck. Ive been told she is a bit extreme though. I will stick to citrus fruit.
hahaha Oranges sound like a good idea! XD The plant sounds more like her fault, though, if you've ever seen How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: "Our love fern! YOU LET IT DIEEE!" hahaha
Oh god. I'm year of the rabbit. I had a pet rabbit that died of old age and have always eaten choco rabbits. I done cursed myself. I need a toaist cultivator rn
I like getting books. When it comes to book gifts there are 2 things that I like: 1. A book that really fits me, something that I would have picked up on my own but I just didn't find that particular book yet, it shows me that that person understands me. 2. A book that I would never pick up, but really resonates with the person gifting it. A person is really sharing a lot about himself or herself when gifting a book, I love it when my friends express themselves in that way and they trust that I will take their opinions seriously.
Omg, my ex-friend gave me her 'Japanese umbrella' and she kept on poking holes in it, so little me poked holes in it and she got mad. 😂 We're no longer friends obviously, and maybe that's because she gave me an umbrella. 😂
I think you could have mentioned something about unlucky numbers of things. For example, giving a set of four of some item is pretty common in the Western cultures, but in China and Japan it's said to be rude because of unlucky numbers.
You'd have to buy your girl a house, a car. But only limited to Asian men. Asian parents usually treats foreigner son in laws better for some fucked up reason. Maybe it's the matter of size?
This was a really cool video! A lot of these are similar in Vietnamese culture too. No gifts in black and white, no mirrors, and there are certain gifts that are bad for giving as wedding gifts too but I forget them XD
My grandparents all immigrated from Eastern Europe and whenever we give a purse or wallet as a gift, we put a dollar (or more, if it's for a teen or child a quarter will be fine) inside because we express the wish that their wallets will never be empty. I have always liked that tradition. I also love hearing about other cultures. Thank you gentlemen for sharing these videos with us. ( I hate to receive random flower gifts because they die soon and that symbolism creeps me out, so I much prefer the idea of giving fruit offerings when I visit someone. That is wonderful!)
You guys are awesome! I started watching your videos to learn more about Chinese culture, but I keep watching because you're fun and funny and I enjoy the way your friendship comes through on screen. Keep up the good work! :-)
Handkerchiefs are actually for crying; a gentleman is supposed to carry one incase a woman needs one to wipe up tears. It's a while damsel in distress thing... lol.
I actually knew the pear and red ink one. I learned it in my Mandarin class. Red ink is bad because, in the past, it was used to write the names of criminals who were to be executed. That same reason teachers won't mark homework/tests with red ink.
Oh man, no wonder my brother-in-law (who is Chinese) wasn't interested in the fun tech clock I thought would make a great Christmas present. Thankfully I checked with him first, but only because my husband thought it was kind of cheesy. I never even thought that it might be a cultural thing.
Some of these also extend to other cultures: In the UK, it used to be in bad taste to give somebody a clock -- unless they were going into retirement (for the same reason: a clock was considered a goodbye gift). In Russia, giving somebody a handkerchief is an act of condemnation -- it's believed that a handkerchief as a gift is a sure sign that the recipient will die prematurely and in a terrible way. I've also heard that giving an umbrella as a gift means bad luck and separation in Germany (the mom of my German friend received an umbrella from her husband shortly before they divorced).
So basically, you should give a chinese person orange? Because almost everything represents either death or misfortune? What happens if it rains? They're like: Hey can I borrow your umbrella and you're like: NO it's bad luck! :)
for the umbrella example, they can borrow or buy it, they just can't accept it as a gift. If you do give someone a clock or an umbrella, make sure they give you a coin so technically they're buying it from you. Just give gold coloured items. Like Mike said, we love gold.
We give flowers for a lot of occasions for example birthdays, deaths, weddings, get well present, to say sorry, anniversaries, to give a host for hosting you, saying thank you etc etc.
If you buy something for yourself: 1) You fully know the intent behind it; and 2) you're not being given it. "give" (Chinese: "song") is a key word that adds meaning to some of these phrases. Case in point: "song zhong" (to give a clock) sounds like "song zhong" (to perform last rites). To dispel the curse engendered by being given a clock, some Chinese will give a coin to the giver; thus it is technically being sold, not given.
xvzw 😂 Obviously! You can buy those thing for yourself..Including Chinese..But, just don't give it to Chinese as a gift..It's our culture! Btw, I'm Chinese
lol... last year, I gave one of my Chinese friends an umbrella (the cute pinky one) because she said she needed a new umbrella after her old one's broken... well, she loved it!
I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL SO MUUCH!!! I LOVE LEARNING CHINNESE HISTORY AND YOU ARE HERE TO INFORM MANY FANTASTIC KNOWLEDGES TO THE WORLD!!! U ARE THE BEST BRO!!
You guys are great! Remember handkerchiefs are for showing not blowing( Ralph Kramden to Ed Nortin on The Honeymooners). I just subscribed to this channel, I already subscribed to another one of Mikes channels.
I don't actually believe the language itself, nor most of the people, are passive-aggressive, though the guilt-inducing parent thing seems to be real everywhere. Nor do I mistake puns and homophones (words that sound alike) for hostility. But the take-away I got from these guys' general discussion was that there is so much that can be taken wrong, or used to subtly (or unsubtly) slam other people in a way that lets the person who is being insulting off the hook because "clearly they didn't MEAN any harm" ... that it seemed to me that was the summary of what they were saying. Which is odd, to me.
My grandfather used bandanas for his handkerchiefs, but my grandmother carried tissues in her purse to use for sneezing and running noses. However, she ALWAYS carried a fine linen handkerchief edged with delicate crocheted edging of all colors that she fashioned herself. She taught me how to edge the handkerchiefs and, when she passed away, I tucked one I had made for her edged in her favorite blue in her hand to take to heaven with her.
Hi guys, In America, gifts to Chinese people. Wedding gifts are wrapped in white, My mom & dad had a mirror with a painting on it. Many restaurants have mirrors with lots of signatures & chops sometime. You guys make great points but changes are happening. Love your show. Positive Asian Image!
actually the youth dont care about receiving umbrella now , but opening one umbrella under roof is really forbidden because thats the way to see ghosts.. LOL
Here in SE Tennessee---I was taught something similar about giving sharp object (like knives and scissors) as gifts. My mother and grandmother always asked for a dime---so that they are selling the object---not giving it. I was also taught not to thank someone when they give you a plant or it will die. So you say, "I will not thank you for this plant because I don't want it to die. But I really like it."
So fun to hear customs of other countries--makes it tricky when they are opposites, though! For example, I was taught it is common in Germany--almost expected--to give flowers (not roses) to the lady of the house when you go to visit someone! Thanks for the videos, guys! :D
Now that you've listed the things not to give, what are the most auspicious things to give Chinese person? What are the things you definitely should give?
Radio Rob According to recent surveys, dog and cat eating in China is confined to a few cities. In most cities, the great majority of the people don't eat dog or cat. It's actually a rare practice in China, and a growing majority of Chinese believe the practice should be banned. You are stereotyping Chinese. By the way some Swiss people eat cat meat, but would you put a similar remark below a video posted by a Swiss person? Do you think that the two young men who run this account agree with dog and cat eating just because of their ancestry? Also, this is the avatar I use across all my Google accounts. I'm not changing it because you have engaged in stereotypes.
I was trying to complement you by saying good question. Then again, by saying I like your cat. Which I do by trying to find homes for strays. So then, you come back at me with this crap? Go f*ck yourself b*tch.
I was trying to complement you by saying good question. Then again, by saying I like your cat. Which I do by trying to find homes for strays. So then, you come back at me with this crap? Go f*ck yourself b*tch.
A year late with cold starbucks: Flowers in western cultures are usually celebration or condolences (or apologies). (The Victorians had an extensive flower meaning catalogue. You could exchange messages by the composition of a bouquet). They are for holidays, anniversaries, or when visiting someone at the hospital. Red roses, for example, are exclusively for romantic partners. For knives it's actually very similar, unless you're in Finland: Then a good puuko is a sign of respect. (In certain contexts, if the recipient is an avid crafter or cook, and the knife or pair of scissors is high-quality, then it can be appropriate. Also appropriate for supplying new households.)
Sookie ginger oh wow I didnt know I could see someone with the same feeling as I do here. He has emphasized in another video that he's kind of "westernlized" (I know it is wrong spelling) but to me his presentation doesnt look authentically western. And of course not Chinese either.
Vivian Yunzhe Sun Yeah... the way he speaks and his gestures does not seem to be his own... it is almost he practiced in front of mirror to look cool or something. The other guy's presentation is good. Happy new year! Well, if he lives in US or a similar country, he can be westernized, which is ok, but he seem like he is trying too hard to be westernized, which makes his presentation very unnatural. Like he is dying to be twinky (yellow outside but think white inside---- referring to Asian who think they are white). FYI--- I am Asian.
One can also use handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat from one's forehead. That is a traditional use. Remember in Latin there are two different words that can be used to translated handkerchief, depending on how one uses it. Sudariolum - to wipe the sweat and muccinium, literally a snot rag.
When you said that a broken mirror represents bad fortune I chuckled a little, because in german speaking culture we have a saying "shards bring luck".
When I went to China from Canada years ago I decided to get my teachers a gift. However, the only Canadian thing I could find in the Vancouver airport was a bottle of maple syrup. My teacher did not speak English, and I did not speak much Mandarin back then, so I told her, "Don't drink too much!" It looked like a bottle of alcohol, so I'm worried she tried to drink the whole thing. Lesson learned, don't give maple syrup!
1:46 I thought 离开 (simplified version) just meant to leave, had no idea there was a connotation with death. I guess it IS like “depart” or “departed” in English
We do bring flowers, depending on the occasion. If there is something to celebrate most peiple do, and friends or relatives can bring flowers on other occasions as well
Haven't you heard of the term "the good scissors" in relation to the scissors you are never allowed to use. Usually fabric scissors or one that cost quite a bit more money than the usual ones to cut paper.
I'm from the UK. years ago my friend bought her fiance a pen knife as a gift but before she gave it to him she asked him for a coin, he pulled 10p or 50p something small from his pocket and she kept it and gave him the gift of the knife. she told me it was bad luck to give a knife as a gift but if she took the coin from him then it wasn't a gift it was a transaction. basically she sold him his own present as local folklore where she lived decreed that by taking the small coin he would be safe with her gift choice.
I found it a cute local custom that I had never heard of prior.
Same thing in my family (Belgian). We offered my Dad really nice knives years ago, he had to pay a coin for it. Otherwise it would have meant that we want him dead.
I got my families a bunch of swiss army knives as souvenirs from my trip to Switzerland, and everybody had to give me a bit of money in exchange.
My dad always said to do this so you don't cut off the friendship.
My dad gave me a swiss army knife o_O
If you don't buy the knife, it will cut your love...
in my culture giving mirror means I couldn't find anything more beautiful than you.
Makes sense
turkey :D
I'm sure you've gotten a lot of mirrors then :-)
çok güzel!
What a lovely idea! It gave me such a warm feeling knowing that!
Here's another one for Cantonese ... Don't give salted fish (鹹魚) to old people coz that's a slang term for dead body.
Also any type of 瓜 (whether it's a veggie or fruit) is no good coz it sounds like death.
Only for Cantonese though
+Katie Crossing So? Some of the points made in video only apply to mandarin speaking population.
allmyjm No I was just pointing it out in case people didn't know
Yes, but who would give a 鹹魚 to another person as a gift??
If I ever date an Asian girl, and her dad gives us a pear, I'm giving him a clock. Haha
lol food one
+Jalisa Oneal *good
Lol make sure they're Chinese though, cause pear might not hint at separation in other countries, but a clock is almost a universal non-appropriate gift
+Dastardly Fundamentalist lol you are clever :)
Ohhhhh I sense a breakup really soon! Lol! If her parents offer fruits after dinner and there happen to be pear in there, but u gave him a clock u r so dead! They are only being polite! It's normal offer guest fruits 😂😂😂😂
Unless he actually offer u a basket full of pears as present.
Should do a 12 things to GIVE to a Chinese person: Money.
lol
money, gold, diamond, car, house, platinum
Greencard
You're absolutely correct. 'Present Gold'(ie: a direct translation of Cash in Chinese) is highly practical.
money in a red envelope (Ang Pow)
So, you're telling me that the Chinese are more superstitious than catholic Italians???
Crazy, right?
Marsh Pickle 7 Asians in general are really REALLY superstitious
Cute Mochi
mostly elderly people.
Mark A. B. Yes
Most of these things come from the same pronounciation of the words. Just think about it, if there wouldn't be same pronounciation of these characters, they wouldn't think about them as 'wrong omen' or negative things.
giving fruits instead of flowers - we should totally copy that
I'll take beef.
or pre made meals instead of flowers
ananym it's more useful! You can't eat flowers!
Flowers are pretty, but food is food!
ananym better idea, give them chocolate covered, flower shaped fruits
Red ink is blood writing (血書) because in ancient China, a person would send a letter written in blood as sign of upset / angry at you.
Lol. That's emo as f*ck.
I dig it
Also, don't write names with red ink.
the pear one is funny because - pair / pear! almost the exact opposite!
the koreans also dont like red pens, especially if you'd have to write your name with it, its like some sort of death sentence.
And Dan, I feel you on office supplies... For me the smell and feeling of paper and the smell of ink... I could get high on it. I write on anything and that moment when you found the perfect pen/ pencil/fineliner or felt tip pen BLISS, but then the ink runs out.... sadness. And dont get me started on crafting paper and gelpens and yes, scissors, theyre the greatest things. You know..basically ALL stationery is great.
Wow, this became a stationery appreciation post very quick.. Im sorry XD
"hey, whats your favorite fruit?"
"It's a Chinese fruit called "please go away"
U guys honestly deserve way more subs
Thanks so much, love you guys. A Chinese Wedding to do/don't vid would be GREAT! :)
Dan's enthousiasm for office supplies resonates with me on an emotional level. xD Seriously tho. Office supplies are so brilliant as are books.
Oohh... Now I get it. I was watching a drama the other day and I was really confused because the male lead made such a big deal about not wearing a green headband. Thanks Double Chen Show.
In the UK some people have told me that giving white roses or even white flowers by themselves (ie not in a bunch with mixed colours) symbolises death and you shouldn't do it. Other people have never heard of this. I don't know if it generational or even regional. I've also heard the same about white lillies (and they are often on bereavement cards) but they are also often in mixed bunches of flowers (which seems to be fine) and plenty of people do give them by themselves too.
Similarly I'm pretty sure traditionally breaking a mirror was considered bad luck. (Again that seems to have been more in my grandparents generation and seems to have died out perhaps, and/or it could be regional - my family are from different parts of the UK, so it gets confusing sometimes).
I'm also fascinated by the things that are not good to give Chinese people that are traditional gifts in the UK, especially books as you said about the USA, but also handkerchiefs (again this is especially in my grandparents generation - people who would be in their 90s now). Clocks and watches, especially mantlepiece clocks were also traditional gifts, especially for special occasions, eg retirement etc. Even umbrellas are relatively common gifts, perhaps because they break so easily and because they can come in cute or smart designs. White flowers aren't a traditional gift, but they are a trendy one, lol. Teenage girls give each other cute pens, like gel pens, pens that smell etc, including red ones.
My family is chinese and we give the children on their 18th birthday watches...
I suspect watches are okay because they don't have the word "clock" them at all. "Song shou biao" doesn't sound like anything other than "give a watch," so it wouldn't be taboo.
Watch and clocks are different. I got a pocketwatch for my birthday and loved it, but if some got me a clock I would probably start a fight with them if they were Chinese.
louiseglasgow Also in Japan when someone gives you a white rose ( if you're still alive ) they want you to die.
Henry.... even westerners know that clocks means losing a person in your life... breaking up usually
Very interesting and useful video.
I usually play it safe and just give gift cards. It doesn't matter what's on them right?
As long as it's not an amount including the number 4 ;)
Number 4, 7, 9 all mean "death" in Japanese
+PA 4 chinese is just 4
very thoughtless in my opinion. gifts should come from the heart. no thought or love goes into a gift card
pearlyn lee And, also Fourteen. It means want to die or going to die...
Look at that. Yi gave them umbrellas and nOw double Chen is no more. She knew what she was doing. 😏
👁👄👁
Oh boy-
I gave my Chinese friend flowers on her graduation day since that's my family's tradition... none of them were the white flowers used for funerals. And can you give a Chinese person an umbrella to use if its raining or is it still the same meaning? Also... would a photo/memory book be considered bad? because she seemed to enjoy both the flowers and the photo book... and she gave me a fan and Chinese tea (which was like the best tea I've ever had). Thank you for doing these videos, I'm learning so much.
lending an umbrella is nothing.
zeiitgeist Is it like you can't let them keep it?
Kamisama Desu out of sight, out of mind.
+Maiko134 lol, they can be either thankful and dry, or offended and wet :)
just don't give large clock...that's really mean= =# hand clock is ok.
I am asian. For me, this forbidden culture thing i already break it. Everything people give me a gift , i will accept that. Except dangerous thing but kitchen knife i accept and very useful.
Also, Japanese word for European pear 洋梨 (younashi) sounds like 用無し (you-nashi), useless.
I still like pears.
Wow XD....... I thought Muda means useless.
But there is no taboo there. You can give 洋梨 to someone.
I'm Chinese, and I feel like a lot of these are just BS cultural phenomena that we'd be better off without. Books are great for gifts. I don't know why anyone would take offense to that.
If someone plays mahjong or bet on horse races then books (= loss) are not good for gamblers
Yeah they would call it bookends to go with the book the end of your life
Why do homonyms create so much fear in Chinese culture???
idk maybe superstition?
It's not so much homonyms themselves but rather the specific phrases/sayings they are associated with and sound like. Chinese people don't like speaking about bad luck, so they will do anything to keep bad luck from entering their lives (including avoiding things that sound like bad luck phrases). Superstitious is a good way to describe this but it goes much deeper, through all the spiritual beliefs and generations of traditions. Imagine how the West interprets the numbers 13 and 666, but on a much larger scale that includes full-on sayings.
Also, the entire language is tonal and without an alphabet, so homonyms effectively make up the language. It's also a reason why all of our jokes are based around similar-sounding words.
The one thing I was told by one of my Chinese friends, we don't receive cut flowers at all it's a sign of dead or death (as the flowers are dying) if you want to make a gift then send may be a living plant!
So, If I REALLY wanted to end a relationship with a chinese person...
get an umbrella with a sword in the handle, open the umbrella part, and use it as a gift-basket filled with pears and small clocks?
branfeather I feel this needs to be made into a cartoon
Yeah basically
I will gladly accept that thing....really...simply cuz its really cool = =#
Wrap it in a large handkerchief
That depends if that Chinese person believes in Superstitions.
That person might take it as you want to spend both of your lives together, no matter how bad the weather is and for the rest of time.
I'm like Dan. Gifts of items from craft stores or office supply places are awesome. Then again, I spin my own yarn so I can knit with it and I grow my own produce to can. I'm weird like that.
As for getting scissors as a gift, kitchen shears get gifted a lot, especially for things like weddings where people register for practical gifts. And one brand of sewing scissors is a common gift item. My basic fabric shears from them cost me $80. They also weigh a small on and can be sharpened for years to come. So yeah, I can think of several instances when scissors are considered gifts.
I also heard that if you give shoes as a present, it means they're able to run away and leave you and if you give a clock to them, if there was ever a time if they break or stop working, it means that your time will also stop which basically is death.
Oh shoot your time…
I gave my Chinese mother in law a potted plant once and it died. She thought this meant that my relationship was cursed and bad luck. Once for Easter, I gave her a chocolate rabbit which she couldnt eat because she was born in the year of the rabbit and also bad luck. Ive been told she is a bit extreme though. I will stick to citrus fruit.
hahaha Oranges sound like a good idea! XD The plant sounds more like her fault, though, if you've ever seen How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: "Our love fern! YOU LET IT DIEEE!" hahaha
Oh god. I'm year of the rabbit. I had a pet rabbit that died of old age and have always eaten choco rabbits. I done cursed myself. I need a toaist cultivator rn
I love it when you speak Chinese. Please do it more often in your wonderful videos. I don't understand it but it sounds so nice.
I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE GIVE ME BOOKS! Im a MAJOR reader& I LOVE it!
I like getting books. When it comes to book gifts there are 2 things that I like:
1. A book that really fits me, something that I would have picked up on my own but I just didn't find that particular book yet, it shows me that that person understands me.
2. A book that I would never pick up, but really resonates with the person gifting it. A person is really sharing a lot about himself or herself when gifting a book, I love it when my friends express themselves in that way and they trust that I will take their opinions seriously.
I love them, too! Even if it's something I wouldn't normally like, I love any kind of book.
Yes true lol I like books
You should do a video on what gifts are good to give...and yeah, the Chinese wedding thing.
So how do you confuse a Chinese person?
give them white gold
robert charlton Wow.
robert charlton Hahas. Its valuable but with a bad connotation.
robert charlton ya racist
You should try something red
@@aidenmott385 you have no idea what racism means. Dumbass
Omg, my ex-friend gave me her 'Japanese umbrella' and she kept on poking holes in it, so little me poked holes in it and she got mad. 😂 We're no longer friends obviously, and maybe that's because she gave me an umbrella. 😂
I heard your not supposed to give people money in denominations of Four. such as $4, 40, 400, etc.
I think this might only be in Korea, but I'm not sure.
don't give anything with 4 in it, cause it sounds like die in mandarin and cantonese(i think) too
+Serena He cantonese is yut ye san say and mandarin yi er san soull idk
4 is unluckiest number in China. 4= sì, death=si
4 四 sounds like dead 死
I think you could have mentioned something about unlucky numbers of things. For example, giving a set of four of some item is pretty common in the Western cultures, but in China and Japan it's said to be rude because of unlucky numbers.
Oh yes yes
Yes Mike - do a piece on Chinese weddings.
So many things for Chinese Weddings😹
+xx KawaiiCloud xx it cost too much to marry 😦
You'd have to buy your girl a house, a car. But only limited to Asian men. Asian parents usually treats foreigner son in laws better for some fucked up reason. Maybe it's the matter of size?
This was a really cool video! A lot of these are similar in Vietnamese culture too. No gifts in black and white, no mirrors, and there are certain gifts that are bad for giving as wedding gifts too but I forget them XD
"Scissors, worst present ever"
Dude you are clearly not scrapbook fanatics...
*I've given a set of scissors as a present before*
My grandparents all immigrated from Eastern Europe and whenever we give a purse or wallet as a gift, we put a dollar (or more, if it's for a teen or child a quarter will be fine) inside because we express the wish that their wallets will never be empty.
I have always liked that tradition.
I also love hearing about other cultures. Thank you gentlemen for sharing these videos with us. ( I hate to receive random flower gifts because they die soon and that symbolism creeps me out, so I much prefer the idea of giving fruit offerings when I visit someone. That is wonderful!)
After watching this informative video I will only give gold or oranges to the Chinese. Thanks, Double Chen! (polishes his golden oranges)
I love Chen Dynasty. Wonderful help. I love Asian cultures especially Chinese and Korean. God bless you richly.
I laughed so hard when the guy on the right said "you love scissors..." while making a face
Once again guys, you are both entertaining and educational. Good job!
The way he freaked out about office supplies was awesome.
You guys are awesome! I started watching your videos to learn more about Chinese culture, but I keep watching because you're fun and funny and I enjoy the way your friendship comes through on screen. Keep up the good work! :-)
Handkerchiefs are actually for crying; a gentleman is supposed to carry one incase a woman needs one to wipe up tears. It's a while damsel in distress thing... lol.
*whole
Nope, handkerchiefs are just used for personal hygiene that includes blowing your nose
+Foxluna not where I live... maybe it's just a cultural thing?
Loved the video...thanks for such wonderful information..will surely help me in future someday
I actually knew the pear and red ink one. I learned it in my Mandarin class. Red ink is bad because, in the past, it was used to write the names of criminals who were to be executed. That same reason teachers won't mark homework/tests with red ink.
That's kinda funny because my Chinese teacher always corrects our work in red...
Lin Wang my bad, maybe it's just writing names in red ink. Something like that
+Sauron Yeah, I don't know. she doesn't seem to mind, even though she comes from China (grew up there and everything).
Oh man, no wonder my brother-in-law (who is Chinese) wasn't interested in the fun tech clock I thought would make a great Christmas present. Thankfully I checked with him first, but only because my husband thought it was kind of cheesy. I never even thought that it might be a cultural thing.
My dad always told me that if you wrote something in red ink it means that you are evil.
Some of these also extend to other cultures:
In the UK, it used to be in bad taste to give somebody a clock -- unless they were going into retirement (for the same reason: a clock was considered a goodbye gift).
In Russia, giving somebody a handkerchief is an act of condemnation -- it's believed that a handkerchief as a gift is a sure sign that the recipient will die prematurely and in a terrible way.
I've also heard that giving an umbrella as a gift means bad luck and separation in Germany (the mom of my German friend received an umbrella from her husband shortly before they divorced).
Maybe the Chinese should simply invent some more words. You know, just so that not every word has fifty meanings. ;)
Pocket square and handkerchief are made of different materials, of different sizes and used differently.
What about if it was a clock showing different time zones around the world?
still same meaning
It's still a clock isn't it?
I miss these.. its been three years.. bring this back!
So basically, you should give a chinese person orange? Because almost everything represents either death or misfortune?
What happens if it rains? They're like: Hey can I borrow your umbrella and you're like: NO it's bad luck! :)
I would say Mandarin oranges are the best. But for the umbrella part i think they are talking more about gifts tho
for the umbrella example, they can borrow or buy it, they just can't accept it as a gift. If you do give someone a clock or an umbrella, make sure they give you a coin so technically they're buying it from you. Just give gold coloured items. Like Mike said, we love gold.
We give flowers for a lot of occasions for example birthdays, deaths, weddings, get well present, to say sorry, anniversaries, to give a host for hosting you, saying thank you etc etc.
So a chinese can buy these stuff, but I can not give them? bullshit
Chinese people don't generally give these things to each other. But some, especially younger people don't care so much about these traditions.
CNVideos was not referring to buying for each other. They buy them for themselves
If you buy something for yourself: 1) You fully know the intent behind it; and 2) you're not being given it. "give" (Chinese: "song") is a key word that adds meaning to some of these phrases. Case in point: "song zhong" (to give a clock) sounds like "song zhong" (to perform last rites). To dispel the curse engendered by being given a clock, some Chinese will give a coin to the giver; thus it is technically being sold, not given.
xvzw 😂 Obviously! You can buy those thing for yourself..Including Chinese..But, just don't give it to Chinese as a gift..It's our culture! Btw, I'm Chinese
love the banter. could watch you guys all day.
Mike resembles Jackie chan. 😄
lol... last year, I gave one of my Chinese friends an umbrella (the cute pinky one) because she said she needed a new umbrella after her old one's broken...
well, she loved it!
Actually we are not so care about those so-called bad meanings... lol
+Raymond Chen lol.. thanks! makes me feel much better 😆
my friend went on vacation in taiwan, he bought a pair of sweet nike back for his girlfriend, then they kinda broke up 2 weeks later :D
Thanks, guys!!! So helpful. 👍
Yi & Dan?? 😊 Lucky guy Dan!
What about if I give mike my number ;)
Damnnn girl :p
Mike is cool, do it!
smooth lol
hahaha he's super handsome. just don't give him any books as a gift.
Chocolate is always a welcome gift, and never means DEATH.
I'm Chinese but I want ALL THE BOOKS
Reee same
I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL SO MUUCH!!! I LOVE LEARNING CHINNESE HISTORY AND YOU ARE HERE TO INFORM MANY FANTASTIC KNOWLEDGES TO THE WORLD!!! U ARE THE BEST BRO!!
honestly if u give me a clock or things on this list i wont even care abt this.its just too supersticious.coming from a chinese here
yea but then there's the amount of people who do care tho
for me (canto) i wpuld fcking hate it if some1 gave me a clock because I HAVE A PHONE AND A BUNCH OF CLOCKS ALREADY!
My boyfriend is Chinese, he gave me shoes, many times.. We r still happy together haha..
red ink in your bookkeeping also means you're in debt/losing money.
You guys are great! Remember handkerchiefs are for showing not blowing( Ralph Kramden to Ed Nortin on The Honeymooners). I just subscribed to this channel, I already subscribed to another one of Mikes channels.
So, chinese language is passive-aggressive?
Stephen Hutchison I'm a Chinese, and in my perspective, it's words that have sounds the same but have different meaning.
I don't actually believe the language itself, nor most of the people, are passive-aggressive, though the guilt-inducing parent thing seems to be real everywhere. Nor do I mistake puns and homophones (words that sound alike) for hostility. But the take-away I got from these guys' general discussion was that there is so much that can be taken wrong, or used to subtly (or unsubtly) slam other people in a way that lets the person who is being insulting off the hook because "clearly they didn't MEAN any harm" ... that it seemed to me that was the summary of what they were saying. Which is odd, to me.
My grandfather used bandanas for his handkerchiefs, but my grandmother carried tissues in her purse to use for sneezing and running noses. However, she ALWAYS carried a fine linen handkerchief edged with delicate crocheted edging of all colors that she fashioned herself. She taught me how to edge the handkerchiefs and, when she passed away, I tucked one I had made for her edged in her favorite blue in her hand to take to heaven with her.
Supernatural, Once upon a time, Legend of Zelda(?), Ghostbusters(?). Where's the Doctor Who Sign? :(
Mike!!!! How many channels are you on?!?! Great video 👍🏻
I'd be so bad if no one would buy me books anymore :(
Yes plzzzz a video about an Asian/Chinese wedding would be awesome
So I should give my chinese friends gold then?
Hi guys, In America, gifts to Chinese people. Wedding gifts are wrapped in white, My mom & dad had a mirror with a painting on it. Many restaurants have mirrors with lots of signatures & chops sometime. You guys make great points but changes are happening. Love your show. Positive Asian Image!
what happen if is raining and
i give the chinese person an umbrella?
they are talking more like gifts. not in that instance.
actually the youth dont care about receiving umbrella now , but opening one umbrella under roof is really forbidden because thats the way to see ghosts.. LOL
+Kai when mike was opening the umbrella i was screaming "nooo!!" Haha
You two are so entertaining! I love watching these vids!
As a Jew, give me money. I'll handle the rest.
Stereotypes anybody?
Here in SE Tennessee---I was taught something similar about giving sharp object (like knives and scissors) as gifts. My mother and grandmother always asked for a dime---so that they are selling the object---not giving it. I was also taught not to thank someone when they give you a plant or it will die. So you say, "I will not thank you for this plant because I don't want it to die. But I really like it."
What's you P.O. Box Mike? I wanna give you one of my books I wrote. 😀
So fun to hear customs of other countries--makes it tricky when they are opposites, though! For example, I was taught it is common in Germany--almost expected--to give flowers (not roses) to the lady of the house when you go to visit someone! Thanks for the videos, guys! :D
Now that you've listed the things not to give, what are the most auspicious things to give Chinese person? What are the things you definitely should give?
Good question.
Side note: Love your cat. Not sure, but I think cats aren't liked much by the Chinese. Unless stir-fried.
Radio Rob According to recent surveys, dog and cat eating in China is confined to a few cities. In most cities, the great majority of the people don't eat dog or cat. It's actually a rare practice in China, and a growing majority of Chinese believe the practice should be banned. You are stereotyping Chinese. By the way some Swiss people eat cat meat, but would you put a similar remark below a video posted by a Swiss person? Do you think that the two young men who run this account agree with dog and cat eating just because of their ancestry? Also, this is the avatar I use across all my Google accounts. I'm not changing it because you have engaged in stereotypes.
+Double Chen please read this comment and the reply and respond.
I was trying to complement you by saying good question. Then again, by saying I like your cat. Which I do by trying to find homes for strays.
So then, you come back at me with this crap? Go f*ck yourself b*tch.
I was trying to complement you by saying good question. Then again, by
saying I like your cat. Which I do by trying to find homes for strays.
So then, you come back at me with this crap? Go f*ck yourself b*tch.
Amazed at all the stuffs I learned........ this video was epic......👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Nooo it's traditional chinese.... T-T
A year late with cold starbucks:
Flowers in western cultures are usually celebration or condolences (or apologies). (The Victorians had an extensive flower meaning catalogue. You could exchange messages by the composition of a bouquet).
They are for holidays, anniversaries, or when visiting someone at the hospital. Red roses, for example, are exclusively for romantic partners.
For knives it's actually very similar, unless you're in Finland: Then a good puuko is a sign of respect. (In certain contexts, if the recipient is an avid crafter or cook, and the knife or pair of scissors is high-quality, then it can be appropriate. Also appropriate for supplying new households.)
I really do not like dan... his presentation is not natural... he seem trying too hard to be cool.
Sookie ginger oh wow I didnt know I could see someone with the same feeling as I do here. He has emphasized in another video that he's kind of "westernlized" (I know it is wrong spelling) but to me his presentation doesnt look authentically western. And of course not Chinese either.
Vivian Yunzhe Sun Yeah... the way he speaks and his gestures does not seem to be his own... it is almost he practiced in front of mirror to look cool or something. The other guy's presentation is good. Happy new year! Well, if he lives in US or a similar country, he can be westernized, which is ok, but he seem like he is trying too hard to be westernized, which makes his presentation very unnatural. Like he is dying to be twinky (yellow outside but think white inside---- referring to Asian who think they are white). FYI--- I am Asian.
Sookie ginger haha same, and Happy New Year too ☺
I thought it was banana,, not egg.
One can also use handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat from one's forehead. That is a traditional use. Remember in Latin there are two different words that can be used to translated handkerchief, depending on how one uses it. Sudariolum - to wipe the sweat and muccinium, literally a snot rag.
When you said that a broken mirror represents bad fortune I chuckled a little, because in german speaking culture we have a saying "shards bring luck".
When I went to China from Canada years ago I decided to get my teachers a gift. However, the only Canadian thing I could find in the Vancouver airport was a bottle of maple syrup. My teacher did not speak English, and I did not speak much Mandarin back then, so I told her, "Don't drink too much!" It looked like a bottle of alcohol, so I'm worried she tried to drink the whole thing. Lesson learned, don't give maple syrup!
1:46 I thought 离开 (simplified version) just meant to leave, had no idea there was a connotation with death. I guess it IS like “depart” or “departed” in English
Wait, book is a bad gift, yet Chinese parent always give books to their kids!
big BIG BIGG fan from Nairobi Kenya!!! Love this video coz i am doing lots of business with Chinese Contractors.
HYSterical and so lovely. So informative, thank you Chens
We do bring flowers, depending on the occasion. If there is something to celebrate most peiple do, and friends or relatives can bring flowers on other occasions as well
Haven't you heard of the term "the good scissors" in relation to the scissors you are never allowed to use. Usually fabric scissors or one that cost quite a bit more money than the usual ones to cut paper.