Visit China - 11 Ways You May Offend People in China 

There's also a rule I picked up from personal experience: If you're giving a home decoration or flowers as a gift, do NOT get something that's white, In China it's the colour they use at funerals. If you're not sure what colour to get, red is the best, it represents joy and good fortune in China.

about the green hat thing, it is so damn true. you have no idea how hilarious saint patricks day is to chinese.

The one about not comparing Japan/China is kind of funny... because pretty much everything on this list applies to Japan. Even the part about not comparing Japan and China.

about number 10. To be more precise, "give a clock as a gift" (送鐘) and "pay one's last respects" (送終) are homophone in Chinese. That's why it's a taboo to give people clocks.

you really know a lot about china, its awesome, i am a beijinger, hope you enjoy your life here!

I'm Chinese, and I think these are very precise and useful for westerners. The green hat thing lol, we Chinese sometimes find St. Patrick's Day funny...lmao

Also, if someone from China compliments you, don't respond with "thank you" or "xiexie" (谢谢）, "nali nali"（哪里哪里） is the standard reply. It gives the impression that you're are humble and that you don't think that you deserve the compliment.

The shoes switch (no outdoor shoes worn indoors) can be a bit confusing. Many Chinese will tell you not to take off your outside shoes, but they really are pleased if you insist on taking off your shoes. This is a bit like the "fight to pay the bill" argument. You are expected to insist on taking off your shoes, even if they say "It doesn't matter".

This is great and you have a wonderful sense of humour. Thank you for sharing all this great info!

thanks! good to know. and thanks for watching and all the supportive comments! have a great weekend!

thanks for the heads up. like I said my contacts kept bringing up not giving clocks, and I your explanation was better than theirs :) all the best to you!

Agree with N0.11. I live in the US, and my American roommate always wearing shoes and walking inside the house, and I dislike it.

Thank you once again for posting, Sir.

Men, you really have a open mind and know how to respect locals when traveling. You respect them; they respect you. I think you're always welcomed in China.

Your videos are so helpful. Thanks!

I took my first trip to China earlier this year. He is spot on with all these points..... Great place to visit. Can't wait to go back!!

the clock one was one my friends tried to explain to me but I guess it didn't quite translate so well. thanks for the heads up with the extra tips ;) all the best!

I always want to declare something, especially when I see a lot of interesting comments. (1) It will be fun for anyone going to any countries to talk about the seperation of that country. No one in that country gonna be happy about that. Especially for China. China has existed as one completed whole part in more than 70% of its history. Anyone who goes or will go to China should think about this cultural and historical background. (2) As will as the government. Unlike Western people, vast majority of Chinese consider the government as a role of parents and protecter of China, instead of someone who people or citizens hired to manage the country. So in a common talk or conversation, Chinese people can freely say something bad about the goverment, but they will not like a foreigner talking about that. Whatever you say, good or bad, Chinese people will consider you are lack of manner and know nothing, unless you are really an expert on China who can say my above words. This is a signifiant cultural differnce that Westerners always cannot figure out. (3) The story of 绿帽子 or green hats is from Yuan (元）Dynasty. The emperor made a law that asked all of the men worked in brothels to wear green hats. After so many years, the information and meaning of that is distorted. And it has nowadays meaning.

cool. I did not know that one. much appreciated!

It took me way too long to realize you didn't mean Personal Digital Assistant.

thanks! I hope it helps on your next trip to china! all the best!

Nice video @Simiao Kong. it is all corrected but the clock part. Also remember, when you at dinner/lucnh, try to pour water/tea/wine to people beside/around you first then pour your own, especially when you are the youngest :) great video

Awesome videos , very helpful, now I wanna see all of them

cool. thanks for the heads up!

Great tips, you are a great person! Hoping you have a great time in China , anytime.

Very Helpful. I am looking at coming over next year to Beijing.

thanks for the explanation. it is kind of like how the number 4 and the word for death are similar right?

thanks. I was just going with what I was informed by the people I surveyed on ways westerners may offend people in china. I spoke with banking and insurance executives from China, I spoke with professors as well as Chinese students and these were the one's that came up the most. thanks for the heads up! much appreciated!

Very updated information! Much appreciated.

giving a clock does not actually mean counting your days. It almost means attending your funeral. In Chinese, 送终(sending dead people to cemetery or something similar) = 送钟 (giving a clock) in term of pronunciation.

cool. thanks for the info.

we have a couple videos on Greece, Athens, Sparta and gythio.

Wow these are so helpful! It's on my bucket list to go to China and whenever I get there.. I will definitely take these tips with me! Thanks :)

Really useful info here, thanks!

hmm, about the number 8, i should say it really depends on different people and different area. southern chinese tend to go dutch more than northern chinese.

I hoping to make it to Japan one day. Its funny, my original reasoning for trying to learn languages and start thinking about it was when I was in grade school and I wanted to go to Japan. My parents could not find a Japanese teacher for me so it never really happened but I still remember 25 years ago thinking, I want to go to japan. so lets hope one day.

Very informative, i knew about the chopsticks, but the rest was new to me. Thanks for the info bud.

please write some more here in comments so we can help other people know more. I would really appreciate it.

your videos are simply amazing!

Useful tips, thanks .

Thank you very much. Very useful information

Good stuff, learned something !

I enjoy your comments. I plan to go to Greece. Do you have any tips for Greece?

Hey Mark,, I am going to work in Beijing in 2016,, I am a South African so obviously scared out of my mind and I do not know what to expect,, but your videos have helped SO much and I feel a lot better now,, I also know these videos were posted some time ago, but stillThank you

Excellent advises! Tks for vid.

I like number 6 best. Good job man!

Watching your videos on german travel makes me feel so confident for my two week tour of the german speaking countries.

Dear mr.walters:Thanksful for your kind information,you're awesome.

Thanks for this video! We can learn some important thing, thanking to you. :)

I really like your video. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing. I think their customs are very interesting.

Completely true!! You such a professor on Chinese Culture

giving a people a clock in chinese is 送钟（songzhong）which sounds the same as going to your funeral(送终)

I know :) my two favorite towns are Gdansk and Krakow

This vlogger is awesome!

lots of western tourists, not quite as safe as china (but still safer than Europe or usa), tons of temples, great beaches and nature. border guys want to make sure you have a ticket to leave the country. make sure you get out of Bangkok to see some really great stuff (Bangkok is cool but better to see more of the country)

actually the one about not gifting a clock is to do with its pronunciation,, the same as the term used for showing respect to the deceased in a funeral (even though written differently)

Yep. NO SHOES IN THE HOUSE! I’ve heard that way too much.

#2 and #8 are very true in Italy as well :) it's the exact opposite for #1 and number #11.

Haha the clock thing is really funny.

lol, “Send a clock” has same pronunciation as "bury someone"(parents or other seniority) in Chinese,But you always can send a watch to your lover as present.

you are a insightful observer, I watched many of your videos, ad finally, I have found one mistake: giving clock signifies death wish is due to the sound of "giving clock" is "song zhong" which sounds the same to other word that means "send one to the end of the life"

A lot of this advice also applies to Japan as well! Interesting! Except comparing Japan and China and going Dutch when going out to eat (which is more common in Japan) Japanese don't mind if you compare, I've noticed.

awsome in asia...hopefully you get a chance to go to thailand..wanna here your tips on thaialnd

it's funny how all of these equally apply to japan (maybe besides the symbolism of green hats and clocks)

Actually for the number 10, you can't give a clock to someone in China there is another meaning: " clock " in China pronounce " zhong ", and " to give " in China pronounce " song ", so if you give a clock, together they pronounce " song zhong ", ( this is also as same as another Chinese 2 words but in totally different writing, means to bury someone) this is the pinyin alphabet, which is the Chinese pronouncing and writing system.

The one about the green hat as adultery sign really surprised me - I mean, what's the connection? And how in a world you could've guessed it?

A wonderful video. Chengdu China. Dashan Li

I am a chinese, everything you said are correct, just a bit friendly collection about giving clock as a gift is not mean counting that person to die because it is very fine and popular if you give a wristwatch as a gift to somebody. People do not giving a clock as a gift because "giving a clock " is the same sound as sending a person to the funeral in chinese,although the words are different, the sound are exactly the same. nice video keep it up bro:)

wolter what do you do ????? because i love traveling and want to do as much as possible

Thank you!

So what is a recommendation for gifts? this is really helpful lol

did you go there on your own or join a tour? What's the costs of hotel and food?

I was attached in the northern part of China for a year where I saw most of my local peers put their chopsticks vertically into the rice but they said they don't care about the taboo. Even for the shoes-off rules, they don't do the same like it was said in the video. I think it's different in different parts of China.

I'm half Japanese and these are the things my grandma taught me. Even if there is a political and economic tension between these two countries, there is a deep cultural link and it's sad to see just the negative news. I have some chinese friends and most of them ( who are educated) are not so anti-japanese as said in western media. One day Marc, I hope to see your 5 things love and hate series about Japan as well.

哈哈，研究透彻！

I like your videos, I'm going back to China and I was wondering, a nice watch doesn't work either, yes ?

10 I've found amusing at home when the free gift from life insurance companies is a clock! 11. I've seen many of your videos and this seems true across many parts of the world

Great video and so accurate. Thank you for sharing. It's nice to see some criticizing comments. What I want to say is: don't use a few example to judge the whole nation. Whoever says that Chinese people are all bad has some serious problems.

Taiwan President just received a clock as gift from US...

It's so cool when you actually list all of those down instead of just tell one at a time. Just want to mention that sometimes, when you send gifts, a pair of shoes may not be a good idea because the pronuncation is same as "Xie" which stands for unfortun.

the shoe thing seems normal. here in canada i know very few people, if any, who wear shoes in the house. i always laugh at some of the cleaning product commercials and wonder "how dirty are these peoples houses" or "do they only clean once a year" but then i remember that down in 'merica they wear shoes inside sometimes.

What you said is true! And also we don't normally give shoes as gift, it means you are sending your friend off. Besides, chinese is not supposed to wear black during chinese new year, chinese doesn't like number 4 and etc etc....

Here Chinese people are enogh friendly to take this kind of small things. Just be yourself and be friendly and equally. point by finger is the behavier for figting, so never do it. And give man a green hat willnot offend but try to wear it on their head will do. Clock story is true, but people normally will not angry as you are foreigner and you don't know it. Chinese saying said, That is not a mistake as you don't know it. For the rest point, if you don't want to be a neighour of a Chinese people, you don't need to care about it. And if you are a very close friend of a Chinese people, you will know that.

A lot of these things are similar in the southern U.S. in regards to politeness and deference to elders.

#10 is also prevalent in the southern USA

Have you been to S.Korea? Or Japan? I can't seem to find any videos of them if you have.

about clock thing,it's because give someone a clock as a gift(送钟) pronunciation like you attend someone funeral（送终） 写英文好累，也不知道说的对不对。。。

I went to China once and asked if Tokyo was close by

Last time I went to china, which was about a month ago I saw an enormous amount of couples holding hands and whatnot..

You missed that at dinner and someone is making a toast you put your glass below people who are older or have a higher title than you when clinking the glasses together.

I met some really nice people from Chengdu when we were traveling in Xi'an. Hope to make it there one day. All the best! Xiexie!

Oooh! He uses the Chinese one hand six indicator (like "hook 'em horns" at U.T.)

thanks, i do know a quite a bit of german so im not scared to converse with the locals, its the whole not knowing the culture thing to was scary.

when we take off our shoes do we need to remove our socks as well when entering a persons home?

Number 8, thing about paying for the invited guest. This is also here in Bangladesh ( south east Asia)

Do the same list about the US. I can only think of a couple that irk me but there must be more.

The green hat thing kind of reminds me of The Scarlett Letter. Are there any green hats at all in China then? I'm seriously asking. Does everyone have a green hat tucked away in a drawer somewhere in case it's called for?

Good to know this because I’ll go to study abroad in China soon

Thanks :)