Understanding Chinese Culture: 8 Gift Giving Tips

With every language there are subtleties that only a native, or expert speaker will understand and successfully translate from one tongue to another. But there is also a social language that accompanies each language and culture. Here are 8 valuable tips regarding gift-giving to your Chinese friends and business associates:

1. Be careful with gifts of high value

It’s polite to give gifts, but be careful when giving gifts that are too expensive. While we may view an high value gift as a token of great respect, they can be a hassle for a Chinese visitor who is travelling and has to deal with customs. As well, be aware that many company official policies discourage business gifts to address issues of bribery. Be aware that in Chinese culture it is customary to refuse a gift two or three times before accepting.

2. Present your gift with two hands

And don’t insist upon your guests opening a gift in front of you. You should also never a gift that you receive immediately. It’s the custom to open gifts in private. However, make sure you acknowledge the gift with a thank you note later, in keeping with tradition.

3. Give gifts equally

It is important to distribute gifts to everyone so that no one person is singled out with a unique gift (unless you know for sure they are the group leader or highest-status individual). If you give an expensive gift to a person who is not the leader or head of the group, it will mean a loss of face for all concerned. A safe option when appropriate is to bring a gift of food, that can be shared around an office.

4. Flowers or fruit make good gifts if you are visiting someone’s home

A nice touch is to bring the gift in a bunch of eight rather than the customary Western dozen, to acknowledge the good fortune associated with lucky number eight in Chinese culture.

5. Beware of small souvenirs

Small gifts are are great for Chinese travellers, but beware of an unintended consequence of globalism to be found in your local tourist shop. Many feature souvenirs that make perfect giveaways for tourists when they get home. Unfortunately for Chinese tourists, most of those trinkets say one thing on the bottom: Made in China. Instead, try to source local products when possible.

6. Do not give clocks, watches or fans as a gift

These items in the Mandarin language sound like words traditionally associated with death and split relationships.

7. Choose local, Canadian gifts with care

Some new initiatives are focusing on the history of the West Coast, highlighting the immense contributions made by Chinese immigrants to Canada. A great gift idea is giving locally-made products that appeal to Chinese visitors. Take note of some nuances though. For example, although Chinese culture places jade in high esteem, British Columbian jade (nephrite) is considered an inferior stone to the traditional Myanmar jadeite. It may not be an appropriate gift choice when dealing with Asian clients.

8. Wait to wrap your gift

If you are travelling with your gifts, don’t get them wrapped before you go. They will likely have to unwrapped at Customs anyway. Instead, take advantage of local knowledge regarding the colours most favoured in the area and have them wrapped by your hotel.

Gifts are a nice way to start a relationship, whether it’s personal, or professional. But it takes good communication to make relationships grow. For companies seeking ways to tap into the growing Chinese market, multilingual options are the natural first step towards that goal. LAT’s team of native speakers from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China will ensure that your content is well localized and engages users. Contact us to discuss your own language objectives and we’ll help you identify your best options for your multilingual communications.