英语教学:外国人来中国都要了解哪些手势

　　编者按：中国人在社交礼仪上很注重手势，你能看懂中国的基本手势吗?一起来给外国朋友介绍一下，教外国朋友认识中国的手势。

　　What’s the most insulting gesture you can think of?

　　We’re probably both thinking of the same thing.

　　In every culture, people communicate with body language and not just to express romantic interest. Body language is part of everyday life.Learning certain gestures is a necessary part of communicating fluently with native speakers.

　　1. Beckoning with the down-turned palm

　　Westerners will sometimes use their index finger to tell someone to “come here,” but that’s not how it’s done in many Chinese-speaking cultures. To beckon someone, pull your fingers in a down-turned or sideways palm towards your body. This will almost look like a cat pawing at something.

　　This is a gesture mostly used among friends and young people. This motion wouldn’t be the best to use when communicating with your older native Chinese boss or superior. In a case like that, try your best to establish eye contact with the person and bow slightly. This is a much more formal beckoning gesture.

　　2. Present and accept gifts with both hands

　　When offered a gift, don’t snatch it up with one hand. Take the box or bag with both of your hands. Additionally when offering a gift, don’t offer it with just one hand, no matter how small the gift.

　　You should also do this when you accept or offer business cards. You want to make sure your potential business associate remembers for the right reasons, so be sure to use both hands!

　　3. Keep greetings formal

　　Are you a big hugger? Sadly, this may not go over so well in China. Touchiness is less common in Chinese culture. Hugging, kissing cheeks, back-slapping or reaching out to touch a pin or tie before complimenting it are all major no-nos.

　　Nodding with a polite smile or shaking hands are preferred gestures when greeting someone over friendly hugs.

　　Additionally, try to greet the oldest person first if you’re meeting a family or group of people. (Although younger Chinese people don’t really care about this.)

　　4. Stand up for a toast

　　It’s interesting how toasting can vary so much among different cultures. When throwing back a shot during a Chinese toast, stand up or tap the table with your palm somewhat loudly while drinking. This is just considered a more participatory, social way of making a toast at a party or business venture. Make sure you toast everybody at the table before drinking, too!

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