中国人行为

Chinese table mannersGenerally, Chinese table manners are more informal than the West, although there are more rules concerning interactions with other guests due to high levels of social interaction as a result of the communal style of serving.Chopstick usageChopsticks should always be held correctly, i.e. between the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand.When not in use, chopsticks must always be placed neatly on the table with two sticks lying tidily next to each other at both ends. Never point the chopsticks at another person. This amounts to insulting that person and is a major faux pas.Never wave your chopsticks around as if they were an extension of your hand gestures.Never bang chopsticks like drumsticks. This is akin to telling others at the table you are a beggar.Never suck the chopsticks.Decide what to pick up before reaching with chopsticks, instead of hovering them over or rummaging through dishes.To keep chopsticks off the table, they can be rested horizontally on one's plate or bowl; a chopstick rest (commonly found in restaurants) can also be used.When picking up a piece of food, never use the tips of your chopsticks to penetrate the food as with a fork; exceptions include tearing apart larger items such as vegetables. In more informal settings, smaller items or those more difficult to pick up such as cherry tomatoes or fishballs may be stabbed, but this is frowned upon by traditionalists.Never stab chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice, as this resembles incense sticks used at temples to pay respects to the deceased. This is considered the ultimate dinner table faux pas.Communal chopsticksWhen there are communal chopsticks, it is considered impolite to use your own chopsticks to pick up the food from the shared plate, or to eat using the communal chopsticks.It is considered impolite to use the blunt end of one's own chopsticks to transfer food from a common dish to one's own plate or bowl; use the communal chopsticks instead.When communal chopsticks are not provided, it is considered polite (and sanitary) to use the blunt end of one's own chopsticks to serve a guest by transferring food from the common dish to a guest's plate or bowl.An exception to the above can usually be made in intimate settings such as at home.Other utensilsIf noodle soup is served, many consider a more elegant way to eat by picking the noodle into a serving spoon first, and eating from the spoon, rather than slurping directly from the bowl into the mouth using chopsticks.Chinese traditionally eat rice from a small bowl held in the left hand, however by no means is this good etiquette. It is believed this is the way most people eat but not at all an indication of how it should be done. The rice bowl is raised to the mouth and the rice pushed into the mouth using the chopsticks. Some Chinese find it offensive to scoop rice from the bowl using a spoon. If rice is served on a plate, as is more common in the West, it is acceptable and more practical to eat it with a fork or spoon. The thumb must always be above the edge of the bowl.Eating from common dishesPick the food on the dish that is at the top and nearest to you in distance. Never rummage through the dish or pick from the far side for your favorite food.In general, more conservative Chinese frown upon the practice of picking more than one or two bites of food in your bowl or serving plate as if you were eating in the Western way. Most Chinese would understand the practice during infectious disease epidemics, or if the person is from the West.If both a serving bowl - separate from rice bowl - and plate are provided, never put any food items to be eaten onto the serving plate. This rule may be relaxed for foreigners.If a dish is soupy, pull the serving bowl near the serving dish and reduce the distance the chopsticks need carrying the food. Spilling plenty of sauce on the table is a major faux pas.After you have picked up a food item, do not put it back in the dish.Seniority and guests at the tableThe elderly or guest(s) of honour are usually the first to start the meal.The youngest or least senior may serve the eldest or most senior first, as part of the Confucian value of respecting seniors.The youngest on the table addresses all of the elder members at the table before starting, perhaps telling them to please "eat rice" as a signal to help themselves.The best food in a dish should be left to the elderly, children, or the guest of honour, even if they are one's favourite.The eldest person present, or the guest of honour, is given a seat facing the door.When the hostess says her food is not good enough, the guest must disagree and tell her it is one of the finest foods they have ever tasted.DrinksThe host should always make sure everyone's cups are not empty for long. One should not pour for oneself, but if thirsty should first offer to pour for a neighbor. When your drink is being poured, you should say "thank you",and/or tap your index and middle finger on the table to show appreciation, especially when you are in Southern China, e.g. Guangdong Province. This action is evocative of bowing your head.When people wish to clink drinks together in the form of a cheer, it is important to observe that younger members should clink the rim of their glass below the rim of an elder's to show respect.Strong alcohol, called baijiu, is often served throughout the meal; and it is customary for the host[s]/hostess[es] to insist that guests drink to "show friendship." If the guests prefers not to drink, they may say, "I'm unable to drink, but thank you." [in Mandarin: "Wo bu neng he jiu, xie xie."] The host may continue to insist that the guests drink, and the guests may likewise continue to insist upon being "unable" to drink. The host's insistance is to show generosity. Therefore, refusal by the guests should be made with utmost politeness. Beware: If a guest drinks alcohol with a subordinate at the table, the guest will be expected [if not forced] to drink a glass of the same alcohol with each superior at that table, and possibly at other tables too—if the guest has not passed out yet.SmokingSmoking is an extremely prevalent habit in China, especially among men. During meals, the host will sometimes pass out cigarettes to all the men around the table. If a guest prefers not to smoke, she/he should politely refuse. In Mandarin, one could say, "我不抽烟，谢谢" (Wo bu chou yan, xie xie).Business mealsDuring business meals, it is best not to eat to the point of satiation, as business and not food is the actual main purpose of the gathering.MiscellaneousIn the past, some people tended to sit at least 1 metre (3 chi) from the dining table so they would not be literally rubbing elbows with other guests. Nowadays, this practice is rarely observed.When eating food that contains bones, it is common for the bones be spat out onto the table next to one's plate. Spitting bones onto the floor is almost never acceptable.Belching, smacking, and slurping are common.By Western standards, the conversations during meals often are quite loud and animated.Treatment of staff at restaurants is somewhat "rough," withwaiters/waitresses often being advised by patrons to 快点(kuai dian), which means "hurry up."Talking with a full mouth and eating with the elbows on the table are both very common, and tasting food from a table guest's plate is also not uncommon.问候礼仪向别人问候致意，要按对象、时间、场合、节庆不同，采取不同的问候。