Last week, I wrote a blog post about Chinese superstitions when entering a hotel room. This week, I would like to share some gift ideas you should avoid buying for your Chinese friends or loved ones.
Understanding another person’s culture is not always easy, but learning through interaction, travel, or reading can help us better appreciate one another and live together more respectfully and harmoniously.
Here are some traditional Chinese gift taboos and the meanings behind them:
1. Clocks
Giving a clock (送鐘 sòng zhōng) in Mandarin sounds very similar to the phrase used for attending a funeral ritual (送終). A clock can also symbolise that “time is running out” or even death.
Many Chinese people believe the same applies to watches. However, some receivers may avoid the bad luck by giving you 1p or a small coin in return, symbolically “buying” the gift from you instead.
2. Shoes
Giving shoes to your partner or loved one symbolises them “walking away” from the relationship or leaving you for someone else.
This actually happened to a friend of mine! Her ex-boyfriend bought her a pair of shoes, and within a month she left him for another man. Oops!
3. Handkerchiefs
A handkerchief is often associated with sadness, farewells, or breakups because it is used to wipe away tears.
Thankfully, handkerchiefs are not a very common gift nowadays!
4. Umbrellas
The Chinese word for umbrella (傘 sǎn) sounds similar to the word for “separation” or “splitting apart”.
If someone lends you an umbrella, traditional beliefs say you should return it as soon as possible — otherwise, it may symbolise the end of the relationship.
5. Sharp Objects
Sharp or pointed items such as knives or scissors symbolise “cutting ties” or severing relationships.
The day before my wedding, I bought a pair of scissors to trim my hand bouquet and got a serious telling-off from my parents! They believed it would “cut off” my marriage, so on my wedding day they hid every sharp object they could find — including my scissors!
Chrysanthemums are commonly used at funerals and temples in many Asian cultures.
I was quite shocked when I first came to the UK and saw chrysanthemums included in cheerful flower bouquets. In much of Asia, they are rarely used for celebratory occasions.
That said, chrysanthemums are also used to make herbal tea, so they do not always carry negative meanings.
7. Green Hats
This superstition mainly applies to men. Wearing a green hat (戴綠帽 dài lǜmào) symbolises that a man’s wife or partner has been unfaithful.
Because of this, men wearing green hats are often teased, which explains why green hats have never been particularly popular among Chinese men.
8. Mirrors
Mirrors symbolise reflection and are sometimes linked to spirits and the supernatural in Chinese beliefs.
Some people believe mirrors can trap souls or spirits. This is why, after someone passes away, mirrors in the home may be covered for seven days to prevent the spirit from becoming trapped.
There is also the common belief that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.
9. Pears
In many Asian cultures, it is considered rude to visit someone empty-handed. People often bring fruit baskets, wine, or hampers when visiting family and friends.
However, pears (梨 lí) sound like the word for “separation” in Mandarin and Cantonese. Sharing or dividing a pear with someone symbolises a relationship splitting apart.
10. Nian Gao
Nian gao is a popular festive cake eaten during Chinese New Year.
Traditionally, giving it away can symbolise giving away your luck, prosperity, or even your “year” to someone else. Because of this, some people avoid gifting it casually.
11. Salted Duck Eggs
In Cantonese, salted duck eggs can sound similar to phrases associated with death or funerals, making them an unlucky gift in some traditions.
Best avoided unless you know the recipient will appreciate them!
12. Gifts in Sets of Four
The number four is considered unlucky in Chinese culture because it sounds similar to the word for “death”.
For this reason, many Chinese people avoid giving gifts in sets of four.
Of course, not every Chinese person follows these traditions or superstitions today, but many older generations still pay close attention to them.
Have you ever come across unusual gift superstitions in your culture?
Love this information, I like learning new things – will tell my mum about this as she loves reading about Chinese culture.
This is so interesting! My mum used to be really interested in this kind of stuff and totally feng shui-ed our house… she was the same with mirrors too. Really interesting read
Oh this is so cool Eileen! I wrote about British superstitions last year and it was surprising what people adhere to have good luck.
wow love this, i would have never thought about it x
This is so interesting, I would never have realised some of them could be seen as bad 🙂 x
What a great read, I didn’t know this. Such an interesting post, thank you so much for sharing 😉
I did hear the one about shoes when I was in NL… apparently you can not give them as a gift but if you take a £1 for them or so, it is ok
Is it true?
I love this list and have been guilty of buying a few of those presents, thankfully not for a chinese person lol
That was so interesting! I’ve never heard of most of those before, except perhaps the watch one. I’ll never look at a man wearing a green hat in the same way again. x
Thanks for a really interesting post Eileen. I would hate to give someone a gift that was may be upsetting to the recipient.
really interesting! especially about the number four sounding like death! xx
I suspect I might just buy you chocolate if I ever need to get you something! It’s interesting to read though!
This is fab Eileen, I loved your hotel post last week. I am quite sure I will never buy anyone a salted duck egg. I have bought hankies, umbrellas, mirrors, clocks though. Oops!! I do not like chysanths they always seem fussy and old!
This is fascinating! Thank you for sharing this, I’d have never known about any of these without reading this. I love hearing about customs like this.
It is really interesting reading about all these superstitions. I love the way there is so much meaning, even in simple items x
Wow, interesting read. I know what not to buy you then if we ever meet lol.
Always good to know, so I can avoid buying the wrong thing by mistake!
How interesting, I had no idea. You Chinese are a superstitious bunch! 😀
Having lived in France for 12 years I love hearing about different cultures and traditions. In France you must never give knives (similar to your point above), but it is ok if the person gives you a small amount of money in exchange. Also if you have yellow flowers in a bouquet it means you are being cheated on!
I don’t like chrysanthemums as I feel like they are funeral flowers…but that’s mainly as I grew up with my mum saying it!! I didn’t know about any of the others though. Great list!!
Wow, I had no idea about any of those, good to know.
Wow this is fascinating to read! Thank you for sharing! I would have no idea!
Glad I didn’t bring you flowers when we came to stay now. I very nearly did but we were running so late I didn’t want to ask to stop. I dread to think if I had picked you a bunch with Crysanthemums in
Oh you are fussy LOL I will try and remember these if I need to buy you a present! Really interesting post!
This is so interesting, thank you for sharing! I don’t know about gifts I would avoid giving people, but I’ve been partial to many a gift from people I wish they had avoided giving me…like a bag (which I thought was a hat initially…and yes I put it on) that was covered in what looked like the coat of a sheered sheep…that was a classic! 🙁
Katie x
I have heard about never gifting Handkerchief’s but I didn’t know about the other things…How interesting!