Last week, I wrote a blog post about Chinese superstitions when entering a hotel room, this week I would like to share some tips of gift ideas to avoid buying for your Chinese friend. I find that it is sometimes not easy to understand one person culture but by learning through interaction or reading will help each other to understand and live in a better and tolerable environment.
These are the gifts to avoid to buy:
1. Clock
Sending a clock (送鐘) in Mandarin sounds like a funeral ritual (送終). Clock also implies time is running out/death.
I do believe this also applies to watches. However, the receiver could counteract this by paying you 1p as in fact they are buying it for themselves.
2. Shoe
Sending shoes to your loved one means you are sending them off to run away with other people or to break-up / go separate ways in a relationship.
This did happen to my friend where her ex-boyfriend gifted her a pair of shoes and within a month she went off with another boy! Oops!
3. Handkerchief
This is a farewell / break up gift, for using it to wipe up the tears. Luckily, handkerchief is no longer something people buy any way!
4. Umbrella
Umbrella (傘) in Mandarin sounds like split. If you offer someone your umbrella, always get it back otherwise this will end your relationship.
5. Sharp objects
Sharp objects or pointed items never look great as a gift for it’s symbolism to severing a relationship or to cut them off your life.
I bought a pair of scissors to trim my hand bouquet a day before my wedding and I got an ear blasting from my parents. They think this will cut off my marriage so they hid all sharp objects on my wedding day including my scissors!
6. Chrysanthemum flowers
These flowers are used in funerals/temples.
I was quite shocked when I first came to the UK and chrysanthemums were used in bouquets with flowers. In much of Asia, we would never include them in a bouquet.
On the other hand, Chinese people use dry chrysanthemums to make herbal teas so chrysanthemums do not always mean bad luck.
7. Green hats
This is for men. Wearing a green hat (帶綠帽) means the man’s wife is unfaithful. People get teased if they wear a green hat, so green hats have never been popular.
8. Mirror
It implies to look at yourself (reflect).
Mirrors are not always a popular household item. For example, they believe mirrors will trap your soul/spirit. So when a person passes away, they cover all the mirrors in the home for 7 days to avoid the mirror trapping the spirit who may come to visit their family member.
They also believe that breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck.
9. Chinese pears
In Asian countries, we never visit empty handed. We will bring a fruit basket, wine or hamper. Pears (梨) in Mandarin mean ‘separate’. So you should never offer anyone half of your pear!
10. Nian guo
Nian guo is a popular dish to cook during Chinese New Year, please read here if you like to know how to make it.
Giving nian guo implies the giver is giving her/his life/year away. So this is not something you would like to give away!
11. Salted duck egg
Salted duck egg in Cantonese mean the person has passed away. So best avoid!
12. Four gifts
The number four has never been a lucky number for Chinese as it sounds like death.
So do you have any gifts that you would avoid buying?
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
I love learning these customs
Fascinating! Now I know why Jin from ‘Lost’ had to deliver a watch – it was a sign to the recipient to execute him.
Love Kirsty’s idea of putting together a book.
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?
Yes. it is true
Cool, thank you! 🙂
Another really good read. I wasn’t aware of all of these. In our family we don’t give knives as gifts and if you give someone a wallet or a piggy bank you should put a £1 coin in it otherwise you are supposed to be wishing away their good fortune. You should start putting together a little book of superstitions x
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
I really did not know this, it is so interesting! I must remember this if I ever have to buy a gift for a Chinese friend!
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!