UC Davis CHN1 Integrated Chinese Volume1 Lesson 5 Visiting Friends 去朋友家做客

Описание: Now that you've seen the skit, let's dive into some questions! Be sure to check out the culture notes below to learn more about the traditions of being a guest in a Chinese home.

1) 今天星期几？李老师忙吗？ (Answer in Chinese)

2) Yuán老师不喜欢喝什么？她觉得什么好喝？(Answer in Chinese)

3) 请你介绍一下王Jiā。List 4 things you know about 王Jiā. (Answer in Chinese)
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4) How do Chinese people response to the complimentary? (Answer in Chinese)
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5) 李老师请 Yuán老师在她家吃什么？Did Yuán老师say yes at first？What happened next？(Answer in English)

6) There are several words appeared in the conversation that we haven’t learned before but are frequently used in daily conversation. List three of them.

PINYIN & HANZI English meaning
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☆ Read the culture notes below to learn more about the traditions of being a guest in a Chinese home.

Using the Greeting 你来了Nǐ láile = “You are Here/ You Have Come” Nǐ láile is a common greeting when a host sees the guest has arrived. The le indicates the completion of the guest’s arrival.

Visiting other people’s house as a guest involves various customs and formulaic expressions in every culture, and China is no exception.

(1) Shoes
When you enter a Chinese house, it is customary to remove your shoes and put on the 拖鞋tuōxié (slippers) the host prepares for you. Do not confuse the verb phrase 脱鞋 tuō xié (take off shoes) with the noun 拖鞋 tuōxié (sandals, slippers). They are homonyms, but the Chinese written characters are different.

(2) Gifts
When you visit a Chinese house, always bring a little 小意思xiǎoyìsi (little gift) or 小东西 xiǎodōngxi (little things), such as fruit, tea leaves, or pastries. The gift does not need to be extravagant, but it should be nicely packed or wrapped. The reason of bringing gifts is to show your appreciation to the host’s invitation. 小意思 Xiǎoyìsi, literally meaning “a small token of appreciation,” is an idiomatic expression frequently used when someone presents a gift. 小Xiǎo here does not reflect the actual value of the gift; it is merely used for the purpose of remaining humble.

(3) The concept of kèqi = politeness
客气Kèqi (politeness) is an important and well-appreciated social value in Chinese society. Its purpose is to maintain social and interpersonal harmony through interactions, behaviors, and the language. The expressions you have learned, such as “请qǐng + verb,”“有一点儿yǒuyidiǎnr + negative stative verb,” and “不太bú tài…” are all examples of showing how 客气 kèqi you are.

客气 Kèqi is expected from both parties in a host-guest scenario and many formulaic expressions are involved. For instance, the manager accepts the gift by saying 你太客气了nǐ tài kèqile (you’re too kind/polite) instead of 谢谢xièxie. When accepting a gift, Chinese people tend to comment first on the good intention of the gift-giver then on the gift. Also note that 你太客气了Nǐ tài kèqile is a response by a gift-receiver of higher status. If Eric Goodman receives a gift from the manager, 你太客气了 nǐ tài kèqile will not be appropriate. Instead, Eric could say这怎么好意思 Zhè zěnme hǎoyìsi (how do I deserve your good intention?).

The other common idiomatic expression 应该的yīnggāide (this is something I ought to do) is often used by the gift-giver when the host expresses that the gift is not necessary. Of course, the reason the host says that the gift is not necessary is because he/she is being 客气kèqi, not because he/she does not appreciate the guest’s good intention.