1. Mother-in-law is the law of the family in China. Son-in-law and daughter-in-law have to please the mothers for a happy marriage.
2. Go to weibo.com to freshen up your Chinese vocabulary on a regular basis.
3. In summer, Chinese ladies carry umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun, because they are allergic to tans.
4. Most girls are not allowed to have boyfriends before they graduate because parents want them to "concentrate on their studies". But after they graduate? Then the parents will urge them to get married quickly.
5. Most Chinese don't use laundry driers. We prefer to dry our clothes under the sun.
6. If a girl is over 25 years old and still single, most of the time, she will be urged to get married by her relatives. This explains why a girl who is 30 might tell you that "I am already 30! I am too old."
7. Foreigners speaking Chinese (Mandarin) will win people's heart. And even if you aren't fluent in Mandarin, your attempt to speak Chinese (even a few words) will be a good icebreaker.
8. Chinese love to offer gifts and buy meals for their guests. Turning them down might embarrass them. A good suggestion would be to tell your Chinese friends (or business partners) earlier: "no gifts please."
9. China is diverse. People living in the big cities may behave differently from those living in the inner provinces (more traditional and conservative). You cannot easily generalize all Chinese people.
10. People from different cities speak different dialects, which are quite different from Mandarin. If you can speak their dialect, even a few words, they will be very happy to talk to you.
* Originally archive: 10 Fun Facts in China
