Faux pas derived from Chinese pronunciation
Encyclopedia
The following faux pas
are derived from homonym
s in Mandarin
and Cantonese
. While originating in Greater China
, they may also apply to Chinese-speaking
people around the world.
Certain customs regarding good and bad luck
are important to many Chinese people
. Although these might be regarded as superstition
s by people from other cultures, these customs are often tied to religious traditions
and are an important part of many people's belief systems
, even among well-educated people and affluent sectors of society.
However, should such a gift be given, the "unluckiness" of the gift can be countered by exacting a small monetary payment so the recipient is buying the clock and thereby counteracting the '送' ("give") expression of the phrase.
Faux pas
A faux pas is a violation of accepted social norms . Faux pas vary widely from culture to culture, and what is considered good manners in one culture can be considered a faux pas in another...
are derived from homonym
Homonym
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that often but not necessarily share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings...
s in Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
. While originating in Greater China
Greater China
Greater China is a term used to refer to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or even as a euphemism for the Two Chinas, while others may...
, they may also apply to Chinese-speaking
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
people around the world.
Certain customs regarding good and bad luck
Luck
Luck or fortuity is good fortune which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. There are at least two senses people usually mean when they use the term, the prescriptive sense and the descriptive sense...
are important to many Chinese people
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
. Although these might be regarded as superstition
Superstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
s by people from other cultures, these customs are often tied to religious traditions
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and are an important part of many people's belief systems
World view
A comprehensive world view is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the entirety of the individual or society's knowledge and point-of-view, including natural philosophy; fundamental, existential, and normative postulates; or themes, values, emotions, and...
, even among well-educated people and affluent sectors of society.
Clocks
- It is undesirable to give someone a clockClockA clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
or other timepiece as a gift. Traditional superstitions regard this as counting the seconds to the recipient's death. Another common interpretation of this is that the phrase "to give a clock" in Chinese is pronounced "sòng zhōng" in MandarinStandard MandarinStandard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
, which is a homophoneHomophoneA homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms...
of a phrase for "terminating" or "attending a funeral" (both can be written as 送終 (traditional) or 送终 (simplified)). Cantonese peopleCantonese peopleThe Cantonese people are Han people whose ancestral homes are in Guangdong, China. The term "Cantonese people" would then be synonymous with the Bun Dei sub-ethnic group, and is sometimes known as Gwong Fu Jan for this narrower definition...
consider such a gift as a curse.
However, should such a gift be given, the "unluckiness" of the gift can be countered by exacting a small monetary payment so the recipient is buying the clock and thereby counteracting the '送' ("give") expression of the phrase.
Fans & Umbrellas
- It is undesirable to give someone a fanFan (implement)A hand-held fan is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself. Any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth will create a small airflow and therefore can be considered a rudimentary fan...
or an umbrellaUmbrellaAn umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
as a gift. The words fan "shàn" (扇) and umbrella "sǎn" sound like the word "sǎn" (散), meaning scatter or to lose. "sǎn kāi" means to split up.
Books
- As a book is a Mandarin homophone of "loss" , carrying or looking at a book where people are taking a risk, such as gambling or investing in stocks, may be considered to invite bad luck and loss . This bad luck does not apply to carrying or reading newspapers as newspapers are not books.
Pears
- Sharing a pear with friends or loved ones can be a mistake. "Sharing a pear" (分梨) is a homophone of "separate" , both pronounced "fēnlí" in Mandarin. Sharing with distant friends is okay.
Hats
- It is a faux pas to give a married man green-colored headwear as a gift. The Chinese saying "wearing a green hat" means that someone's wife is unfaithful. Such a gift would be an insult to the couple. For Cantonese speakers, this connotation extends to hats in general.