Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
spoon
shaozi
hot
rede
ice cold
bingde
Dining Times
The Chinese eat early. Lunch usually commences from around 11.30am,
either self-cooked or a takeaway at home, or in a street-side restaurant.
Rushed urban diners may just grab a sandwich, a fast-food burger or a lunch-
box. Dinner usually kicks off from around 6pm. Reflecting these dining times,
some restaurants open at around 11am to close for an afternoon break at
about 2.30pm before opening again at around 5pm and closing in the late
evening.
Table Manners
It is good form to fill your neighbours' teacups or beer glasses when they are
empty: show your appreciation to the pourer by gently tapping your middle fin-
ger on the table. To serve yourself tea or any other drink without serving others
first is bad form.
It's best to wait till someone has announced a toast before drinking your
beer; if you want to get a quick shot in, propose a toast to the host.
Smokers can light up during the meal, unless you are in the nonsmoking
area of a restaurant. If you are a smoker, ensure you hand around your cigar-
ettes to others as that is standard procedure.
Last but not least, never insist to the last on paying for the bill if someone is
tenaciously determined on paying - usually the person who invited you to din-
ner. By all means offer but then raise your hands in mock surrender when res-
istance is met; to pay for a meal when another person is determined to pay is
to make them lose face.
Chinese toothpick etiquette is similar to that found in other Asian nations:
one hand excavates with the toothpick, while the other hand shields the
mouth.
