Language and culture are interlinked. Different dialects of language came into existence when people from different cultures interacted with each other. If you want to understand the culture of any country then you must understand their language. Therefore, language and culture are integrated.

At present, China is the center of attention for all the developed and developing countries in the world. This is because China has made progress in every field and it is expected that China will be the next superpower in the world. This is the main reason that people are more inquisitive to know about China’s culture and language.

China provides ample opportunities for people that want to penetrate the massive Chinese market. For starting a business in any foreign country, you must know the language so that you can understand the culture and preferences of the target market which can help you design your products and services accordingly.

1-Many People OPT to Learn the Chinese Language

20th of April is Chinese language day. This event was initiated by United Nations to celebrate the cultural diversity and multilingualism in China. In developing countries, people are learning the Chinese language with great enthusiasm. According to Ethnologue, the number of Chinese speakers is 1.3 million. The majority of people are native Chinese speakers. Approximately there are 7.7 million people in the world that speak the Chinese language. This shows that one out of 6 people speaks this language.

2-Receiving Red Envelop is Considered Auspicious

In China, if you receive any red envelope, it is usually filled with money and gifts. People got these envelopes at weddings, family gatherings, and Chinese New Year except for old and young family members. The red color depicts good luck. Moreover, according to Chinese people, it removes evil spirits. Chinese people also use red color in decorating towns and cities on New Year. Thus, red is considered auspicious color in Chinese culture. To understand this cultural aspect, you must know the Chinese language.

3-Chinese is One of the Oldest Languages of the World

The first Chinese script appeared with Chinese characters in 1250 BC. It started in the dynasty of late Shang dynasty. The Chinese writing system is 3000 years old. It has many variations and dialects. Native speakers of this language are spread in 37 countries of the world. The Chinese language with its various dialects is leading the modern era of linguistics. The history of Mandarin Chinese is dated back to 1250 BC and it was discovered on oracle bones.

Old Chinese or Archaic was used in the Zhou dynasty from the 11th to 7th centuries BC. The testaments of old Chinese texts were emblazoned on objects made of bronze.

The development of the Chinese language took place in different dynasties. Today the Chinese language is spoken in different regions of China. Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese are important forms of the language that are spoken in China.

4-The Relevance of the Chinese Zodiac Sign

The Chinese zodiac holds great significance in Chinese culture. These signs depict the 12-year cycle of the Chinese calendar. One interesting thing about zodiac signs is that they are represented by animal signs. These signs also provide personality traits of the people. These personality traits are also depicted in animals.

The majority of people in China still believe in superstitions and predictions that are described by the Chinese zodiac. Many people in Chinese culture go for relationships according to the compatibility described by the Chinese zodiac.

Moreover, they also go for zodiac sign predictions while looking for a business partnership to check whether they go can get along with them easily or not.

Generally, the zodiac signs in China tell people how to lead their lives because they had a belief in astronomy. Thus, in China, zodiac science plays a pivotal role in influencing the community and culture of China.

5-Do you know that Mandarin is a Tonal Language?

Mandarin is one of the important dialects of the Chinese language. Around 70% of Chinese speakers speak the Mandarin language. It is a tonal language. Therefore, if you are an English speaker then you can find difficulty learning the Mandarin language. It is very important to understand the tones because the meaning of the word can change drastically with the way so pronounce the words. Mandarin, the tonal language is a lingua franca in China. If you learn this language then you will move easily to China.

Many people that speak Cantonese can understand Mandarin to some extent. It is the other way around for Mandarin people. Mandarin people can find the Cantonese language difficult to learn. In short, Mandarin Chinese is the best language to learn because of its popularity.

6- Use of WeChat in China

WeChat plays a significant role in the digital space in China. It resembles Facebook. It competes with Weibo in China. It provides an instant messaging service just like WhatsApp. It is an app store that resembles google and apple. With this useful app, you can message and video call. Moreover, you can also make online payments and use them as an advertising tool. If you compare WeChat with the world, largest social network tool Facebook then you will come to know that despite being a Chinese app, it is very popular.

In short, WeChat is a multi-tasking platform that provides companies and users real convenience by performing several everyday activities. The most important thing is that you don’t need to switch between apps.

WeChat is the only app in China that is used by one billion active users. It is one of five apps in the world that have achieved its milestone.

7-China Family System

China is known for its strong family values. They have defined roles for different family members. Chinese people respect their elders and they are supposed to respect their decisions. If they don’t abide by the family’s orders then it is considered disrespectful.

Parents play important role in families. They have controlling power over children. On the other hand, children have no authority over their life. They have to abide by the decisions made by their elders. Children are brought up with the cultural value of respecting their elders.

8- Chinese is Written from Top Right to Bottom Left

Generally, Chinese was written vertically from top to bottom. Therefore, you can start writing from the top right of the page to the bottom left of the page. Nevertheless, there is a great impact of Western words and languages that has led to the shift of left to right writing.

Do you know that Chinese has 50,000 written Chinese characters? Don’t get panic because a few thousand characters are used on regular basis. In Chinese Linguistics, Chinese characters are used to teach Mandarin.

9- Chinese People are Avid Game Players

If you stroll in the streets of China then you will come to know that there are two popular low-key Chinese Games that they play in their leisure time, Mahjong and Chinese chess.

These games are popular among both the elder people and youngsters. These games are more entertaining than other games like Candy crush and a London Tube Train.

Do you know that mobile devices in China are less expensive than computer console hardware and computers? Moreover, the internet facility and connectivity are sound which makes people play popular games.

10- Dim Sum, Traditional Chinese Cuisine

An interesting Chinese tradition is yum cha which involves drinking tea. You will find teahouses filled with tourists that travel from Silkroad. The office workers and farmers after their work head towards the local teahouse for a relaxing conversation over a cup of tea.

The tradition of Dim Sum has developed over the centuries. At some time, it was considered inappropriate to take tea with food. When it was found out that tea helps in digestion and cleanses the system the tradition of dim sum was born.

Wrapping Up

To understand the culture, you must learn the Chinese language. Because in the Native Language, you can understand the evolution of the Chinese language and culture appropriately. If you are unaware of the Chinese language then no worries, you can take the assistance of translation services.

Resources

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