Is it now acceptable to say "ni hao" to anyone who looks vaguely chinese?

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Reply 40

car_thief

acceptable? it's actively encouraged!

Reply 41

ScramblingtoSun

ScarlettDangerfield

As far as I'm aware, that phrase doesn't mean 'hello' in any of the languages spoken in India :curious:

....actually :p:

Reply 42

Craig_D

It's not meant to patronise you, it's supposed to show that they have nothing against oriental culture and they aren't racist or whatever ... basically it's supposed to be welcoming, even though you may actually be from here.

Yes, it may be presumptuous but why can't you just be grateful for their friendliness?

Reply 43

Irrelevance

Spamming Mando/Canto to the point where they look uncomfortable and then saying "I speak english, mate" always goes down well.

Reply 44

Formerly LieDown

I live in France now and once people have established I am English, some try to speak English to me. Others rub their hands with glee and start to speak in as quick and complicated French as possible. It's the countryside thing...

Still, knowing someone is of a certain country and saying hi to them in their language is Ok, if theyre just trying to be friendly. But just assuming that because someone looks slightly oriental means they are Chinese is a big ignorant! And anyway, I had a few friends who were from Hong Kong, but who had never actually been to Hong Kong and couldnt speak any of the lingo. So it sort of seems redundant.

And when does 'ni hao' equate to 'oi paki!' ????

Reply 45

headunderwater

Love how everything gets reduced to racism these days.

Reply 46

Absinth

I find this ******* annoying. Grrrr. I don't even speak Mandarin. It's even annoying when people call out KONICHIWAA. **** off. It is annoying when the first thing people see is "oriental person!" It's kind of like going up to a vaguely south asian looking person and going "how's Ramadan lately?"

Reply 47

Absinth

Craig_D

Actually, most of the times people have said "ni hao" to me was in a very patronising way, and most of the time it's stupidly called out in the street or when I'm walking past them, not actually when they want a proper conversation.

Reply 48

Absinth

xbabyxchelseax

I sympathise with you, I hate it when people do it and especially when they add stupid accent that real chinese people dont have.

Yesss this grates aswell. Especially when it's nasally and drawn-out.

Reply 49

Tefhel

I don't think that I'd be offended if I went to China or wherever and they went "Ciao" or "Bonjour" or "Hola" to me. Then again, I wouldn't say that it is acceptable to say "Ni hao" to any asian looking person & I imagine that it isn't said in a particularly nice way, in which case I would be annoyed.

If someone says "Ni hao" to you in a shop, why not just start speaking them in Chinese/fake Chinese, and see what they do, that'd be funny lol.

Reply 50

ocelotrevs

Their probably playing a game of chance. China has the biggest population after all.
But I hear what you're saying though. People try speaking to me in a Jamaican accent, and there's no need.

Reply 51

VanillaCat

punkrockisfreedom

I really hate it when salespeople think its perfectly ok to start a conversation with "ni hao" to me. I mean, looking at me I look oriental not chinese, you don't know if I'm japanese, korean or whatever, don't look at me and assume that I come from a certain country. Thats like seeing an indian person and yelling "oi paki!"

And secondly, I can speak english just fine, unless you're working on an obviously touristy industry, theres no need to try to speak to me in chinese, we're in england. I've had people trying to sell me a credit card start off like that. No one would see a black person and try to engage him in conversation by going "yo *****" or whatever. Does anyone else on here get annoyed or is it just me?

On holiday, I've been mistaken for both a German person and a Dutch person :s-smilie:

what, just because I have blonde hair and blue eyes? I do indeed think it's insulting for someone to assume someone's nationality.

Reply 52

manthew

Pop_tart

Why are you so bothered by it? I remember going to this chinese takeaway when i was younger and the lil girl LOVED it when i said ni hao to her :yep:

Try saying nihao to Japanese ^^,

Reply 53

xmarilynx

Oh dear. I've just started learning Chinese, and I was hoping to order in Chinese at restaurants (only Chinese ones obviously :p:

). I didn't realise it could be seen as offensive. I didn't mind when people in France spoke to me in English? :dontknow:

And even though I can appreciate how annoying it is, it's just people (like me) being ignorant and not thinking how it could be seen as insulting. I still don't think it's the same as shouting 'oi paki' at all though :no:

Reply 54

Tombola

It doesn't bother me much.

I just laugh and reply back in whatever they want.
Konichiwa, Ohayo.
Ni Hao, Xie Xie Ni.
Annyong

It's only a few basic words.

xmarilynx

Oh dear. I've just started learning Chinese, and I was hoping to order in Chinese at restaurants (only Chinese ones obviously :p:

). I didn't realise it could be seen as offensive. I didn't mind when people in France spoke to me in English? :dontknow:

I think it's just people being overly sensitive. If the intentions right, there should be no problem. The fact you'd be using more than your basic hello would be well received. Though unless your confident I'd suggest using it when the waiters aren't in a rush to serve other customers.

Reply 55

xbabyxchelseax

Absinth

Yesss this grates aswell. Especially when it's nasally and drawn-out.

Exactly, its difficult for white people to say it's not racism, because when you on the other side its awkward and embarassing.

Reply 56

leannsc

It might be offensive to you if you are not Chinese, but I think most of them just want to be friendly to you.

As it's usually a signal that the people who speak chinese to me are intersted in chinese culture, or at least are friendly to chinese, I would be happy to start conversations with them. Not at all annoying.

Reply 57

loveisjustasong

punkrockisfreedom

OP, you cannot compare "ni hao" with "oi paki" and "oi ******".

Reply 58

852er

In contrast I'm really annoyed when people (I live in Hong Kong btw,) say english to me because I look like a "gui mui" (literally mean - ghost sister - nicknamed for: foreigners(esp white)

Reply 59

852er

Tefhel

Hahahah I don't think anyone in China (well, except for Hong Kong and Macau) would say that to you (they won't know it) --- they will probably say hello and/or smile/look at you :yep: