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Attention all chinese please answers my cultural questions!

This poll is closed

Should I give up mandarin?

Yes 17%
No 67%
I don’t know17%
Total votes: 6
I am self teaching mandarin as my best friend who came to the uk to do A levels and uni is from china. She and another chinese girl are the people who sparked my fascination with china initially I was learning Japanese just for fun. But I found it so boring as i could never use the language in daily life. But with mandarin i can go to any Chinese restaurant or take away and surprise the staff there ! It makes me so happy they get excited that I took time to learn about their culture. However I saw a video on YouTube whilst I was just browsing called yellow fever . First of all I don’t even know what yellow fever is and I have a couple of questions.
should I stop learning mandarin because I’m not Asian? Should I not join the Chinese culture society to improve my mandarin? I don’t want bring a terrible reputation for myself . I’m going to uni in 7 months . Does it mean that the asain community will look down on me for not being asain and taking an interest in the language? Do asain guys hate being approached by non asain girls? Is that offensive? Is it offensive i take interest in their culture? Does learning their language make me look like a weeb?
Here is the video
https://youtu.be/2O84QhVqsIs
I didn’t get the aim of the video at all I apologise for my stupidity.
(edited 6 years ago)
I don't think you should stop learning Mandarin, because your reason for doing so is nothing to do with what you want but the way it makes you look to others. You already have your answer, you want to learn it and enjoy doing so, you aren't hurting anyone else so go for it!

I can't speak for Chinese people but for 'people in general' i think it's quite flattering to be approached by anyone - it's a real confidence booster to know that someone likes you. The only thing to be aware of is that some people are still small minded and don't agree with dating someone outside their own ethnic group, as a mother to a mixed race child this is something i have come across occasionally and even had outright disapproval just from people seeing my child, just move on from those ones and find people you can get along with.
Original post by Donnalouise99
I don't think you should stop learning Mandarin, because your reason for doing so is nothing to do with what you want but the way it makes you look to others. You already have your answer, you want to learn it and enjoy doing so, you aren't hurting anyone else so go for it!

I can't speak for Chinese people but for 'people in general' i think it's quite flattering to be approached by anyone - it's a real confidence booster to know that someone likes you. The only thing to be aware of is that some people are still small minded and don't agree with dating someone outside their own ethnic group, as a mother to a mixed race child this is something i have come across occasionally and even had outright disapproval just from people seeing my child, just move on from those ones and find people you can get along with.


Woah people still do that?! That’s so crazy!
Original post by BubbleBabby
I am self teaching mandarin as my best friend who came to the uk to do A levels and uni is from china. She and another chinese girl are the people who sparked my fascination with china initially I was learning Japanese just for fun. But I found it so boring as i could never use the language in daily life. But with mandarin i can go to any Chinese restaurant or take away and surprise the staff there ! It makes me so happy they get excited that I took time to learn about their culture. However I saw a video on YouTube whilst I was just browsing called yellow fever . First of all I don’t even know what yellow fever is and I have a couple of questions.
should I stop learning mandarin because I’m not Asian? Should I not join the Chinese culture society to improve my mandarin? I don’t want bring a terrible reputation for myself . I’m going to uni in 7 months . Does it mean that the asain community will look down on me for not being asain and taking an interest in the language? Do asain guys hate being approached by non asain girls? Is that offensive? Is it offensive i take interest in their culture? Does learning their language make me look like a weeb?
Here is the video
https://youtu.be/2O84QhVqsIs
I didn’t get the aim of the video at all I apologise for my stupidity.



How awkward will it be when you go into a Chinese Takeaway or Restaurant and find that most of them don't speak Mandarin, as a lot of them are still Hong Kong Cantonese people from way back.

I suspect there's more than one type of Yellow Fever. There's the dudes that love Asian women. But then there's also dudes/dudettes that just have a weird Asian cultural fetish, and are into the kung fu and stuff.

I know a couple of people who genuinely wanted to be Chinese and felt they couldn't be validated in all the things they liked if they weren't. All the herbal stuff and kung fu and tai chi and all that. I heard about a guy that pretended that he was Chinese, married a Chinese woman and took her name so that people would think he was.
Master say: if grasshopper try to make love with kingfisher, other grasshopper admire courage but not judgement.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by BubbleBabby
I am self teaching mandarin as my best friend who came to the uk to do A levels and uni is from china. She and another chinese girl are the people who sparked my fascination with china initially I was learning Japanese just for fun. But I found it so boring as i could never use the language in daily life. But with mandarin i can go to any Chinese restaurant or take away and surprise the staff there ! It makes me so happy they get excited that I took time to learn about their culture. However I saw a video on YouTube whilst I was just browsing called yellow fever . First of all I don’t even know what yellow fever is and I have a couple of questions.
should I stop learning mandarin because I’m not Asian? Should I not join the Chinese culture society to improve my mandarin? I don’t want bring a terrible reputation for myself . I’m going to uni in 7 months . Does it mean that the asain community will look down on me for not being asain and taking an interest in the language? Do asain guys hate being approached by non asain girls? Is that offensive? Is it offensive i take interest in their culture? Does learning their language make me look like a weeb?
Here is the video
https://youtu.be/2O84QhVqsIs
I didn’t get the aim of the video at all I apologise for my stupidity.


Don't be put off by one video, your reasons for learning Mandarin are good ones. Learning Mandarin doesn't make you a weeb, being a weeb is more about being into the Japanese manga etc. sub-culture, I think.
Though it is true that Chinese people won't see you as a Chinese person unless you are ethnically at least part Chinese, they're almost all perfectly happy for foreigners to learn Chinese.
Reply 6
I am an Asian female who speaks Mandarin and don’t live in China. I think if you have the interest to learn mandarin, you should definitely pursue it. It’s not an easy language to pick up. If you’re able to speak, I can only imagine it would benefit you in the long run. It is one of the most spoken languages in the world and the Chinese economy is booming. It’s your choice whether to join the society or not, as long as you found someone to practice your mandarin, it does not really matter. I think people will be quite impressed if you speak it and if you’re applying jobs next time in an international company, learning mandarin is a bonus.

As for the yellow fever things, I used to watch wongfu production, an American youtuber, really he is just exaggerating. I have never dated an Asian myself and I don’t think yellow fever is really a thing people laugh about. LOL I live in the UK, no one really talks about it. Hmm I don’t think Asian guys hate being approached by non Asian. When I say Asian here I mean oriental. They are just quite shy and not knowing what to do IMO, but they are really nice. They always go out of their ways to do things for you.
Original post by Trinculo
How awkward will it be when you go into a Chinese Takeaway or Restaurant and find that most of them don't speak Mandarin, as a lot of them are still Hong Kong Cantonese people from way back.

I suspect there's more than one type of Yellow Fever. There's the dudes that love Asian women. But then there's also dudes/dudettes that just have a weird Asian cultural fetish, and are into the kung fu and stuff.

I know a couple of people who genuinely wanted to be Chinese and felt they couldn't be validated in all the things they liked if they weren't. All the herbal stuff and kung fu and tai chi and all that. I heard about a guy that pretended that he was Chinese, married a Chinese woman and took her name so that people would think he was.

.... I wait until i hear them speaking Mandarin. I know a lot about china since my friend was straight from there she used to teach me about ethnic groups, culture , idioms , ancient tales and different dialects in china. I am well aware not everyone in china speaks Mandarin .....
Why is it yellow fever to be interested in Chinese culture but there is no equivalent for someone who is equally interested in french, Spain, Italy , Russia or Germany?
I have had friends with a very strong interest in France and listens to french music but nobody bats an eye. That is not seen as strange at all but as soon as it is outside of Europe you must have some type of fever. Something is wrong with you e.g Yellow fever and jungle fever. Interesting isn't it? What does that suggest about all cultures which are not inherently European?
Original post by solicitorwannabe
I am an Asian female who speaks Mandarin and don’t live in China. I think if you have the interest to learn mandarin, you should definitely pursue it. It’s not an easy language to pick up. If you’re able to speak, I can only imagine it would benefit you in the long run. It is one of the most spoken languages in the world and the Chinese economy is booming. It’s your choice whether to join the society or not, as long as you found someone to practice your mandarin, it does not really matter. I think people will be quite impressed if you speak it and if you’re applying jobs next time in an international company, learning mandarin is a bonus.

As for the yellow fever things, I used to watch wongfu production, an American youtuber, really he is just exaggerating. I have never dated an Asian myself and I don’t think yellow fever is really a thing people laugh about. LOL I live in the UK, no one really talks about it. Hmm I don’t think Asian guys hate being approached by non Asian. When I say Asian here I mean oriental. They are just quite shy and not knowing what to do IMO, but they are really nice. They always go out of their ways to do things for you.

Hahahah how cute ! 谢谢你!
Original post by BubbleBabby
.... I wait until i hear them speaking Mandarin. I know a lot about china since my friend was straight from there she used to teach me about ethnic groups, culture , idioms , ancient tales and different dialects in china. I am well aware not everyone in china speaks Mandarin .....
Why is it yellow fever to be interested in Chinese culture but there is no equivalent for someone who is equally interested in french, Spain, Italy , Russia or Germany?
I have had friends with a very strong interest in France and listens to french music but nobody bats an eye. That is not seen as strange at all but as soon as it is outside of Europe you must have some type of fever. Something is wrong with you e.g Yellow fever and jungle fever. Interesting isn't it? What does that suggest about all cultures which are not inherently European?


Happens all the time, there just aren't specific words for it. Francophiles, Anglophiles, whatever. There are loads of people that just want desperately to be French or British - and they generally just do it.
Wow interesting i didn't know that!
Thanks!

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