How quickly is an impression made? If a “Bless you” is not said soon after a sneeze, when does that silence become awkward? In Chinese culture, there is an equivalent phrase said after a sneeze, baǐsuì, meaning “May you live 100 years.” However, it is as outdated a practice as a male American opening the car door for a female companion in the not so distant past. The use of the Chinese phrase is practically unknown to all except an audience age 70 and above. In the context of modern Chinese practice, the silence after a sneeze is perfectly acceptable. Knowing something so trivial as how two cultures see a sneeze, what else are you misreading about your Chinese business partner?
Image downloaded from Pixabay.com
