“Bu, bu, bu!” the Dunkin’ Donuts clerk responded with slight irritation, explaining how coffee is made. “You have to grind it before you brew it. You can’t just pop a few beans in a cup and pour boiling water over them. Coffee isn’t the same as tea!” It was only nine in the morning, and […]
As the waitress, or fuwuyuan, swings the door open for you to enter, a table of smiling Chinese men in suits rise from their seats. At the center of the circular table is a glass Lazy Susan with a dozen untouched cold dishes. The men have only been there for five minutes, but the air […]
Ever feel like Chinese names are impossible to remember? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. In fact, it takes much more than a name to address your co-workers correctly, here. You’ve heard the classics: “Master,” “Comrade,” “Boss” Wang, “Little” Zhang, and wonderful “Auntie” who cleans your house every week. But the way you address someone […]
Stressed about what to give people this lunar New Year? Check out these new ideas and old favorites
In recent years the exploding private sector in China has produced “job-hopping fever,” tiaocao (跳槽), literally “jumping the trough.” And quitting has become the new standard operating procedure in the Chinese office world. Once upon a time, your position was assigned by the state, and your tiefanwan (铁饭碗), or “tin rice bowl,” was kept full, […]
