2 Gifting conventions
Gifting is pretty much an art form in Chinese culture, so here’s a nifty guide to what you should never give as presents.
As you may already know, the Chinese are very pernickety about homonyms, and “giving clocks” in Cantonese is pronounced “song jung,” which unfortunately sounds the same as the phrase for attending someone’s funeral—a definite designation of bad luck!
This rule particularly applies to people you don’t know well. It implies giving money away, which is why some offset the negative connotation by having the receiver give them a dollar or a similarly insignificant amount of money, so it technically counts as a transaction instead of an outright present.
Any sort of sharp objects fall into this category, so think again if you’re considering giving your anime-obsessed friend a katana or a set of shuriken! It represents a severing of relationships.
Another homonym-related superstition, the Chinese word for pear sounds similar to the word for “depart” or “leave,” which then carries the connotation of the giftee leaving and not being a part of your life any more. This normally applies to family or friends; fruit baskets for acquaintances or businesses will often still include pears.
In Cantonese, to “wear a green hat” means to be cuckolded, so you’ll probably never see a Chinese man wearing anything green on their heads! Ladies, unless you’re trying to hint at some undesirable news, don’t ever give your significant other a green piece of headwear.