Foreigners’ Top 5 Questions: Chinese People’s Opinion About Foreigners

Traveling around Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States for about 10 more years, I understand how foreigners think about Chinese. Although they don’t treat us as a surprise, they always ask some questions in surprise. Now I have listed it as Top 5 for you.

1. What is the most surprising?

When I came to West, the people who are my colleagues, teachers and my friends always ask that: ‘When you come to our country, what is the most amazing thing you think?’ If I answer the question as honest, the answer should be, everything here is the same as I imagine. The reason is simple. Nowadays, Chinese people can also get information about politics, culture, life in the West through the Internet, TV, paper, etc. Except for the language, I can’t feel the ‘culture shock’.

2. Beijing, when did it change its name?

Overseas, foreigners always ask me, Beijing, when does it change its name to Beijing? Then I explained: ‘Beijing is called Beijing, it will never be changed. Just called as the Chinese call it.’ But a friend who knows a little Chinese, said, ‘Why isn’t China called Zhongguo, not China?’ He gave a surprise. China is called only in English. There are other titles for China in French, Arabic or German. Maybe when we get Taiwan back, our country will be called Zhongguo.

3. Are dogs delicious food?

When I arrived Pares, a Frenchman asked me. Are dogs delicious food? At that time, it is my first time going abroad. So that I can’t get rid of the trap. Whatever he answered would give him this information, that the Chinese eat dogs. In those foreign opinions, dogs are our honest friends. How could you eat them so ruthlessly? But it’s hard to say that although dogs can take care of the house, solve a criminal case or be our friends, the social status is still very low. So it doesn’t matter that we eat dogs. Do not mention anything about bears, tigers or any other animals to foreigners. 😀

4.How can we eat soup with chopsticks?

Many foreigners make an effort to practice with chopsticks. They deny knives and forks when dining in a Chinese restaurant, it seems that without chopsticks they cannot fully taste Chinese food. But one thing many foreigners still don’t understand——How can we eat soup with chopsticks? Some foreigners think that there are other types of chopsticks for drinking soup. I answer that when we drink soup, we only use a spoon without chopsticks. Did you understand a little, so simple?

5.Why is it so difficult to learn Chinese?

Many foreigners are interested in Chinese. Why is learning Chinese so difficult? It is true that learning Chinese is a bit difficult. But it seems that they are somewhat afraid of learning Chinese. They will use ‘Chinese’ to describe something that could not be understood. One word is called ‘CHINESE PUZZLE’ in English. It is used to describe things that are too difficult to understand.