Translation 2008

This article was a translation of a Chinese article.

Say goodbye is a kind of social etiquette, it symbolizes the end of an event.

In Britain, the United States and many other western countries, farewell has a certain stylized common expression. The expression pattern changes according to different time、place、participant and culture. In a general way, the guest should have to say goodbye to the host. There is no specific requirements for two guests who attend the same event who should say goodbye first. Funny, in western countries, the guest will not leave immediately after put forward to leave, but stay 10 to 15 minutes and then leave. For politeness, the guest should take leave two or three times repeatedly to indicate that they really don’t want to leave. The host accompany a guest to the door and say goodbye. What is important guest should show gratitude to host for their hospitality, and host should express the wish of together again.

In China, it takes more time to farewell the guest. In fact, many hospitable host will insist on send a guest off the residential areas, to the parking lot or bus station. While the guest repeatedly urged host don’t have to be so polite, while their attempt has not work, because the approach of both sides is following traditional manners. Actually, the host will wait until the guest get on the bus and leave when guest can no longer see. In Xinjiang, most of the local ethnic minority residents think that since the guests at the door to say goodbye to leave, they should turned again to express thanks and blessings to the host.

Bow is a very important custom in Japan. The Japanese are always kept bowing. The most common phenomenon is that they are greeting each other and said goodbye to bow instead of shaking hands. No matter who bowed to you, it’s rude if no return. Physical contact will make Japanese people uncomfortable. But, they have been used to shake hands with westerners.

Bow looks be like simple, there is a difference between the way. It depends on the social status and age of the people you bow to greet. If the grade of the people is higher than yours or older than you, the bow angle should be bigger and the time should be longer. At the moment bend a bow is manners. Men usually keep hands hanging uselessly, Woman will be put hands together on the thigh and keep finger touching. If it is in the informal occasion, it’s ok for the bow similar to nod. The most common form is the bow at 15 degrees. You may find it very strange, but you still have try to bow in Japan. People will think you are very polite.