Survival Skills

I had promised myself that I would work on my Chinese while I was here. I bought a text and a CD for aural work thinking that I would have the time and the incentive to develop some rudimentary, everyday Chinese. So far, however, they lie on my desk where I put them when I first arrived.

I tell myself that learning Chinese is too difficult, that I am not good at languages, and that I am too busy at the moment. More importantly, I am able to get by with only a few phrases. Here’s how I do it.

First, most Chinese will greet you with Ni Hao (you good?). To which I respond when I’m alert with Wo hen hao. Ni hao ma (I very good. You good too?) or more simply, Ni Hao. Some Chinese will also simply say Hello, but that tends to be young men on the street who are familiar with this single English word and want to try it out with a waiguoren (outside country person). Another important phrase is Xie Xie (thank you). The Chinese don’t use it as frequently as we do, but I find it helps and use it whenever I want to thank someone. They are likely to respond, Bu Xie (not at all). Duei bu si (I’m sorry) is also a very useful phrase. You will also quickly learn the word, Mao (none or not possible) as someone tries to explain in Chinese that they cannot do something for you. It is also important to be able to count in Chinese. Their system is very simple, but you do have to memorize the words and their tones.

The tones are one of the things that make Chinese so difficult to learn. One word can have four or more meanings, depending on the ‘tone’ with which it is spoken. So Ma can mean mother, or to scold, or horse, or linen and, when placed at the end of the sentence, that you are asking a question. In Mandarin there are only four tones: a high even tone, a rising tone, a tone that first descends and then rises and a descending tone (and sometimes, as in the case of ma, there’s a fifth neutral tone as well). Cantonese has 7 or 8 tones. The result is that a Mandarin speaker may not be able to understand someone who speaks Cantonese and vice versa. When two Chinese speakers cannot understand one another they will sometimes write down the characters; these are the same and so people from different parts of China can understand one another this way. You will occasionally find that someone who realizes you don’t understand their oral Chinese will start writing down the characters—which certainly doesn’t help someone like me a bit.

Second, get to know people who do speak Chinese. I am fortunate to have several veteran English speaking teachers here at Tianjin Normal. I will also soon have students who will be happy to act as interpreters in return for the opportunity to practice their English. When you anticipate trouble communicating, bring a ‘translator’ along.

Third, eat in restaurants where they display the food or have pictures of it or chose a cafeteria. You can then select what you want without knowing what the dish is called in Chinese.

Sometimes this results in a surprise—either pleasant or unpleasant. The dark drink I selected in a Taiwanese restaurant turned out to be plum juice—a nice surprise. Sometimes you can find a menu in Chinese and English. If you can’t find a restaurant with English translations, bring your phrase book or memorize in advance the basic name of the dish you would like. Ju rou is pork, nyou rou is beef, ji rou Is chicken and fan is rice. And most important of all Pi jou is beer!

(Don’t be surprised if the waitress brings you a warm bottle of beer—most Chinese beers are better drunk warm. The exceptions are beers that have been influenced by the German tradition of beer making—Tsingtao and Tianjin beers, for example, should be drunk cold and will be served that way.)

Fourth, if you are in a city, get a good map in English and Pin Yin and get your bearings as soon as you can. Walk around your neighborhood and then take longer walks. When you travel by bus or taxi, try to keep track of the route and memorize major landmarks. Have a Chinese friend write down your address in Chinese characters and memorize it in Pin Yin. If you are lost, show the map to someone and they may be able to point you in the right direction. (You may also find that a cluster of smiling and nodding people will gather around you each one of whom helpfully points you in a different direction.) If you are trying to get home, hail a cab and show your address to the cabbie. (Most cabdrivers in China are honest, but you do have to be careful around train stations and other places where tourists are common.) Be prepared to find that your cab driver doesn’t read Chinese; that’s why it’s a good idea to memorize your address in Pin Yin. Finally, carry a cell phone and call a Chinese speaking friend, if you’re really in trouble. They can act as a remote translator.

Fifth, don’t try to do too much. It takes much longer to do things in China, even when you are an ‘old China hand’ and speak fluent Chinese. The pace of life is much slower here. If you get one major thing accomplished in the day, you are doing well. Slow down and enjoy yourself. When you get back to the states you’ll find you miss the leisurely life you enjoyed in China.

Finally, never lose your temper or make a scene—only children or ‘bad’ people do that. It is always a good idea to smile. If you disagree strongly or wish to insist on something look very stern and serious—but don’t raise your voice or threaten. More times than not, your Chinese host or opponent will attempt to find a compromise or to placate you in some way. There is a very old and deep seated Chinese belief that people who are moral and good will always enjoy calm emotions and an even temper. I have watched American tourists get into deeper and deeper doodah because they raised their voices and grew visibly upset about something.

Oh yes, and it’s a good idea to learn Chinese. You’ll get a lot more out of your visit and your Chinese hosts will appreciate your efforts. I think I’ll start tomorrow!