鸽子女中西方餐桌礼仪差异英语

2020年12月21日发(作者：邓朴方)


Differences between Chinese and Western table manners
the development of global economy, cross-culture With
communication has become more and more frequent, and the differences
between Chinese and western culture have become more obvious,
especially the differences of table manners.
Arrangement of seat in China
In China, people used to use the number of the tables to define the size
of banquet. In small banquets which have two tables, the table on the left
or farther to the portal is the top table. At bigger banquets that have three
or more tables, the rules are much more complicated.
Generally, seats that closer to the top table take precedence. For
example, on the wedding party, family members of the bride or the
leaderships are arranged to the table that closest to the top table. Hosts
show their reverences to the guests by arranging seats by this way.
Seats at one table also have different meanings. In Chinese table
manner, the seat opposite to the door is the honor seat, which is for chief
guests or elders; the seats beside are the second honor seat which are for
other guests; the seats that opposite to the honor seat are the inferior seat.
Inferior seats are for the host and hostess.
So before the banquet, hosts should first invite the chief guest or elders
to the honor seat, and then invite other guests to the second honor seat.
Hosts sit down on the inferior seats after all the guests sit down.

Arrangement of seat in West
Western people prefer long table to round table when entertaining
friends. The host and the hostess seat at both end of the table, while
guests seat at other seats. The chief guest sits at the upper right side of the
hostess, and the wife of the chief guest seats at the upper right side of the
host.
In China, left is honor and right is secondary. While in western, right is
honor and left is secondary. The proper way to take the seat in western
is to sit by the left hand. It is better not to walk out before the banquet is
finished.
Tablewares between China and West
Chinese table wares involve chopsticks, small dish, bowl and glass.
Chopsticks and spoon are always put together on the right hand of the
plate. Toothpick and ashtray are also necessary.
Chopsticks are the main table wares in Chinese food culture. It is
impolite to use chopsticks to clean tooth, or pick other things that aren’t
food. It is also bad manner to talk with chopsticks in hand.
The right way to use spoon is: scoop the food, and wait for seconds to
make sure that the soup will not splash out, and then move the spoon
back. It is impolite to put the spoon in to mouth, or lick the spoon over
and over again.



In western meals , they use so much table wares with different kinds
and sizes. the use of table wares also shows different food culture in
different countries, the main table wares in western are knives, forks ,
spoons , glass and napkin.
Knife is used to cut food and fork is used to carry food into mouth.
during the dinner, you should put them on both sides of the plate, and
knife and fork should be put in the way that looks like the Chinese word
“八”.
You can also use them in a way that handle knife in your right hand
and fork in the left hand. Soup spoon is always put on the outermost right
side, together with the knife. Dessert spoon is put together with dessert
knife and fork.
Different atmospheres at table
Noisy and quiet is the main different of table atmosphere between
Chinese and western. Chinese table atmosphere always noisy and always
the noisier the better. While western table atmosphere is quiet.
. In China,people begin to talk at the time they sit down, and they would
keep talking during the whole dinner. Everybody at the table talking,
drinking, eating, and enjoying the pulsating atmosphere. Noisy
atmosphere can reflect the guests’ happiness from their hearts.
Westerners also talk at table, but they talk quietly and keep the voice at

the stage that can only be heard. You can not make noises when drinking
soup. Chewing with your mouth closed and do not making noises when
eating.
The way to finish eating
At Chinese dinner table, after eating, the chopsticks should put
orderly at the right side of the bowl, and leave after the host signals to
leave. Hosts should signal after all the guests put down their
chopsticks.
At western dinner table, the ways to finish eating is to put the knife
and fork together on the plate parallel, with the fork’s back side up and
the knife’s edge inside.
Through comparing the table manners of Chinese and Western
countries and keeping pace with the changing world can be more
meaningful to all people.