Cultural Differences between Britain and China – Jack Davies, February 2016

说起中国和英国的文化差异,那可真是多了,就简单谈谈以下几个吧。

首先,在饮食方面,中国人习惯以馒头作为主食(南方以米饭为主),喜爱熟食,口味偏咸,喜欢炖菜炒菜,也会吃动物的肝脏等身体部位,而在英国,人们以马铃薯为主食,喜好牛肉,口味清淡,不吃动物某些身体的部分,如头、足和某些器官。他们如果看到中国人食用每一部分,可能会感到震惊。中国人喜欢热菜热汤喝热水,在中国,似乎热水可以包治百病,而英国人只喝冰水,从来不喝热水。中国人吃饭时用筷子,英国人习惯用刀叉。

chopsticks

教育方面,最为人所熟知的就是中国的义务教育只有9年,从高中起不再属于义务教育;而英国则是一直到大学以前。中国的学生在上学的时候,所有的需要都是由父母来满足,尤其是在金钱方面,父母负责孩子上学的一切费用。而在英国,上大学以后,学生是自己负责个人费用的,普遍的做法就是去银行贷款来支付学费,工作以后慢慢还清。

在一群人一起用餐的时候,中国人习惯由一个人付账,也就是请客;而英国人则是各人付各人的AA制。中国人常去的娱乐场所是KTV,在英国,根本没有KTV的存在……

 

English Translation:
There are many cultural differences between China and the UK that I have noticed whilst living here. Below are some of the cultural differences I have noticed as a British expat.

Firstly in the diet. Chinese people’s staple food tends to be either noodles, mantou or often rice in the South of China. Chinese people really like steamed food, salty flavours, and stewed and fried dishes. They are also happy to eat parts of animals that British people tend not to be fond of such as the liver or the head of an animal. Whilst in the UK the potato is often known as the staple food, equally the British love to eat Beef and other large portions of meat. They do not however tend to eat certain parts of an animal’s body such as the feet or organs of the animal. This is why often British people are shocked upon seeing the wide variety of bits of an animal the Chinese are happy to eat. When it comes to drinking Chinese people often like their drinks warm, be it warm soup, warm alcohol, or warm water. Particularly in the case of water, Chinese people tend to believe this can cure all manner of ills. This would come at odds with British tastes who certainly tend to have their water cold if not iced. Finally another large cultural difference related to diet is perhaps the most noticeable one when visiting China; that being that the Chinese use chopsticks to eat whereas the British will use a knife and fork.

For Education, a large difference is the length of compulsory education, which noticeably in China is only nine years. This means that high school here is not part of compulsory education. Whereas in Britain students are expected to attend school right up until university. Another major difference is how university education is funded in the UK and China. Chinese students will be supported wholly by their parents, who are responsible for all the costs of education. In the U.K however, after college the students themselves are personally responsible for their expenses and so will often take loans from banks. These loans will then be paid back over many years once they have secured employment.

Finally socializing differences that I have noticed. Chinese custom when eating out with friends or even acquaintances is that one person (the host) will pay the bill for everyone. This tends to be at odds with British culture where it is normal for each person to pay for what they have purchased. And the very last and perhaps most major difference is the Chinese love for karaoke or KTV, which from my knowledge essentially doesn’t exist in Britain!

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