Minding your Language
The Chinese language can be a real barrier to doing business in China, despite the fact that many Chinese people are multilingual. The Chinese language is so different from Western languages that it may give rise to different patterns of thinking, and this influences business in many ways.
Learning Chinese
Don’t count on using your native language in China, even if it is English, which is a popular subject in Chinese higher education. Chinese people that you meet in the course of daily life are usually fluent only in their local dialect. Mandarin is often used in Chinese schools, so most of your business contacts will be able to communicate using it. If you have a chance to learn some spoken Chinese, make sure it is Mandarin.
Communicating effectively
| Fast track | Off track |
|---|---|
| Hiring a qualified translator to accompany you in China | Assuming that your Chinese associates will understand you |
| Translating presentation material into Chinese; arranging for a translation service when addressing groups | Allowing communication failure to lead to business failure |
| Learning a little Chinese to show your sincere interest in China | Failing to compliment a Chinese person who speaks your language |
| Smiling, if all else fails | Losing patience or your sense of humor because of a language gap |
Thinking in pictures
Written Chinese is much more uniform than spoken “Chinese” (of which there are 130 different dialects), with the simplified character set in use throughout mainland China, and traditional characters in use in Taiwan. Many Chinese characters are simplified pictures that refer to objects directly, not through the “code” of an alphabet.
This habit of thinking first about the whole of an idea rather than its parts is reflected in the Chinese approach to business. Language experts suggest that this habit of thought may make thinking about the big picture and its long-term consequences a little more natural.
Try to learn the Chinese use of visual metaphors and imagery. For example, if your Chinese associate says, “dog chasing mice,” she or he is suggesting that the person the remark is directed at should focus on their own business, not that of others.
TIP
Don’t be surprised if a Chinese contact you know is able to read and understand some English is reluctant to speak it: he or she may be too anxious to risk making mistakes.
