Why learning Mandarin might be important for business

By Anna Sobell

It’s estimated that 1.2 billion people speak Chinese, around a billion of whom speak Mandarin; that’s almost 1 in every 6 people in the world!

From the vertical to the horizontal

Modern day Mandarin is most commonly now written horizontally, from left to right; however, this hasn’t always been the case. Up until 1955 the language was written vertically, dating all the way back to 1200 BC.

A language full of character(s)!

How do you think the following number connects the English language and Mandarin: 49,974? That’s right! Mandarin has 49,974 more characters than the English language has letters. The reason for this sizable difference is that Mandarin uses characters that symbolise a syllable of spoken Mandarin. This information may, understandably, deter prospective learners from taking up the language. However, everyday Mandarin now typically uses a set of around 2,500 characters, and it’s estimated that if you know around 1,000 characters you could understand as much as 90% of a newspaper. And there’s more good news! Mandarin grammar is, surprisingly, relatively easy; take a look at the following facts:

No conjugations: each verb only has one form, and for that matter: no irregular verbs
No tenses: use of particles to express if an action takes place in the past, present or future. Again, the verb form never changes in function of the tense
No articles: no such thing as ‘the’ and ‘a’, no ‘le/la’, no ‘der/die/das’
No plurals: quantifiers before the noun (or simply the context) will make clear whether we are talking in singular or in plural
No gender: no masculine, feminine or neuter words

Tone matters

Once you start learning Mandarin, the following words will carry a lot of significance: flat, rising, falling then rising and falling. That’s because these are the four categories of ‘tone’ in Mandarin, each tone affects the meaning of different words. In light of this, it’s important to really try to tune into really hearing words rather than listening to them in Mandarin. Just another interesting challenge faced by all Mandarin learners!

On the rise!

In today’s modern and globalised world, Mandarin has become one of the most popular languages to study; for Kindergarten kids and corporate professionals alike. Chinese business is on the up and so is Mandarin learning, it’s never too late to get on board!

Business is booming!

The BBC has reported that China’s economy grew by 6.9% in the first quarter of 2017, according to official figures. This was higher than most economists had predicted, and it’s believed that this surprise growth is due to state-led infrastructure spending and an increased demand for new property. This places China firmly in the position of the world’s second largest economy, after the USA.

Chinese business etiquette

With difference in culture, comes difference in etiquette; despite our increasingly globalised existence, there are many differences which still remain and most likely always will. The following are a few tips on how to navigate Chinese business etiquette:

First impressions

Handshakes are the usual method of greeting in Chinese business; a happy medium of firm but gentle is to be recommended: too strong and you may come across as somewhat aggressive.

Two sides to every card

In order to send a message of respect, it’s a good idea to arrange for bespoke business cards when dealing with prospective Chinese clients: one side printed in English and the other in Mandarin. This gesture will go a long way to providing for a positive start to building business relations. One more ‘handy’ tip is to give and receive business cards using both hands.

Watch your body language

A couple of things to avoid whilst doing business in China; firstly, try to avoid showing the soles of your shoes (when crossing your legs for example), secondly try to stop yourself from ever pointing with your index finger. Both these gestured are generally considered rude in a Chinese business context. Snapping fingers, whistling and excessive fidgeting are also quite the faux pas, though perhaps less likely to happen in a business context anyway…one would hope!

(a little) silence is golden

Try not to fill in any pauses or periods of silence during meetings with meaningless speech! Unlike other cultures, a little silence to be expected and it just signals that an amount of thought and consideration is being made.

Now, take the plunge and get in touch to arrange your Mandarin language training today!

References:

https://www.theinterngroup.com/our-blog/interesting-facts-about-mandarin/

warwickwhystudychinese

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39618553

http://news.ewmfg.com/blog/12-tips-for-mastering-chinese-business-etiquette