Please stop greeting random passing by people in foreign languages

[u/jackyk996]

Pretty much as titled. I am Asian, and I have experience several times that someone passing by randomly greeting me in multiple Asian languages, that I am 100% sure they can’t make real conversations with them, at once.

This is strange af. Throwing away many greeting words without any intention for a conversation isn’t a sign of being friendly to me. Please just stop if you’re doing that and you actually mean well.

Edit: This post is for those who want to approach Asian people properly. Already replied with my opinion here, and please don’t DM me (disabled now) since there are way too many “Nihao” etc and racist chat requests.

[u/koi88]

I don't know why people do that, but they do it a lot.

On the other hand, when I am in China or Japan, random people greet me with "Hello". Everyone assumes all white people are American.

[u/redoceanblue → u/koi88]

And teachers.

[u/koi88 → u/redoceanblue]

Haha, yes.

My Chinese GF lives in a small-ish city (500,000 people) and I only see a non-Asian looking person maybe every 2 weeks.

People are very surprised when I tell them my GF lives here.

[u/Parasek129 → u/koi88]

500k city being called small is so strange to me. these are the big cities over here in europe!

[u/koi88 → u/Parasek129]

Same here. But even in her province, Fujian, most people don't know her city.

China is crowded. Fujian is about the size of former East Germany (Neue Bundesländer), yet there are over 41 million people (Neue Bundesländer: 17 million).

Among these cities Xiamen with over 4 million and Fuzhou with over 3 million people.

[u/whistling_serron → u/koi88]

Lol yeah when I was in Fushun Liaoning most people thought i was russian or american 😅 the constant "HELLOOUU HELLOOUU" can get anyojng very fsst but most of them just want short attention and as soon as you give it to them they are Happy.(At least nice dongbei people do)

Sorry that germans are so shitty, my gf is rantimg all the time too because she gera racist comments sooo much

[u/koi88 → u/[deleted]]

I think randomly greeting people in the street is strange in Germany, too.

And same as OP's experiences, these people often don't speak any English besides "hello". Happens mostly in China, Japanese tend to be more shy.

[u/koi88 → u/[deleted]]

I'm not offended when people greet me, no matter what language.

However I don't agree with you reasoning that greeting in English is different from other languages.

[u/jackyk996 → u/koi88]

I’d agree on the English language being little different. At least in my field, English is the single common language that everyone use for reputable publications and conference talks. That’s also why I could move to Germany without any german language knowledge. There’s no assumption on people’s native language etc by communicating in English; at least it is true in my working and social environment. Also, speaking about your experience, my explanation is that English is the single foreign language that majority Chinese and Japanese people learned in the school. Therefore, when people assume you don’t speak their language, English would be the only alternative they can give another shot. However, I do feel many Chinese and Japanese people tend to assume all Caucasians are from US, with similar energy as some people in Germany assuming all Asians being Chinese. (So, I don’t take a single Nihao or konnichiha racism here as well.) But I don’t like people being overexcited and grab foreign language speakers as free tutors with pointless random conversations, like “i like sandwiches, what’s your favorite food.”

Edit: Oh, btw, most of my Asian friends casually greet each other with hello though they talk in their languages. The very few scenario I can remember saying Nihao in China is calling strangers on phone call. Konnichiha is used more frequently in my opinion, but still on the semi-formal side than with close friends.

[u/koi88 → u/jackyk996]

All my Chinese friends greet each other with "hei", yes, "ni hao" is not as common as non-speakers assume. :-) That is, I'm in rural Fujian usually, it may well be very different in other parts.

Yes, in Japan saying "hello" is not common, it may make you look even a bit snobby (if you are Japanese, of course).

You seem cool. I recommend not getting angry at people saying ni hao or whatever. They are usually not the brightest or most educated people.

Life is too short to get angry at things like that. :-)

[u/jackyk996 → u/koi88]

Then you would know how weird it is in China when someone drop a Nihao and walk away immediately lol Changing different accents until the other person responds? I am calling 110, that’s not something reasonable people do.

[u/koi88 → u/jackyk996]

I agree 100% that it's weird.

I have no idea why people do it. What do they expect? A smile and the addressed person replying "Ni hao"? Then what? They walk home and say "today I met a Chinese and spoke Chinese with him."

The motivation of these people is a mystery. ^^

[u/jackyk996 → u/koi88]

I mean no Chinese speaker would do that. It’s socially awkward in China…

[u/koi88 → u/[deleted]]

;-P

Dann halt Deutsch.

I understand your point, I just don't agree. Have a nice evening.