How often do you say hao?
Apparently I have been saying “hao” to people instead of “Ok” or “Thanks”, and I haven’t even realised I was doing it. And I am told I have been doing this for some time now.
Tonight I went through a KFC drive through and as the kid at the window handed over a bottle of Pepsi I said “hao” without thinking or realising what I was doing. It was then that my passenger asked why I was speaking Chinese to the bloke at the window, and the whole truth was revealed to me.
When I think back on this now I can’t remember too many blank stares or confused looks, but apparently there has been a few times that I have done exactly this same thing in other shops. I can remember a couple of times I have said “hao” to people I know, and once I caught myself answering the question “Where are you going?” with “ce suo”.
I will be paying more attention to what I am saying from now on.
Tonight I went through a KFC drive through and as the kid at the window handed over a bottle of Pepsi I said “hao” without thinking or realising what I was doing. It was then that my passenger asked why I was speaking Chinese to the bloke at the window, and the whole truth was revealed to me.
When I think back on this now I can’t remember too many blank stares or confused looks, but apparently there has been a few times that I have done exactly this same thing in other shops. I can remember a couple of times I have said “hao” to people I know, and once I caught myself answering the question “Where are you going?” with “ce suo”.
I will be paying more attention to what I am saying from now on.
posted by John at 4:54 PM
2 Comments:
That's hilarious! I sometimes answer people in Chinese, too. Not long ago, I was extremely tired, and my boss was asking me a question (he's white), and when I didn't understand what he was saying, instead of saying, "What?" I said, "Shen me?" I've done that several times...I guess it's a good sign that you're starting to think in the language, even if you're not fluent. :)
People probably don't realise I'm speaking a different language. They probably just think I'm a crazy person who says "How?" at strange inapropriate times.
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