Money is a delicate topic in the western culture. Western people tend to be very careful when talking about money-related issues like their salary. Borrowing or lending money is even considered unacceptable in some western countries. However, everything is completely different in China. Money is nothing sensitive and you don’t need to feel awkward at all when a conversation between you and your friend has something to do with money. In this article, we’ll take a look at Chinese people’s attitude towards money. What do Chinese People Think of Money?

1. How much do you earn every month?

In China, it’s absolutely normal for your parents to ask about your salary. Chinese parents think that there shouldn’t be any secrets within a family. In general, the more you earn, the better you are in your parents’ eyes, and what you do doesn’t play an important role here. In modern Chinese society, money is the symbol of power. As long as your salary is high enough, your parents will then have something to boast about in front of their friends.

2. How much does it cost?

On one hand, everyone opts for inexpensive things, or gets what they want at reasonable prices. On the other hand, Chinese people, especially girls would like to have at least one or two posh “belongings”, such as Louis Vuitton handbags. People in China tend to believe that “prices tell everything”. If something is sold at a prohibitive price, its quality must be supremely good. However, that’s not always the case.

3. Can I borrow some money from you?

Believe it or not, you can borrow money from your close friends whenever you want in China. In the Chinese culture, borrowing or lending money isn’t something that you have to avoid in your daily life. In addition, Chinese people think that a real friend should always be available to offer help in case of emergency, even when it comes to money.

4. Savings

In China, most people have more or less some savings. It’s not only because they have some money left from their monthly salary, it’s more of an “obligation”. Housing prices in China have skyrocketed in the past few years, and young people have to save money in order to buy a house. Besides, if you happen to fall ill, only part of your medical treatment is covered by the government, which means you’ll need money to pay it off.

5. My money or your money?

In China, after you get married, you’re supposed to share your money with your other half. In a traditional Chinese family, the husband usually gives all his income to his wife and let her manage it. Consequently, every month the wife leaves a certain amount of money to his husband as his “pocket money”. Chinese women are believed to be better at managing money as they’re usually more rational than Chinese men in terms of spending.

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