Congrats! The Best Gift to Give in China On Special Occasions

When I first traveled to China, I ended up spending 3 months learning Mandarin and making friends. Those first few months my friends had special occasions. One of them got married. One had a birthday. Another's sister had a baby. I wasn't sure what the custom was to offer congratulations. Should I get them a gift? Should I write them a card?

I learned that the best way to show congratulations to a Chinese friend in China is:

份子钱 (fènzi qián) gift money

Let's break this word down so you can get the full meaning:
份 (fèn): portion, share;
子 (zi): noun suffix;
钱 (qián): coin, money.
份子 (fènzi): one's share of expenses for a joint undertaking; as in buying a gift for a mutual friend. For example:
凑份子 (còu fènzi) Club together to present a gift to sb.
份子钱 (fènzi qián): gift money (on the occasion of a wedding etc); common charges.

Example:
Dàxué tóngxué jiéhūn, wǒ gěi le yì qiān kuàn fènzi qián.
大学 同学 结婚， 我 给 了 一 千 块 份子 钱。
I sent 1000 Yuan as a congratulations gift to my university classmate for her wedding.

When To Give It
Nowadays, If you have knowledge of "份子钱 (fènzi qián)," it will really put you ahead in building your relationships with your Chinese friends. It shows you have an understanding of general Chinese etiquette, but also shows you have a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese culture as well. You can give "份子钱 (fènzi qián)" for special occasions such as:

Giving "份子钱 (fènzi qián)" is a way for you to offer congratulations and show that you care about each of those significant life events. Instead of physical, customized gifts the Chinese usually just give money, since it is seen as a much more convenient way to express good wishes to the bride and groom, mother-to-be, etc.

The Big Question: How Much Money Should You Give ...Read more

In China, there are four essential traditions in the wedding process:

1. 拍婚纱照 (Pāi hūnshā zhào) Take Pre-Wedding Photography

Most westerners take pictures on their wedding day. In China we do this as well and we call wedding day pictures "婚礼照 (hūnlǐ zhào) wedding photography". However, more important is "拍婚纱照 (pāi hūnshā zhào) take pre-wedding photography". Chinese couples will spend more money on the pre-wedding photography than on wedding photography. Many couples will even fly to famous locations such as the Maldives, Paris or Rome to shoot "婚纱照 (hūnshāzhào) pre-wedding photography". Nowadays, pre-wedding photography has become a huge industry in China.

2. 领结婚证 (Lǐng jiéhūnzhèng) Apply for A Certificate of Marriage

Every government requires some kind of certification to make a marriage officially recognized. The China, couples must apply at their local "Civil Affairs Bureau (民政局)". In a whimsical tradition, the certificate will cost both the man and the woman 4.5 yuan each. You might be thinking: Why does the government even bother charging the same price as a subway ride for something as important as a marriage certificate? Well, people say it has to do with the ...Read more

Quiz:

A. 回门 (huímén)
B. 拍婚纱照 (pāi hūnshāzhào)
C. 领结婚证 (lǐng jiéhūnzhèng)
D. 喝酒 (hējiǔ)
See Answer