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Q: Has anyone else noticed that nervous laughter thing Chinese people do?
Whenever they met someone or are introduced to someone they do a fake laugh thing.
It irritates the hell out of me.
This is awkwardry, lots of people do that when they are nervous, not just Chinese.
But Chinese tend to get nervous easily.
I wouldn't call it a nervous laugh. It is an actual laugh, they are taught from very young to laugh at people who are different. This is meant to make themselves feel good about being Chinese. Because being Chinese is special (in their hearts).
When something bad happens like an accident, they will laugh also. Again , not a nervous laugh because you see that they are actually amused by it. They take photos and laugh with their friends. What bugs me the must is the stupid laughter in the classroom about little nonsense.
Laughing at others is their way of raising their self esteem , I think. Build themselves up by pointing and laughing at the misfortune of others, regardless how small , silly or ignorant.
They don't know how to deal with negative interactions. They lose face if they "pull a long face" but Englteachted is partially right as well...
Anyway, if it starts pissing you off just say this phrase...
Ni xiao shen me xiao? - Basically means, what are you laughing at? If you say it with a sharp tone it means for them to shut up and stop laughing... usually works.
they are all spoiled by grandparents, parents, and nannies. once child, like ten people waiting to serve them. so, they are all immature and never had nor never will have real a mature mental level that we see as normal. in my mind, most of them have the mental and emotional capacity of a middle school student back in the states.
hahaha...I want to assume it is because they are nervous yet delighted to meet your acquaintance, but from the other answers..I'm gonna have to say they are probably just dead inside...
I do it too. When I'm with a group of my GF's friends I laugh at everything cause I'm thinking wtf am I doing here. Or when I don't understand anything going on in a conversation at work I just laugh. I guess it's an escape. I do agree about the spoiled thing, I know a lot of chinese people who laugh thinking now foreigners come here to find work so it's an arrogant laugh. It can be a number of factors. But I think we've all done it.
can you blame them? i'd be nervous too, given the history of the white man in China
