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Q: What does that "tsk" sound that middle age men make when they walk by mean?
This happens when my husband, children and I walk around Beijing. It would bother me less if I knew what they meant by it. It sounds like tsk or a sucking of the teeth. It's not very loud, but makes me want to slap someone. The kind of guy who does it is usually older than 40.
It happens to my wife and me, too.
I believe it's an expression of disgust that we're in their country. And in my wife's case an expression of disgust that she'd force their loss of face by allowing herself to be sullied by a white devil.
ScotsAlan:
I often think its because my wife loses face by being in China when she has a foreign husband and a foreign kid. Slight disgust that she is here and not there. Then again, probably my imagination.
royceH:
The only reality that matters is whether or not your wife feels a loss of face for not abandoning this cesspool of a country.
If she does, then that's a matter to be addressed.
If she doesn't, then what's the issue?
It happens to my wife and me, too.
I believe it's an expression of disgust that we're in their country. And in my wife's case an expression of disgust that she'd force their loss of face by allowing herself to be sullied by a white devil.
ScotsAlan:
I often think its because my wife loses face by being in China when she has a foreign husband and a foreign kid. Slight disgust that she is here and not there. Then again, probably my imagination.
royceH:
The only reality that matters is whether or not your wife feels a loss of face for not abandoning this cesspool of a country.
If she does, then that's a matter to be addressed.
If she doesn't, then what's the issue?
don't think of them as fellow humans singling you out and being unreasonable. they are a force of nature, like a herd of wildebeest. individually, they grunt and smack and bump into you, but don't be tempted to reciprocate. they are a herd, you are just one, always remember that. it is foremost on their minds.when the cowards take pot shots at you, hoping you will provoke a stampede.
Jump in front of them and spit on the ground they are about to walk on while making eye contact, means the same in any language. 
RoyceH is right I reckon. They seem to do it in a negative context towards people. The old man across from my home does it when it is just me there. Not when I am with other people for some reason. I think he knows it was me who threw away all the old clutter outside his door.
Yeah like Royce said, I think it's a way of saying they don't like you for whatever reason (inferiority complex / jealousy would be my guess because it mostly seems to come from those who obviously missed out on the China get rich boom) when they would never dare to actually say something to your face.
I don't hear it much but when I do I usually give him an up and down look and smirk at him. I don't, and never will give a shit what some ignorant bigot thinks of me.
My husband, who is very good at tuning things out, doesn't even hear it. It makes me borderline homicidal, especially when it's 5+ times in the course of a short walk.
Is it because my husband is Chinese and I'm white? We met in the U.S. and only go to Beijing for visits. Why do middle aged guys care if he married a foreign woman? It's not like it reduced the number of people in their dating pool.
Sirens, horns, jackhammers, loud music I can handle. It's the sounds from people which grate on the nerves.
Mateusz:
It's not a matter of race/skin color (it doesn't matter if you're white or yellow), but more like nationality or where you grew up. Westerners seem to be more sensitive to noise and other annoyances, while Chinese tune out annoying sounds (including horns, phone ringtones, etc.).
