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Q: What's the one China sound that sets you most on edge?

By far, more than the hawking and spitting, for me it's the obnoxiously loud lip-smacking, chewing sounds when people are eating, ESPECIALLY if they're eating in a public setting, like in an office or on the bus, etc...I don't know why, but I immediately half gag, half have to restrain myself from going to the person and smacking them across the face. It's really horrible.

11 years 43 weeks ago in  General  - China

 
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Shifu

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People chewing with their mouths open. It drives me so crazy that I've moved tables in restaurants and even had to walk out before. Just can't get used to it at all. It's absolutely vile.

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Hammer drills.  The sound that they make echos and rattles through all the walls so it is impossible to tell what courteous neighbor has decided to put up a shelf at 2am.

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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While in general I tend to agree with you, in my mind I am learning to accept it on the basis of a cultural difference.  Just like many things I do to them are offensive, and to me they are a natural, perfect way of doing something, since I am in China and not back home I have to learn how to adapt.

And trust me, it is not easy.  But must be patient, because it is mostly an impossibility to change behavioral patterns deeply set in 1.8 billion persons overnight, or with a slap on the face.

I do ride public local buses quite often, and what does bothers me a lot is when someone farts nearby and no one complains.  I was on a dentist chair once maybe about a year ago, and the dental assistant let go one quite loud and worse, quite smelly.  Only me paid attention, everyone else ignored it.

GuilinRaf:

Happene to me in guilin. I was in the school bus and the teacher next to me  kept on gassing, so I asked him to stop. He ignored me and continued. Finally, I opened the window (this is winter) to "air out" my area.  every time he reached for the window, I would move his hand away and tell him, quite loudly,  "ni  fengpile" (close enough to the mean "you farted").

11 years 43 weeks ago
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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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I agree, I hate the noises people make when eating, or spitting. And it's not everyone that does it so being Chinese and saying its part of the culture is bollocks.  I know plenty of Chinese who hate people that spit, and never smack their lips when eating etc. 

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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The thing that sets me most on edge is not being able to trust that my employers are going to make stupid decisions that affect me directly and that I have no choice but to go along with. 

 

Since I arrived, they've made dozens of changes in the way things are done; almost all of them I disagree with, and there's nothing I can do. It's frustrating as hell.

 

The noises and spitting and stuff do annoy me, but they have much less effect on my psyche, overall, than having to walk into work every day, thinking "alright, what bullsh!t will it be today..."

 

 

 

So, I'd have to say, it's the sound of my manager saying "can I talk to you guys?"

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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The coach bus driver who can't keep his fingers off the forsaken horn.  That thing is louder than what some large ships have, and keeps everyone on the bus wide awake, praying he doesn't lose control and topple over the bridge.

 

I hate loud anything, so the loud woman or man on the Metro or bus who has to scream on the telephone, or at the driver.

 

Spitting sends my Chinese girlfriend over the edge!  The evil stare she gives spitters is hilarious, she makes it known she hates it to everyone.  Just like in other countries most people hate spitters and smokers (in public places). Eating noises are weird, but I don't mind it knowing it is a culture difference more than just bad habits.

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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I would have to say the spitting is still the worst sound I hear. 

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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An extremely loud WEI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or A !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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2 sounds.

 

1. The sound of hawking up a big spit (office, bus, subway, restaurant, taxi and everywhere)

2. People dragging the luggage around on the wheels at anytime of the night 

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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fireworks in the middle of the night

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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People chewing with their mouths open. It drives me so crazy that I've moved tables in restaurants and even had to walk out before. Just can't get used to it at all. It's absolutely vile.

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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All of the above are in my top 20 or so but a new contender has surfaced. It's really not much but I find that the "scuffing" along as they walk is getting to me. Have a listen next time...thay all do it. To me, and I may be reading too much into this but it's like they have given up and are simply awaiting their untimely death.

nevermind:

I know eh? My mom would smack me if I did that. 

11 years 43 weeks ago
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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Not picking their feet up when they walk.

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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HHAAaaaakkk tooone

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Car or e-bike horns that they honk when there is no need, honking incessantly announcing to everyone they are about to do something illegal and (running a red light, or driving the wrong way down the road.

 

Smacking and spitting are disgusting, but I can tune it out. Its the honking that makes me want to punch someone in the throat.

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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"HAALLLOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"

Surprised no one else brought this one yet....

I was on a date the other night, and we passed this bunch of middle aged men playing those skinny cards you see here and when they saw us, a couple of them let out thier sarcastic "Hallooo" which I ignored.

Well, my date got mad at me because she felt that I was rude to them and that I should be "more friendly". I tried to explain to her, but she just kept answering "maybe you can be more polite".

brisguy:

agreed. the hello when you walk past then you hear a few laughs after. Would love to do this to Chinese people back home let out a Ni Hao then laugh.

11 years 43 weeks ago
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Jnusb416:

I especially hate it when they call it out after you've already walked past. Do they really expect me to turn around? The other day there was some young guy, I walked past and he not only yelled hello, he even clapped a few times. I was with a friend at the time, and to me that was quite embarrassing. I'm not a dog.

11 years 43 weeks ago
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GuilinRaf:

Thats what my last date wanted me to do, turn around and say "hi" to them. When I told her they were not being friendly, she said that I just dont understand Chinese people and "maybe you can be more polite". This has annoyed me enough that I am not sure I want a second date with her...

11 years 43 weeks ago
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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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when you are in a crowded bus and you are in the front of the bus and the guy in the back is talking on his cell and sounds like he is talking so loud the person in the next county can hear him w/o a cell

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Somebody getting run over by the car because you know nobody is gonna be willing to help the victim. Otherwise they might get sued and blamed!

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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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The sound of the troll here typing

Jnusb416:

And you aren't one...?

11 years 43 weeks ago
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GuilinRaf:

Thats why he knows....

11 years 43 weeks ago
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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Every morning waking up to the sound of blaring music and non-stop hand clapping from the stores and employees 12 floors below my window.

What would happen if I dropped eggs from my balcony?

GuilinRaf:

The eggs would break....

11 years 43 weeks ago
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11 years 43 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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THUD THUD THUD............THUD THUD THUD..................THUD THUD THUD

 

This is starting to get to me.  The salvagers drumming away on their bike drums.  Do these exist in your city?

 

This and any Mao-era patriotic song blasting away at inappropriate times and places.

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11 years 40 weeks ago
 
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Of all the things that I have learned to tolerate in China, noise isn't one of them. Goddamn car horns all night long, firecrackers, banging glasses on tables, obnoxious calling of service staff in restaurants, burping, slurping, spoilt crying children, motorbikes without silencers, repetitive groans from public address systems, shouting on phones, power drills, hammers, coughing up phlegm............

 

The list is endless. I can't even decide which I hate most!

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11 years 40 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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screaming on the cell phone  like their trying to talk to the person in the next county without one

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11 years 40 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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definitely the spitting. It's a disgusting habit and the sound is as bad as the scenario left behind on the pavement...

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11 years 40 weeks ago
 
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The screeching sound of the brakes on ebikes after the brake pads have worn away and they only have metal on metal. People treat things they own like they are disposable then keep them around like they are not.

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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Loud talking then spitting while talking loudly

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11 years 39 weeks ago
 
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