In the eyes and ears of most foreigners, it is difficult to distinguish between Japanese and Chinese people and culture. However, for them, this is as difficult as distinguishing American and European cultures. Once you have identified the basic differences, it will become easier to distinguish the characteristics and cultures of these two countries. Understand a bit of the language and social features of each culture to understand the differences between these two Asian cultures better.
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Method 1 of 3: Identifying the Fundamental Differences
Step 1. Monitor the value of politeness and social harmony in both cultures
Although Japanese and Chinese cultures are polite compared to most western cultures. Japanese culture places more emphasis on politeness and social hierarchy than China does. In Japanese society, you are never casual or familiar with someone who is much older or of a higher social status.
- Although Chinese and Japanese are much more formal to older people, Japanese are also more formal even to those who are only 1-2 years older. For example, if you are a first year student at a Japanese University, you should also be polite and formal to your fellow sophomores.
- Japanese people tend to be highly self-disciplined and polite in public. You rarely see Japanese people arguing or getting angry with each other openly, while the Chinese have no problem with this.
Step 2. Recognize the global spread of Japanese pop culture
While the Chinese are not very capitalizing on their popular culture, Japanese popular culture is a global commodity. Manga comics, anime and Harajuku style trends are very popular in Indonesia and the West.
- The differences in the popular culture of the two countries are mostly due to their government. China has a communist government and economy so its people tend not to be consumptive. In contrast, Japan has a capitalist system that indulges its citizens' desire to prosper and be entertained.
- Chinese films and music tend to contain government propaganda and a strong political agenda, meaning they are not very popular outside the country.
Step 3. Evaluate the role of religion in everyday life
Because China is a communist country, most Chinese are atheists. Religious adherents in China are often persecuted so that religious ceremonies and meetings are usually held in private. Japanese people tend to be more religious, especially Buddhism and Shinto.
- Japanese shrines and sacred gardens are located all over the country and formal ceremonies are common on a daily basis.
- Many Japanese also attend Christian churches, a practice banned in China.
Step 4. Understand the geographic and demographic differences between the two countries
China dominates the East Asian region while Japan is a country somewhat smaller than the island of Sumatra. The country's vast differences mean that Japan's population density is higher than that of China's. The Chinese mostly work in agrarian and industrial sectors while the Japanese work in the service sector.
- Because of its size, it is difficult to generalize about Chinese culture as a whole. Different regions of China have their own culture, traditions, and beliefs. Chinese society is much more diverse while Japan tends to be more homogeneous/uniform.
- As an island, Japan has been quite isolated from external influences for a long time. This makes Japanese culture very unique compared to most. In contrast, Chinese merchants had come into contact with many cultures and nationalities so that their culture was mixed with many styles, beliefs, and practices.
Step 5. Distinguish between Japanese and Chinese food
Japanese food tends to be fresher and raw, especially seafood. On the other hand, the Chinese love fried foods. While rice and noodles are a must in both Chinese and Japanese dishes, they are cooked differently and taste different.
- Rice in China is usually fried and mixed with vegetables, eggs and sauce. Japanese rice is often stickier. In China, rice is usually the main dish while in Japan it is usually a side dish.
- Fresh Japanese vegetables are usually steamed and served separately, while in China vegetables are usually fried with meat and mixed together.
Tips:
Although these two cultures eat with chopsticks, the style is somewhat different. Japanese chopsticks have a blunt end and are shorter than Chinese chopsticks.
Method 2 of 3: Finding Social Characteristics
Step 1. Notice the bow that accompanies the greeting
Chinese and Japanese cultures tend to bow to greet someone they meet for the first time. However, Japan is stricter about bowing, with all protocols based on seniority level and age of the person being addressed.
In China, bowing is usually replaced by a handshake unless you are greeting an older person. Chinese people tend to nod their heads while shaking hands. On the other hand, a short nod is considered rude in Japan unless you're greeting a close friend your age or younger
Step 2. Listen to the volume when Japanese or Chinese speak
Usually Japanese people are silent in public places. On public transportation, people tend to turn off their cell phones and don't talk much. Even if they talk in public, they usually whisper.
In contrast, Chinese culture has no prohibition against speaking loudly or making calls in public. So if there's a group of East Asians talking and laughing loudly, they're probably Chinese
Tips:
Volume is not the best indicator of differentiating between Japanese and Chinese. Depending on how long they have lived in a country, they may have adopted the local culture.
Step 3. Pay attention to gestures and non-verbal communication
Both Japanese and Chinese cultures rely heavily on non-verbal communication. Especially Japan, which places great emphasis on social hierarchy. You can tell the difference between Japanese and Chinese culture by how far they stand when they talk to each other and how respectful and submissive their body language is.
- For example, in China, silence is often seen as consent. If the Chinese don't agree, they usually stay away from the negative and emphasize commonalities before telling them what they want.
- Because Chinese uses a tone of voice (tonal), they cannot rely on tone of voice to convey their meaning. This makes gestures and body language more important than spoken language.
- For Japanese people, non-verbal communication is a sign of respect and courtesy. The depth of the bow and the distance he stands from the interlocutor shows the position of the two.
Method 3 of 3: Recognizing Language Differences
Step 1. Look for Japanese characters in the text
Although both Chinese and Japanese script use Chinese characters (known as hànzì in Chinese, and kanji in Japanese), Japanese people also use a phonetic script called hiragana. If you see hiragana characters in the text, it's likely Japanese.
- Hiragana characters are more curvy and lighter, and some even seem unique. Usually these characters are easier to distinguish than the more complicated Kanji. One character to look for is. This character is used quite often and does not resemble Chinese characters. If you look at these characters, the writing in front of you is Japanese.
- Japanese has a more rigid/angular script called katakana, which is used to borrow borrowed words from other languages, such as English.
Tips:
Although it has 3 types of characters, Japanese is only one. In contrast, Chinese has only one character, but many languages use the same script (just as there are many languages that use Latin characters).
Step 2. Listen for the change in pitch when someone speaks
All Chinese languages are tonal, meaning that the rise and fall of the speaker's pitch determines the word that is spoken. Spoken Chinese usually sounds like a song to Western ears.
On the other hand, Japanese tends to be monotonous. Japanese speakers can modulate (switch the basic tone) their tone of voice to express emotion or intent, much like Indonesian, for example raising the pitch at the end of a sentence to indicate a question
Step 3. Pay attention to the sound of the vowels
Japanese has only 5 vowel sounds (fewer than Indonesian) and about 100 different syllables that can be arranged in different ways. If you hear some vowel sounds or variations between words, it sounds like you're listening to a Japanese person speak.
On the other hand, Chinese has several vowel sounds depending on its position in the word and the pitch of the pronunciation. If you hear a lot of variations in vowel tones, it sounds like you're listening to Chinese
Step 4. Consider word endings
Chinese can end in any letter, and many Chinese words end in a consonant. In contrast, Japanese words only end in a vowel or the letter "n".
If you hear someone speaking in a monotone and all the words end in a vowel, you can be sure that he or she is speaking Japanese
Step 5. Know a person's nationality by name
The Japanese have more last names than the Chinese. Japanese last names can be 2-3 syllables long and almost always end in a vowel. On the other hand, Chinese last names usually have only one syllable and end in a consonant.
