The business Chinese language differs from the traditional Chinese language. Here are what makes business Chinese language different and unique, as well as what you will gain if you were to decide to learn business Mandarin.
What Makes Business Chinese Different?
For starters, business Chinese involves a lot of marketing and sales jargon.
What makes this significant is because of how different these terms are in Chinese. Unlike Western languages, wherein most English terms are used and retained, the Chinese language uses a different set of terminologies.
By enrolling in a Chinese business course, you’ll learn of these differences.
Your accent also makes a difference when it comes to learning business Mandarin. When performing business in China or interacting with Chinese businessmen, your accent plays an important role. Although most people would be understanding of your foreign accent, it will make a better impression if you were able to adopt a Mandarin accent.
Even Chinese speakers whose native tongue is Cantonese can benefit from a Chinese business course because they will become more aware of their pronunciation.
In the case of native Cantonese speakers, they often sound angry and aggressive due to their tone of voice. This is because of the abrupt tones that are prevalent in Cantonese, making Cantonese speakers sound like they are angry. At times, this can extend over to the way they speak other languages which includes Mandarin.
The way you sound and present yourself is crucial, especially when doing business in China.
Are Businesses Done Differently in China?
One of the biggest reasons why you should enrol yourself in a Chinese business course if you are interested in doing business in China, is because the Chinese culture plays a significant role in the business context. By taking up a Chinese business course, you are able to learn and be aware of the many ethics of the Chinese culture.
For example, the culture in China is much more indirect, with businessmen valuing the importance of respect and saving face. In regards to meetings, long meetings are the norm in China. It is normal for meetings to last for hours in China. Most meetings even include long lunches, with short breaks in between. The Chinese also value interactions that happen in informal settings. This include breaks in between long meetings, and after the end of meetings.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Chinese culture, many nuances of the Chinese culture, especially when conducting business, can be hard to know and comprehend.
The focus of a Chinese business course is to educate students on the right and proper way to conduct themselves during meetings. This is to ensure that they demonstrate proper respect to their Chinese clients and build strong relationships with them.
Is Learning Business Chinese Worth the Investment?
From a profit perspective, learning business Chinese is worth it.
The immediate profit gains of learning business Chinese won’t be evident. However, the potential of making lucrative deals in China grows with the number of Chinese you forge friendships with. The more Chinese you know, and with the genuine respect you show them, they will be more inclined to do business with you.
Whether you want to grow your business in China and take advantage of the Chinese market, or simply interested in forming deals with Chinese businessmen, learning business Chinese is beneficial from a business perspective.
To learn business Mandarin is to give your business a competitive edge that will not be easily outshone by your competitors.
