Understanding the rationale driving Chinese business behaviors. Practical guidance for non-Chinese executives working with Chinese partners.
What “Whatever” Really Means in Chinese Business Communication
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Issue No. 4 · May 10, 2026 What “Whatever” Really Means in Chinese Business CommunicationOne evening, my husband asked me where I wanted to eat dinner. I said "whatever you want." He picked a place. I made a face. He has learned, since then, that "whatever" does not mean whatever. It means: I have a preference, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. You're supposed to figure it out. One day he looked at me and said: you know, you sound exactly like the Chinese business partners I used to work with. He wasn't wrong. In Chinese communication, a direct "no" is rarely the goal. It's not because people are being dishonest. It's because a flat refusal can feel abrupt, even damaging. So instead, you get "it might be difficult." You get "let me think about it." You get a long pause, or a subject change, or a very enthusiastic "yes" that somehow never turns into action. All of these mean something. None of them mean yes. In Chinese business, the real answer is often in what isn't said. The hesitation. The vagueness. The smile that doesn't quite reach the eyes. These are not evasions. These are communication, just in a different register than most Western professionals are equipped to read. So when your partner says "it might be difficult," or a similarly vague response, that's the moment to slow down, not push forward. My husband figured me out eventually. It took a while. Your Chinese business partners are not trying to confuse you either. They're communicating. You just might need a little more time to learn the language. |
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Understanding the rationale driving Chinese business behaviors. Practical guidance for non-Chinese executives working with Chinese partners.
Issue No. 5 · May 19, 2026 In China, 10pm is still work hours I saw a headline this week about China's 996 work culture. For those unfamiliar, 996 refers to the practice of working 9am to 9pm, six days a week. It's been debated in China for years. But it reminded me of a conversation I had recently with a new friend from Russia. She asked me, genuinely curious: "Is it true that Chinese people work incredibly long hours? That some of them even sleep at the office?" I told her: yes, that...
Issue No. 3 · April 21, 2026 In America You Can Talk to Anyone, In China You Need a Reason The first time I went hiking in the United States, something kept happening that I didn't expect. Every person walking toward me on the trail would look up, make eye contact, and say something. "Good morning." "Beautiful day." "How's it going?" Complete strangers. People I had never seen and would never see again. I said hello back. But inside, I was quietly noting something: this would almost never...
Issue No. 2 · April 14, 2026 Warm, polite...and completely unreadable My husband Ashbey told me something once that has stayed with me. He said he finds it exhausting to talk to Chinese people sometimes. Not because of the language. He said they want to say something, but they only say half of it and leave you to figure out the rest. Or they use words that are vague enough to mean almost anything. He said he never really knew what the other person meant. He was always guessing. I asked him:...