Chinese customs - Use these 17 Chinese toasts to win the hearts of your Chinese friends and family

Some of the most fun Chinese customs involve feasting and drinking alcohol. Toasting is a big part of any traditional Chinese family feast – whether it's a birthday, Chinese New Year, or any kind of celebration. Keep reading and I'll arm you with a series of Chinese toasts that will impress your Chinese friends and help you feel like part of the family...all while having fun!

If you conduct business in China – chances are you will drink Chinese white liquor with your business associates. It's one of those unavoidable Chinese customs.

And if you date someone from China, you'll join in a traditional Chinese family feast before you know it. The words you say before you empty your glass can make a deep impression on your Chinese friends or family.

Have you ever ate a Chinese dinner and watched those long, intimate and sometimes heartfelt exchanges before a drink...and not understood a word of it?

I have. And I felt embarrassed when they finally toasted me with a single, horribly mispronounced word - “Cheez!”

Here's how you can join in the fun and understand a bit more when someone toasts you in Chinese.

• Although sometimes a group will toast each other all at once, it's a Chinese custom for each guest to toast one another individually. Often several times over the course of a single meal!

• Instead of clinking and drinking, you touch your glasses together – and the person who initiated the toast says a series of warm, well wishing phrases (the longer you talk, the more intimate the connection).
• Try to keep the glasses touching the whole time. Yes, I've seen people's arms getting visibly tired as they listen to a super-extended Chinese toast...
• And when you drink, try to drink the entire glass at once. Thank heavens it's a very small shot glass. No one loses face.
• Some people will take offense (or pretend to take offense) if you don't drink the same amount as they do.

I don't know about you, but I'm not a heavy drinker – you might need a strategy to make it through the dinner. For example, I drank Sprite in place of Chinese white liquor at my Chinese wedding. It looked the same and no one seemed to mind.

Remember: These phrases are like building blocks. Nifty, isn't it? You can put a whole bunch of them together to make a super toast for someone really special.

Six general “all-purpose” toasts for all occasions:

• 干杯！

  Gānbēi!

  This is the equivalent of “Cheers!” or “Bottoms up!” - the words actually mean “Dry Glass”. It's pronounced like “Gun-Bay!”. If you remember only one toast from this list, choose this one. It's the shortest one to memorize and the most popular.

  If you string a bunch of these phrases together, say this one right at the end...just before you drink.

• 祝你天天开心！

  Zhù nǐ tiāntiān kāixīn!

  Wishing happiness for you each day. Pronounce it like “Jew Knee Tee-Yen Tee-Yen Ky (as in Sky) Sheen!”

• 祝你全家幸福！

  Zhù nǐ quán jiā xìngfú!

  Wishing happiness for you and your whole family. Pronounced like “Jew Knee Tron Gee(as in Gee Whiz)-Ya Sheeng Foo!”

• 祝你财源滚滚，大吉大利！

  Zhù nǐ cáiyuán gǔngǔn, dàjí dàlì!

  Wishing lots of money and good fortune come to you. This sounds like “Jew Knee Cy (Cy as in Cyber) You-en (en as enter) Gwen Gwen Da (Da as in Prada) Gee (as in Golly Gee) Da Lee!”

• 祝你身体健康，万事如意！

  Zhù nǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng, wànshì rúyì!

  Here's to your good health! May everything go even better than you expect. Pronounced “Jew Knee Shun Tee Gee-Ann Kong, One Shuh (Shuh as in Shut) Roo Yee! (Yee as in Yee-haw!)”

• 吉祥如意!

  Jíxiáng rúyì!

  Pronounce it like “Gee Shee-Eng (eng as in Length) Roo Yee! (Yee as in Yee-haw!)” That's another short one and fairly easy to remember. It simply means “Good Luck!”

And here are more situation-specific toasts...

Chinese toasts for Working People

• 祝你步步高升！

  Zhù nǐ bù bù gāoshēng!

  Hope you get promoted. This is perfect when you toast a co-worker or any person working for a company with a chance for a promotion (especially someone in a low position at a government job). Pronounce it like “Jew Knee Boo Boo Gow (Gow rhymes with Cow) Shung! (Shung rhymes with hung)”

• 祝你工作顺利，万事如意！

  Zhù nǐ gōngzuò shùnlì, wànshì rúyì!

  Wishing you smooth sailing at work. May it turn out better than you expect. This is more general. You can use it with anyone involved in any type of work project. It's pronounced “Jew Knee Gong Zoa (Zoa rhymes with Boa) Shoon (Shoon rhymes with spoon) Lee, One Shuh (Shuh as in Shut) Roo Yee! (Yee as in Yee-haw!)”

Chinese toast for Women

• 祝你越来越年轻，越来越漂亮！

  Zhù nǐ yuè lái yuè niánqīng, yuè lái yuè piàoliang!

  Wishing you increasing youth, and increasing beauty. Again, use this for women only. It sounds like “Jew Knee You-eh (eh as in bet) La You-eh Knee-en (en as in enter) Ching (Ching rhymes with Thing), You-eh La You-eh Pee-Ow (Ow as in How) Lee-ang! (ang as in angle)”

Chinese toast for Elders

Probably the elders will be the most impressed of anyone (and maybe the most surprised!) by your knowledge of Chinese customs. Here is a toast to respectfully wish your elders a happy and long life.

• 祝你福如东海，寿比南山！

  Zhù nǐ fú rú dōnghǎi, shòu bǐ nánshān!

  This is an ancient saying. Use it with people age 40-50 and older. It means: wishing your happiness is more expansive than the ocean, and may you live for many, many years. And it's pronounced like “Jew Knee Foo Roo Dong-Hi (Dong rhymes with Long), Show Be None-Shun!”

Chinese toasts for a Brother or Sister

These ones are meant for a brother or sister. In other words, it's not appropriate for someone from another country to say these to a Chinese friend. I've included them for you anyways. You will understand what they mean if you hear them. And who knows - maybe you'll meet someone who is like a brother or sister to you.

• 弟兄好！

  Dìxiōng hǎo!

  You are a good brother! Pronounced “Dee She-ong (ong rhymes with Long) How!”

• 姐妹好！

  Jiěmèi hǎo

  You are a good sister! Pronounced “Jay May How!”

Chinese toasts for Travelers

It seems like every time I visit China, I always meet plenty of travelers and do lots of traveling myself. Here's how to wish them a pleasant journey.

• 祝你一路顺风！

  Zhù nǐ yīlù shùnfēng!

  Bon Voyage! The translation is “Favorable winds all the way.” This is another ancient saying, and it's like “smooth sailing” or “Have a nice trip!” Pronounce it like “Jew Knee E Loo Shoon (Shoon rhymes with spoon) Feng! (Feng rhymes with Hung)”

Chinese toast for Joking Around

• 感情深一口燜，感情浅，舔一舔。

  Gǎnqíng shēn yīkǒu mèn, gǎnqíng qiǎn, tiǎn yī tiǎn.

  If we are really good friends, drink everything in one gulp...otherwise just take a tiny sip and we are like strangers. It's pronounced like “Gun Ching (Ching rhymes with Thing) Shin E Co (Co as in Coal) Mun (Mun rhymes with Sun), Gun Ching (Ching rhymes with Thing) Chee(Chee as in Cheese)-Yen Tee-Yen E Tee-Yen.”

Chinese New Year toast

New year is filled with all kinds of interesting Chinese customs. Here are a few words to wish your friends and family all the best for the Chinese New Year.

• 祝你新年快乐！万事如意！

  Zhù nǐ xīnnián kuàilè! Wànshì rúyì!

  Happy New Year! May everything go even better than you expect. Chinese New Year celebrations are loaded with banquets, feasts and toasts. So, you'll get a lot of mileage out of this one. It sounds like “Jew Knee Sheen Knee-Yen Kawaii (Kawaii rhymes with Hawaii) La! One Shuh (Shuh as in Shut) Roo Yee! (Yee as in Yee-haw!)”

Chinese wedding toasts

Chinese customs for a wedding always include plenty of toasting. Here are some words for a Bride and Groom:

• 祝你们新婚快乐！白头偕老！

  Zhù nǐmen xīnhūn kuàilè! Báitóuxiélǎo!

  Happy new marriage! May you grow old and happy together! This is pronounced like “Jew Knee Men Sheen Hoon (Hoon rhymes with Moon) Kawaii (Kawaii rhymes with Hawaii) La! Bye Tow She-ay (ay as in Day) Low! (Low rhymes with How)”

• 祝你们早生贵子！

  Zhù nǐmen zǎoshēng guìzǐ!

  May you both be blessed with children soon! Pronounce it like “Jew Knee Men Zow (Zow rhymes with How) Shung (Shung rhymes with Hung) Guh-way-zuh! (uh as in up)”

• 祝你们心心相印，白头偕老！

  Zhù nǐmen xīnxīnxiāngyìn, báitóuxiélǎo!

  May your two hearts be as one, growing old and happy together! Say it like “Jew Knee Men Sheen Sheen She-Ung (ung rhymes with Hung) Yeen (Yeen rhymes with Seen), Bye Tow She-ay (ay as in Day) Low! (Low rhymes with How)”

For Birthdays

• 祝你生日快乐！年年有今日，岁岁有今朝！

  Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè! Nián nián yǒu jīnrì, suì suì yǒu jīnzhāo!

  Wish you a happy birthday! May your each year be as wonderful as today. Pronounced like “Jew Knee Shung (Shung rhymes with Hung) Ra (Ra as in Sahara) Kawaii (Kawaii rhymes with Hawaii) La! Knee-yen Knee-yen Yo Jean Ra, Sway Sway Yo Jean Jow! (Jow rhymes with How)”

Now that you understand the Chinese customs around toasting and drinking alcohol...are you ready for some Chinese food?