Chinese logic - Kinai logika

Updated: Rereading my post I've realized, in this story, I was the one who didn't ask the right questions. While living in China, I didn't invest enough time to really understand people's thinking. Besides, very likely, I wasn't in a good mood when it happened. 


 

Place: Guangzhou, in a hotel where you can take a long-distance bus to Hong Kong 

 

- Hi, I saw there is a bus to Hong Kong. - said it in Chinese to the receptionist. 

 

- Yes - answered the young man and handed me the timetable. 

 

- In Hongkong, where does the bus go to? - I asked. 

 

- To Hong Kong- I got the answer from the female receptionist. 

 

- I mean, where can I get off the bus? - I enquired. 

 

- Where you bought your ticket to - was the answer. 

 

- To where can I buy my ticket - I asked again and started to lose my temper.  

 

Instead of answering, they looked at me like I was speaking an alien language. 

 

- Okay, Hong Kong is big. This place has a name (pointing to the Hotel), yes? - I said 

 

-Yes, - agreed the two receptionists 

 

-So, in Hong Kong what are the names of the places where the bus stops? - I asked. 

 

- Oh, - they said it with a surprised voice.  

It says it here. - he showed me on the paper. 

 

- Sorry, I can't read Chinese. Can you read it for me? 

 

Even after 3 years in China, and having local friends, I still don't understand why I cannot get an answer to a simple question like this. Or my logic is too complicated? Actually, why do I need to ask questions when everything is on the paper, isn't it? 


The moral of this story, ask ONE question, the right one. If you don't know how to say it (in this case in Chinese ), look it up in a dictionary and write it down. Even better, ask a native speaker to write it down for you. Often, if you don't ask the right question, they will not do the guesswork. So, better to be prepared than work yourself up.

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