Public expressions of anger are frowned upon in Chinese society. If you are visiting a Mandarin-speaking country, remember that venting anger will likely create more problems than it solves.

“Getting angry” in Mandarin-Chinese is ►shēng qì. This is two Chinese characters: 生氣. The first one, 生 (shēng), means “to be born,” and the second one, 氣 (qì), can mean “anger.” This 氣 (qì) also means “vital breath” and is the second character in Tai Chi.

Westerners may experience many frustrations when visiting China or Taiwan, but keep your anger in check and your stay will be more pleasant.

Examples of Sheng Qi
 
    ► Tā shuō wǒ de Yīngwén shuō de bù hǎo de shí hòu, wǒ hěn shēngqì.
    她說我的英文說的不好的時候, 我很生氣｡
    她说我的英文说的不好的时候, 我很生气｡
    When she said my English was not good, I got angry.

    ► Shēng qì ràng rén shī qù lǐ zhì.
    生氣讓人失去理智｡
    生气让人失去理智｡
    Anger makes people lose their sense of reason.