A friend asks me “Why Chinese don’t go Dutch?” So I want to regard this question as the topic and write an article. As everyone knows, Occidental will go Dutch while having a meal in the restaurant. But Chinese don’t go Dutch. Chinese will pay the bill and check out generously. Occidental don’t often entertain guests; but Chinese often invite friend to dinner. A lot of Occidentals feel puzzled to this question.

一個朋友問我：“為什么中國人不是各付各的錢？”所以我要寫一篇文章把這個問題作為關注的焦點。正像每個人都知道的那樣，西方人在飯店吃飯往往都是AA制，而中國人卻慷慨地把別人的也一起給付了。西方人不?？畲腿耍袊藚s經常邀請朋友吃飯。許多西方人對此感到困惑不解。

Why exists such a difference? Because of the East and West culture and custom are different on the surface. I will analyze this question concretely.

為什么存在這樣的差別呢？表面上的原因是由于東西方文化的差異。我將具體分析其中道理。

First of all, food systems between China and Occident are different. Chinese put into practice Gather Dining System; Occidentals put into practice Individual Dining System. Everybody can share the delicious food of all over the table when eating Chinese food. Please note it is sharing; but Occidentals just eat the food in one’s own plate, if you eat beef, he eats chicken. It is impossible that you taste the flavor of his chicken. The result of the Individual Dining System is that you can only eat the food in your plate. It is unable to share. Ha-ha! What I said is right!

首先，西方國家和中國的進餐方式不同。中國人實行的是“集體共享制”；西方人實行的是“個人分餐制”。中國人吃飯時每個人都可以共享桌上的每一種鮮美食品，請注意是“共享”；但西方人只是吃自己盤子里的食物，假如你吃牛肉，他吃雞肉，你就不可能品嘗他的雞肉。“個人分餐制”的結果就是你只能吃自己盤子里的，不可能共享食品。哈哈，我說的不錯吧！

So to eat Chinese food is happier than to eat Western-style food. And I want to ask you a question. Do you like the free thing? I think nobody don’t like the free thing. Ok! Suppose I invite you to eat the delicious Chinese food, then I pay the bill. This is equivalent to that you have enjoyed a delicious Chinese food free. So you will be very glad. Have strengthened the relation between us in the happy atmosphere.

因此，吃中餐比吃西餐更能讓人愉悅。我想問你個問題：你喜歡免費的東西嗎？我想沒有人會說不喜歡。Ok！假如我請你吃鮮美的中國食品，并且我來付賬。這就等于是讓你免費享用了中國美食，因此你會非常開心。這種愉快的氣氛便加強了你我之間的聯系。

Secondly, Occidentals eat for the health; Chinese eat for the friendship. Occidental advocate individualism and independence is strong. So Occidental express that respect for each other’s independence through the way go Dutch. Chinese like making friends and solidarity. Chinese value the interpersonal relationships and friendship very much. There are a lot of folk adages in China, for example “Depend on parents at home, leave home and depend on the friend!”,“Handle affairs is easy if you have many friends!”, another sentence is the more violent: “Insert the knife into both sides of the rib for friend!!!”.

其次，西方人聚餐是身體的需要；中國人聚餐是為了友誼。西方人倡導個人主義，獨立性很強。因此西方人通過各自付賬的方式來表達他們對彼此獨立性的贊賞。而中國人卻非?？粗腥伺c人之間的交流和友誼。中國有很多諺語，比如：“在家靠父母，出門靠朋友！”.“朋友多了好辦事！”，還有一句更猛的：“為朋友兩肋插刀?。?！”

A friend asks me “Why Chinese don’t go Dutch?” So I want to regard this question as the topic and write an article. As everyone knows, Occidental will go Dutch while having a meal in the restaurant. But Chinese don’t go Dutch. Chinese will pay the bill and check out generously. Occidental don’t often entertain guests; but Chinese often invite friend to dinner. A lot of Occidentals feel puzzled to this question.

一個朋友問我：“為什么中國人不是各付各的錢？”所以我要寫一篇文章把這個問題作為關注的焦點。正像每個人都知道的那樣，西方人在飯店吃飯往往都是AA制，而中國人卻慷慨地把別人的也一起給付了。西方人不?？畲腿?，而中國人卻經常邀請朋友吃飯。許多西方人對此感到困惑不解。

Why exists such a difference? Because of the East and West culture and custom are different on the surface. I will analyze this question concretely.

為什么存在這樣的差別呢？表面上的原因是由于東西方文化的差異。我將具體分析其中道理。

First of all, food systems between China and Occident are different. Chinese put into practice Gather Dining System; Occidentals put into practice Individual Dining System. Everybody can share the delicious food of all over the table when eating Chinese food. Please note it is sharing; but Occidentals just eat the food in one’s own plate, if you eat beef, he eats chicken. It is impossible that you taste the flavor of his chicken. The result of the Individual Dining System is that you can only eat the food in your plate. It is unable to share. Ha-ha! What I said is right!

首先，西方國家和中國的進餐方式不同。中國人實行的是“集體共享制”；西方人實行的是“個人分餐制”。中國人吃飯時每個人都可以共享桌上的每一種鮮美食品，請注意是“共享”；但西方人只是吃自己盤子里的食物，假如你吃牛肉，他吃雞肉，你就不可能品嘗他的雞肉?！皞€人分餐制”的結果就是你只能吃自己盤子里的，不可能共享食品。哈哈，我說的不錯吧！

So to eat Chinese food is happier than to eat Western-style food. And I want to ask you a question. Do you like the free thing? I think nobody don’t like the free thing. Ok! Suppose I invite you to eat the delicious Chinese food, then I pay the bill. This is equivalent to that you have enjoyed a delicious Chinese food free. So you will be very glad. Have strengthened the relation between us in the happy atmosphere.

因此，吃中餐比吃西餐更能讓人愉悅。我想問你個問題：你喜歡免費的東西嗎？我想沒有人會說不喜歡。Ok！假如我請你吃鮮美的中國食品，并且我來付賬。這就等于是讓你免費享用了中國美食，因此你會非常開心。這種愉快的氣氛便加強了你我之間的聯系。

Secondly, Occidentals eat for the health; Chinese eat for the friendship. Occidental advocate individualism and independence is strong. So Occidental express that respect for each other’s independence through the way go Dutch. Chinese like making friends and solidarity. Chinese value the interpersonal relationships and friendship very much. There are a lot of folk adages in China, for example “Depend on parents at home, leave home and depend on the friend!”,“Handle affairs is easy if you have many friends!”, another sentence is the more violent: “Insert the knife into both sides of the rib for friend!!!”.

其次，西方人聚餐是身體的需要；中國人聚餐是為了友誼。西方人倡導個人主義，獨立性很強。因此西方人通過各自付賬的方式來表達他們對彼此獨立性的贊賞。而中國人卻非常看中人與人之間的交流和友誼。中國有很多諺語，比如：“在家靠父母，出門靠朋友！”.“朋友多了好辦事！”，還有一句更猛的：“為朋友兩肋插刀?。?！”