Celebrating Chinese New Year with friends and family can be great. But It can be easy to give the unsuitable present for New Year if the culture difference is big.

Here we have piled up a few items you shouldn’t give as a New Year present. Be certain that you don’t provide the wrong present.

(1) Pears — Parting

Pears are all taboo, although giving fruit is a great thing. That is because the Chinese word for ‘pears’ (梨 lí / / lee/) sounds the same as the term for leaving or ‘parting’ (离 lí). 

(2) Umbrellas — Split Up

Umbrellas are not advisable to give as presents since the Chinese term for ‘umbrella’ (伞 sǎn / / san/) seem like the term for ‘dividing’ (散 sàn).

(3) Mirrors — Bring Ghosts

Mirrors are a lousy idea for presents for much of Asia since they’re thought to attract malicious spirits. They are also very fragile and broke easily which dividing thing is a terrible omen.

(4) Cut Flowers — Gifts for Funerals

Cut flowers are gifts for funerals, so do not give them On New Year! This is particularly so for some other blossoms that are white and Yellow Chrysanthemums, which signify the departure. White is an unfortunate (funeral) color in Oriental civilization, so white blossoms ought to be avoided.

(5) Sharp Things — Cut Off Relationship

Giving someone a sharp thing insinuates you would like to cut your relationship with each other. An average Chinese saying goes “one slash and its in two parts” to imply the conclusion of a relationship between individuals.

(6) Shoes — Terrible

Shoes are a poor idea for a gift for Chinese New Year since the term for ‘shoes’ (鞋 xié / / syeah/) sounds like a phrase for bad fortune or ‘wicked’ (邪 xié). In addition to that, shoes are something which you just step on them, and are not good presents.

(7) Clocks — Poor Luck

In Chinese, stating ‘giving a clock’ (送钟 sòng zhōng /tune jong/) sounds like the Chinese words for ‘attending a funeral ritual’ (送终 sòng zhōng) and consequently, it’s bad luck to present watches or clocks as a gift.

On top of that, watches and clocks signify it is running out of time. This is particularly true for seniors. Giving a watch or a clock is a bad gift in Chinese culture.

(8) The Number 4 — Sounds Like Dying

In Chinese, the number four (四 sì / / srr/) sounds like the term for death (死 sǐ). Anything with the number 4 is deemed to be unfortunate — don’t provide gifts in multiples or sets of four.

That’s why there isn’t any flooring four in resorts and certain buildings. For example, many times there has been number 8 inserted in front of the 4 for hotel rooms on the fourth floor.

(9) Handkerchiefs — Goodbye Forever

People generally give handkerchiefs at the end of a funeral Symbol of saying goodbye forever. Giving someone a present such as this insinuates you’re saying goodbye forever and severing all ties.

(10) White or black Objects — Frequently Utilized in Funerals

White and black are colors in funerals. Prevent gifts which wrap paper or envelopes which are black or white in such colors. Red is thought to be blessed and a joyous color and it is a fantastic solution for gifts or envelopes.