It's not just the gift, but the thought behind it

[WANG XIAOYING/CHINA DAILY]

"After all, 'don't give clocks or watches to your hosts' is on page 1 of most China travel guides. That said, the culture of gift-giving is not nearly so big back home as it is here, the worse thing is the lack of respect shown by the British for not even reading about the customs beforehand."

As Spring Festival approaches, the peak gift-giving season in China, it's necessary for newcomers to learn about and bear those taboos in mind, said Zhang Bo, deputy secretary-general of the China Folklore Society.

"It's no surprise to see such embarrassments happen now and then due to the various implications contained by gifts in different cultures," Zhang, also a professor in folk custom at Beijing Union University, told China Daily on Wednesday.

Because of the culture and Mandarin's homophone, where similar words can have different meanings, the process of gift selection is more elaborate in China than in the West with the same items signifying different meanings in China and abroad.

For example, giving shoes to friends is totally acceptable in the West, whereas in China it implies that the presenter wants the recipient to walk away, or disappear.

There is another explanation too－shoe, pronounced "xie", is a homonym for "evil" in Mandarin.

"Navigating the cultural minefield can be difficult for expats. One culture's prized gift can be another's cause for grave offence," said Nancy Mitchell, an established protocol and etiquette consultant at George Washington University.

Having lived in China for more than three decades, Noyan Rona, the chief representative of the Shanghai office of Turkish Garanti Bank, is fully aware of the to-dos and not-to-dos in gift giving.

"For me, it is not unacceptable. It's part of the culture that I respect and I try to learn from it. We are in a position where we have to learn. When you find out the reason, in most cases, it makes sense," said Rona, who was named an honorary citizen of Shanghai in 2012 by the city government for his contribution to the socio-economic development of the metropolis.

Rona's understanding on gift-presenting tips in China might come in handy for those looking for a suitable present.

"If you give money (for a newly wedded couple), you should keep up with the market price. If somebody gives 1,000 yuan ($160), you shouldn't just give 100 yuan."