主題:Building Guanxi

The closest English word to The Chinese expression guanxi would be “relationship.” However, guanxi has a stronger meaning, similar to the English expression “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch (5) .” To build up good guanxi, you have to do things for people: give them gifts, take them to dinner, grant favour, and so on. Once this is done, an unspoken (6) exists. It is perhaps because of this unspoken debt that people (7) try to refuse gifts.   They may not wish to establish guanxi (8) someone, because, sooner or later, they may have to repay the favour.   (9) it is “repaid,” guanxi is rarely terminated. It is a continuing process of mutual gift-giving, back-scratching and favouritism that can last a lifetime.