Chapter Seven: Showing Honor through Holding Fist
Holding fist is a form of greeting, usually used by men, with one clenched fist cradled in the other hand and held at chest level. It is a traditional custom in China and is used to express "
congratulations" and good "
wishes."
In modern China, holding fist is widely used in business situations. So, the way to properly hold fist is just like this: standing upright, hold the right hand (in fist) with the left hand and rock them up and down slightly at roughly chest level. Please see the following picture.
In China, expressing regards through holding fist is often used in the following three situations:
1. At every major event or holiday, such as "
Spring Festival." We often show regards through holding fist when we meet our "
neighbors," "
friends" or "
colleagues."
2. On festive occasions, such as "
weddings" or birthday parties, the "
guests" can hold fist to congratulate the "
hosts."
3. At farewell parties, people often hold fist while saying "Take care!" to each other. Occasionally, we hold fist to request forgiveness.
When we show our regards through holding fist, we also use special words and expressions, such as: " 
Happy holidays," " 
congratulations" or "
I've heard so much about you."
Key Learning Points
n. fist
Example
He hit me lightly with his fist.
n. congratulations
Example
Congratulations to our manager, our new project has been very successful!
Thanks everybody for working so hard.
