The United Kingdom is a warm and friendly country, which allows many British immigrants to happily enjoy their immigrant life. However, living in the UK requires knowledge of certain taboos of the British to avoid creating a bad impression on each other.
Taboo 1: Gift Giving
In the UK, it is best to give lighter gifts when presenting gifts. Since they do not cost much, they will not be mistaken for a bribe. The British, like most other Europeans, enjoy high-quality chocolates, fine wines, and flowers. Gifts with company logos are generally not appreciated.
Taboo 2: Tea Drinking
Tea can almost be called the national beverage of the UK, especially among women, who have a penchant for tea. The British enjoy freshly brewed strong tea, with one or two pieces of sugar or a little cold milk added. In the countryside, afternoon tea is popular, also known as meat tea or hearty tea. Tea is often accompanied by dishes such as fish and meat, replacing a full meal. There is also five o'clock tea, which is a social activity for wealthy women, where it is more about meeting friends for tea at five o'clock in the afternoon to catch up, akin to coffee gatherings among women on the European continent.
Taboo 3: Attire
The British are quite particular about their attire, so it is still necessary to wear a suit and tie when meeting, visiting, or attending parties, banquets, or evening events. In summer, it is acceptable to wear short-sleeved shirts without a suit, but a tie is still required. However, they are very averse to patterned ties, as they may be perceived as imitations of military or school uniform ties.
Taboo 4: Cutting in Line
The British have a habit of queuing. You can see them lining up one after another to board buses, trains, or buy newspapers. Cutting in line is considered a despicable act.
Taboo 5: Asking a Woman's Age
The British are very averse to discussing men's salaries and women's ages, and even asking how much the furniture in their home is worth is inappropriate. It is also very inappropriate to ask a woman her age, as she considers it her own secret, and everyone wants to remain youthful. There is no better compliment to a middle-aged woman than to say, "You look so young."
Taboo 6: Bargaining
When shopping in the UK, the most taboo thing is bargaining. The British do not like haggling and consider it very embarrassing. If you are purchasing an expensive artwork or a large quantity of goods, you also need to carefully negotiate a total price with the seller. The British rarely bargain; if they think the price of an item is reasonable, they will buy it; if not, they will walk away.
Taboo 7: Restroom and Going to "100"
The term restroom originally refers to a place for washing hands or faces, but its actual meaning is toilet. The British do not directly say "going to the toilet" when referring to using the restroom, and they do not mention the word "toilet" directly when reminding others. If you want to use the restroom, you can say you are going to the "Man's Room" or "Lady's Room," or you can say, "Please excuse me for a few minutes" or "I need to wash my hands," etc. Children will simply say, "I need to go to that place." Among friends and family, "100" is the most commonly used term.
By understanding the taboos of the British, I believe everyone can avoid these awkward situations in the UK.
