In the days of the coronavirus pandemic, people going about their day wearing a mask has become a usual sight. In some countries wearing a facemask has become obligatory and…
WeChat meets Red Envelopes: Lunar New Year in China
When it comes to China there are so many controversies about it that one can hardly find a middle ground and the Lunar New Year in the midst of a…
Burmese script and punctuation – everything you need to know
Burmese language Burmese language is the official language of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and is nowadays spoken by more than 30 million people. It is one of the representatives…
Offensive stuff in Asia you don’t know about
As a businessperson doing business in Asia, you might be familiar with common Asian business etiquette. But are you aware of the cultural do’s and don’ts which might be considered…
So close, yet so far: Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia
Malaysia and Indonesia are lands of diversity. One may discover such a colorful abundance of people, cultures and indigenous languages, if only one decides to look. In the splash of…
How to win Filipino clients
Situated in south-east Asia, the Philippines is a magnificently beautiful country, home to over 7,000 islands, some of which have either not yet been explored, or have not yet been…
Proper punctuation when doing DTP in Japanese
In English, punctuation might be taken for granted. After all, the comma that adds a natural pause in a sentence or the period that marks its end are things seemingly…
Kokeshi Dolls – the story behind these small beauties
While known for its anime, sushi vending machines, punctual public transport system, as well as other cultural aspects, Japan is an interesting country and other less known aspects about its…
Kaiju – the monster from Japan and China that took over Hollywood
Halloween took place just about a month ago, but we`re here with some spooky stories about monsters from another land. You might be surprised to find out that Japanese culture…
Honorifics in Korea: language and culture explained
As a foreigner in South Korea, you might feel overwhelmed by the plethora of questions asked of you by your hosts, including and especially, what your age is. While it…
Taglish – the mastery of code-switching
There are numerous interesting topics on language and culture that we cover on our blog weekly. We have already talked about the colorful language of Tagalog, and we have talked…
Kawaii: the Japanese art of being “cute”
If you are a fan of manga, anime or Japanese culture as a whole, then you know pretty well that kawaii is not just another Japanese loanword. Kawaii is an…
Dialects – the riches of the Vietnamese treasure chest
“Never let it be said that dialect is a reflection of intellect. On the contrary, it is a reflection of the deep traditional values of a culture” – Patricia H.…
