For centuries (maybe millennia), a common way for people in China to greet each other has been to ask a simple question: “have you eaten yet?”
When I lived in China’s northeast region (“dongbei”), it seemed that every chance meeting or new conversation began with “leng bu leng?” Are you cold?
We are now in the grip of a winter in Minnesota and I’ve noticed that most conversations begin with some variation of “how are the roads?”
This afternoon they weren’t great, thanks to a powdery snowfall that made for some slippery driving.
So, remember, should you happen to meet a Minnesotan, be sure to ask, “how are the roads?”
Image credit: by Ruin Raider, via Flickr
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