倒茶的时候，为什么敲桌子？
Chinese tea etiquette: why tap two fingers to say thanks?
Name: ________________ Date: ________
第一次和朋友一家人去吃早茶，我坐在朋友的爷爷旁边。他的茶喝完了，我就给他倒茶。
我每倒一次，爷爷就用两个手指在桌子上敲一敲，什么也不说。
我心里有点儿紧张：他是不是觉得我太慢了？
后来朋友告诉我：“没事，他是在说谢谢。”
在中国南方，特别是广东，很多人吃饭的时候要喝很多茶。有人帮你倒茶，你不用每次都说“谢谢”，用两个手指敲敲桌子就可以了。
为什么敲桌子就是“谢谢”？有一个故事，和一个皇帝有关系。
很久以前，乾隆皇帝想看看老百姓的生活，就穿上老百姓的衣服，到南方去了。他的仆人也跟着他。
有一天，他们在一家小店里喝茶。皇帝为仆人倒了一杯茶。
这下仆人不知道怎么办了。皇帝为你倒茶，你应该马上跪下。可是在店里跪下，大家就都知道这个客人是皇帝了。
最后，他把两个手指弯了弯，在桌子上敲了几下，好像一个人跪在地上。
这只是一个故事，不一定是真的。可是现在，很多人都这样说“谢谢”。
下次有人帮你倒茶，你也可以试试。我试过了，爷爷笑了。
Key words
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 心里 | xīnli | in one's heart; in one's mind |
| 后来 | hòulái | afterwards; later |
| 南方 | nánfāng | the South (of China); southern part |
| 特别 | tèbié | special; unusual; especially; particularly |
| 不用 | búyòng | need not; don't have to |
| 故事 | gùshi | story; tale |
| 关系 | guānxì | relation; relationship |
| 久 | jiǔ | long (time) |
| 以前 | yǐqián | before; previously; formerly |
| 生活 | shēnghuó | life; to live |
| 怎么办 | zěnmebàn | what to do; what should one do |
| 客人 | kèren | guest; visitor |
English (for the teacher)
The first time I went for morning dim sum with my friend's family, I sat next to my friend's grandpa. When he finished his tea, I poured him some more.
Every time I poured, Grandpa tapped the table with two fingers and didn't say a word.
I felt a bit nervous: did he think I was too slow?
Later my friend told me, “It's fine, he was saying thank you.”
In southern China, especially Guangdong, lots of people drink a lot of tea with their meals. When someone pours you tea, you don't have to say “thank you” every time; just tap the table with two fingers.
Why does tapping the table mean “thank you”? There's a story about it, and it has to do with an emperor.
Long ago, the Qianlong Emperor wanted to see how ordinary people lived, so he put on ordinary people's clothes and went to the south. His servant went with him.
One day they were drinking tea in a little shop. The emperor poured his servant a cup of tea.
Now the servant didn't know what to do. When the emperor pours you tea, you're supposed to kneel at once. But if he knelt in the shop, everyone would know the customer was the emperor.
In the end he bent two fingers and tapped them on the table a few times, like a person kneeling on the ground.
It's only a story, and it may not be true. But these days lots of people say “thank you” this way.
Next time someone pours you tea, you can give it a try too. I tried it, and Grandpa smiled.