l am puzzled by the “dating” in western culture. I often hear westerners,especially Americans say,"I have been dating with somebody recently." In Chinese culture,dating with somebody almost means h

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l am puzzled by the “dating” in western culture. I often hear westerners,especially Americans say,"I have been dating with somebody recently." In Chinese culture,dating with somebody almost means having a relationship with him or her. However,I found that the meaning of "dating"in western culture is different.It turns out that many people are "dating" with more than one person at the same time,and they don't seriously regard the person who they are "dating" with as girlfriend or boyfriend. The concept of "dating" seems ambiguous in western culture.Somehow I know that it does not simply mean meeting each other and having dinner together.So I wonder what it really means.And how do the loves confirm that they are in a serious relationship?

Apr 30, 2014 5:17 PM

Answers · 7

Hi, I've lived in China. I think that in China, "dating" in China is more serious than it is in America. In the US, dating someone doesn't mean that you want to marry them. Dating is very casual and it is possible to date 1-3 people at any time. It's very common to date several people while you decide which one, if any, you want to have a serious relationship with. Please note that serious relationship isn't the same as a relationship that will result in getting married. In the US, it's common for people who have been dating to talk about becoming exclusive (=not dating other people) after 3-6 months of dating. Before a couple has 'the talk' (a discussion about becoming exclusive), they assume that the other person has been dating 1-2 other people. After a couple has 'the talk' they will either agree or disagree to date other people.

April 30, 2014

I think dating can go both ways in America. I've heard it used in a 'serious' way and a 'not so serious' way. I think it depends on the couple for which meaning it can take. If I was in a relationship with someone, I wouldn't use 'dating' to describe our relationship. But that's just my personal taste. :D

April 30, 2014