I actually don't know if this is the case all over China or just some parts, but I've seen it mentioned in a lot of places.
this post was submitted on 05 Apr 2026
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Since English doesn't have codified politeness levels in grammatical structures (like Japanese does with eg verb endings, where tabe-ru is less polite than tabe-masu for the same verb meaning "eat"), we tend to make requests longer the more polite we're being.
For example:
With close friends the first one is ok(ish) if your tone isn't too commanding, but I'd normally stick to 2 through 4 (or 5). For some reason a "please" sounds overly polite whereas a "thanks" upon receiving the request doesn't. I imagine this is different for other regions. I'm from the US northeast, but people from the south probably feel differently.
One time while attending a nomikai I drank before my senior and was beaten within an inch of my life. As they were about to finish me off with a rocket launcher my senpai swallowed a grenade on my behalf, excused himself and blew up outside the izakaya, this was fortunately enough for the senior to spare my life.
I am forever indebted to Suzuki-san for his noble sacrifice. Please use the above phrases well and you might survive and even thrive in Japan.
I'm writing this message from my hospital bed where I am waiting to have 50 chopsticks removed from my rectum (unrelated incident). Thank you again, Suzuki-san. I know you are watching over me from above in heaven.
One of my favorite random Japanese language coincidences is that one meaning of "yo" is the same in English and Japanese.
Let's go, yo!
Ikou, yo!
Can't forget the simplest form, at least in my language but pretty sure it works in English.
And that is just loudly declare the item you want:
SALT!