Traditionally a Chinese says “thank you” only when a favor has been done for him. His thanks goes, for example, to a person who returns him a lost item, or to someone who offers him a seat on the bus or in the subway. Unlike westerners, Chinese people don’t often verbalize their thanks for complimentary remarks. Chinese consumers do thank waiters for their service, but the latter seldom return their thankfulness. Similarly, a Chinese person of higher authority doesn’t often acknowledge a favor, however impressive it may be, to his/ her junior partner.

In Chinese, schoolteachers are generally addressed by their surnames and the term "Laoshi" is added after their surnames to show courtesy and respect as in "Ma Laoshi" and "Zhang Laoshi". "Laoshi" can be used to address educators from kindergarten teachers to university professors. 

Nowadays, however, "Laoshi" is used as a form of address not only for teachers, but also for staff members in school offices, and for distinguished artists and writers. In this regard, "Laoshi" may also be used as a term of respect or a polite form of address which has nothing to do with the professions of the people being addressed to. As China has a long tradition of honoring teachers and revering their teachings, it is considered a polite way of showing respect to address someone from whom we can learn something as "Laoshi".