Chinese Woman Living In M’sia Says Locals’ Habit Of Saying ‘Thank You’ Makes The Country Feel Warm | WeirdKaya

19 May 2026 • 1:01 PM MYT
WeirdKaya
WeirdKaya

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To many Malaysians, saying “thank you” may feel like second nature.

But for one Chinese influencer living in Malaysia, the small habit stood out so much that she dedicated a Xiaohongshu video to it.

Noticed Malaysians often thank others

In the video, the influencer, Zhi Zhi, shared that one of the things she found most interesting about Malaysians was how naturally they say “thank you” in everyday life.

From buying things at convenience stores to receiving food from servers, she noticed that Malaysians often thank the other person without thinking twice.

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Screenshot via XHS/芝芝在大马

Even when money is exchanged, she observed that both the customer and seller would sometimes thank each other.

What amused Zhi Zhi even more was that Malaysians would sometimes reply with another “thank you” after being thanked.

She said this made some simple interactions unexpectedly funny, as both sides would continue thanking each other back and forth.

In one example, she shared that when a neighbour gave her something, she quickly thanked them, only for the neighbour to thank her in return.

This sometimes turned into several rounds of “thank you”, leaving her both confused and entertained at first.

Found it warm after getting used to it

While Zhi Zhi initially found the habit unusual, she later came to see it as something sweet and sincere.

She said Malaysians appear to be gentle, polite, and friendly in the way they treat others, regardless of background.

She also shared that since living in Malaysia, she felt people here were generally approachable and did not make her feel like an outsider.

M’sians say it’s just basic manners

Her video soon drew comments from Malaysians, many of whom agreed that saying “thank you” is simply part of local upbringing.

One commenter wrote that this was basic courtesy many Malaysians were taught from young.

Another said Malaysians are used to saying simple phrases such as “thank you”, “sorry”, “hello”, and “excuse me”, especially out of respect for people around them.

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Screenshot via Xiaohongshu

A netizen also explained that Malaysians often thank hawkers and sellers, while sellers also thank customers for supporting their business.

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