My observation of and conversations with hundreds of college age young women students in China has convinced me that even for this new generation of women there is no Western style 'dating' culture, no exploratory intimate interaction with a variety of young men to enjoy socializing and to learn about what qualities they prefer in a mate. Most of these Chinese young women decide to 'give an opportunity' to a young man (literally 给机会) AND IMMEDIATELY begin to evaluate him as a potential husband. This is partially true because the routine period of time for young Chinese women between college graduation and marriage is as few as a couple of years to no more than six or seven. This is also partially true because EVERY Chinese woman that you ask will genuinely describe herself as 矜持, a quality that roughly equates to being emotionally reserved and somewhat traditional in relationships with men.

Any young Chinese woman that speaks English and considers a relationship with a foreign man has been intellectually influenced by Western culture and values, but very very few can 'date' they way Western young women understand the word. The Chinese word for dating 约会 truly means this process of 'interviewing for a husband'.