Can you tell if a person comes from a specific country? Before coming to Japan, I had no idea how to distinguish Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people from one another. I had quite a few experiences (when I was in university as an international student) of trying to speak Japanese to a fellow student who I thought was Japanese, but who, after all, turned out to be Korean or Chinese (who was new to Japan and could not speak Japanese). To avoid future embarrassment of assuming someone’s nationality incorrectly, let me discuss their similarities and differences. This is according to my observations and the opinions of my friends with whom I discussed the subject.
Similarities
- Skin
Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people generally have the same skin characteristics. It is popular to say their skin is more resistant to aging and that they have fair, light, porcelain-like skin. This is due to extreme sensitivity to environmental factors and the chemical effects of some products, which can disrupt the pH balance. For this reason, advertising about skin beauty care in Asian countries is very prominent, as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people (especially girls) have to be more careful with the products and treatments they use on their skin. It is impressive to see the number of skincare products built on the idea that Asian skin can look amazing and healthy for a long time. So, it is hard to tell who is who if you only look at their skin.
- Body Build
There are, of course, differences in body build among Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people. As humans, we can be fat, thin, big, or small. It all depends on our individual diet and consumption, not to mention our genes. Although we have a general impression of how, for example, an American body tends to be (tall and big), Asians, specifically Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people, are typically of slim build and shorter in terms of height. But be careful not to label all of them as slim and short, because, as I have said, everyone is different. Some can still be tall, big, and fat.
Differences
- Facial Features
They may look the same, but if you are a keen observer, there are a few distinguishing characteristics. The Japanese face is generally longer and wider, while the Korean face often has a more prominent jaw and high cheekbones. The Chinese face is typically round in shape. When it comes to the “windows of the soul,” Japanese eyes are often described as angled upwards, contrary to Chinese eyes which are usually angled downwards. Koreans often have smaller eyes.
- Dressing Style
My Japanese friend told me it is easy to tell whether a person is Japanese or Korean. Just look at how they dress. Japanese people value harmony and uniformity; hence, when they dress up, it is something aimed to blend with the majority. Plain, simple, and subtle colors are the key to typical Japanese attire. Nothing stands out. I observed that wearing suits is very common in Japan. Whether it is a final (research) presentation in school, a job internship, a job interview, or graduation, Japanese people usually wear suits, in black and white (inner). Very seldom do you see a colored inner shirt.
Contrary to Japanese people, most Koreans wear bright and more colorful attire. I remember my Korean friend said in her culture presentation in school that, unlike in Japan, they can wear nice colorful dresses when they do their internship and especially during a job interview. Chinese people, on the other hand, due to their high cultural diversity, are difficult to distinguish.
Even now, after living for quite some time in Japan, it is still challenging for me to tell which nationality is which, and who is who. Even people of the same race can look different. It is hard to generalize. We can never actually generalize. As the saying goes, “Everyone is unique.”