In Chinese contexts, information sharing follows relationship proximity. Imagine concentric circles—your innermost circle of closest family or equivalent relationships shares most freely. Moving outward through extended family, close friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, information access decreases at each boundary. Before sharing, the practical question becomes: “Which circle does this person belong to, and is this information appropriate for that circle?” Some information naturally flows to second or third circles while other information stays strictly in the innermost ring.
This isn’t arbitrary—it reflects practical wisdom that information shared with distant circles spreads unpredictably, while information kept within close circles remains controlled. Being brought into a closer circle means receiving information access that outer circles lack; information access partly defines what relationship closeness means.
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