Knocking on watermelon is included in an episode of the Russian cartoon, "Nu, pogodi!". [Photo/Youtube]

The photo was widely shared after Chinese media outlets reported that the notice was aimed directly at Chinese customers.

Chengdu Commercial Paper, for example, posted the following blog:

"An Italian market set up a sign for Chinese customers: 'Dear customers, please do not tap the watermelons again. They really will not respond!!!' If you are there, what do you want to say to the Italian supermarket?"

The Chengdu Commercial Post post alone was shared 7,700 times within a day. Many netizens found the picture amusing and shared photos of themselves listening for a response from watermelons:

"Knocking before the eating is the basic respects we show to watermelons, like saying to them: 'Are you ripe? Are you ready to be eaten?" joked one netizen.

"We have been communicating with watermelons for thousands of years, we can hear their life story with a simple knock," another netizen remarked.

[Photo/Sina Weibo]

While some netizens seemed to have fun participating in the "melon discussion", many others simply wanted to know the truth behind the news reports, asking: "Excuse me, which word means Chinese?"

A few netizens are angry at the media for spreading rumors. One netizen writes under the Chengdu Commerical Paper post: "If this sign is aimed at Chinese customers, it should have been written in Chinese. Shame on you."

[Photo/Sina Weibo]