Differences between Chinese and American culture We might think that Chinese and Americans are totally different people. Not only the way they look different, but also the different cultures. So, what are the differences between Chinese and American culture? Most Chinese families like to cook the meals at home. The family members sit around the table and share the dishes on the table together. Even when they are having their meals in restaurants, they eat in the same way too. But in America, just part of the Americans have their meal at home with their family members. For example, partings for the Chinese involve a certain amount of ritual and a great deal of one-upmanship. The Chinese feel they must see a guest off to the farthest feasible point-----down flight of stairs to the street below or perhaps all the way to the nearest bus stop. Any protests are to no avail, through you had said “Don’t bother to see me off” ritual at every landing. If you try to go fast to discourage the hosts from following, they are simply put to the discomfort of having to flee after you. Better to accept the inevitable. On the contrary, for American people, they just said “goodbye” and go back to do other work. Another difference is what do you say when you part from someone? “Go slowly.” Not farewell or Godspeed, but “go slowly”. To the Chinese it means “Take care.” or “Watch your step.” Or some such caution, but translated literally it means “Go slow.” American and Chinese culture in the responses for a hostess are at polar opposites. An American hostess, complimented for her culinary skills, is likely to say, “Oh, I’m so glad you liked it, I cooked it especially for you.” Not so a Chinese host or hostess(often the husband does the fancy cooking), who will instead apologize profusely for give you “nothing” even slightly edible honor by providing proper dishes. 补充： The same rules hold true with regard to children. American parents speak proudly of their children’s accomplishments, telling how Johnny made the school team or Jane made the honor well. Not so Chinese parents, whose children ,even if at the top of their class in school, are always so “naughty”, never studying ,never listening to their elders, and so forth. The last and also the most distinctive difference between American culture and Chinese culture is the Chinese take pride in “modesty”; the Americans in “straight forwardness”. That modesty has left many a Chinese hungry at an American table, for Chinese politeness calls for three refusals before one accepts an offer, and the American hosts take a “no” to mean “no”, whether it’s the first, second, or third time.
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