Cultural Differences between China and United States
High Context vs. Low Context Cultures
China is a High Context Culture
?Specific criticisms or problems are not spoken about.
?The message is implicit rather than explicit.
?Avoiding negativity is very important.
?Harmony is maintained by smiling and even saying …yes? to something which you
disagree with.
?Concessions are more often offered in private.
?Important not to lose face.
?Other Examples: Greece, Spain, France, Latin America, Japan, Middle East, Korea. High Context vs. Low Context Cultures
United States is aLow Context Culture
?Nothing is left to chance or miscomprehension.
?The message is explicit as opposed to implicit. Blunt.
?Everything must be written down or clarified, and backed by a legal contract.
?Negativity is more tolerated.
?People would rather say …no? than run the risk of being misunderstood.
?Other examples: Germany, Scandinavia, United Kingdom, Canada (excluding Quebec) Individualist vs. Collectivist Cultures
United States is an Individualist Society
?The individual is emphasized instead of the group.
?Individuals come up with the best ideas.
?Americans are much more selfish, and less concerned about other people.
?Americans don?t have the Chinese concept of “face” 脸。
?Depending on the city, most people drive everywhere.
?Americans spend a lot of time alone in their cars.
Individualist vs. Collectivist Cultures
China is a Collectivist Society.
?The group is emphasized over the individual.
?This is evident in school.
?Students are kept with the same group of students for the entire time in University.
?The Chinese concept of face 脸, and being concerned with what everyone else is doing
and thinking.
?Because of 脸, Chinese people are discouraged from being to weird or different.
?It is better to be one of the group than to stand out in the crowd.
Eating in groups
?The manner in which food is eaten reflects the difference between the individualist vs.
collectivist society.
?In the US, only the first course, the appetizer, and sometimes side dishes are shared.
?Soup, salad, and main course are normally all eaten individually.
?In China, a number of dishes is ordered for the table and everyone shares all of the dishes.
?Chinese see eating alone as being on, whereas most Americans have no problem eating
alone.
Style of Doing Business
?Americans do not feel the need to get to friendly or personal with the business
relationships.
?“It?s not personal, it?s just business.”
?With the Chinese, business is very personal.
?Chinese need to build up trust and a good relationship with the people they are doing
business with before getting started.
?The measure word in Chinese for a business is 家。
?That is the same word for …family?.
?That is a reflection of the business culture in China.
Business Meeting
?American business meetings tend to be done at an office.
?The Chinese prefer to do meetings over a meal.
?Americans tend to be more direct in their communication style.
?Chinese tend to be more indirect.
Coffee or Tea?
?Americans drink coffee in the morning to help them wake up.
?Most offices have a hot pot of coffee ready all the time.
?Tea is not as common as coffee.
?Many Chinese drink tea throughout the day.
?Coffee is seen as a status symbol (Starbucks) to the Chinese
?Most Chinese do not drink coffee in the morning.
?Chinese buy coffee at coffee shops and do not brew it themselves. Transportation
?In most American cities, people do not use public transportation, nor do they walk places.
?Instead they drive their own personal automobiles.
?In China, most people do not own cars.
?Instead they get around by E-bike or by bus or taxi.
?Public transportation is better in China than the US.
?To go long distances, Americans normally fly or drive on the Interstate system. Most
Americans rarely use the bus or train
?Chinese normally use the train or bus to go long distances.
?Chinese people fly sometimes, but not as much as Americans
School
?Americans are only kept with the same group of students all day up until 5th grade.
?In middle school, classes are broken up and each student has an individual schedule.
?In China, students are kept with the same group of students pretty much all day and for
years at a time.
?School is much more strict and structured in China.
?In the US, students are encouraged to ask questions and interact in class.
?In China, students don?t ask questions during class, instead they wait until after class, so
they don?t lose face.
?In China, copying work and cheating is common and sometimes encouraged.
Dating and Relationships
?Americans are much more casual about dating.
?Normally, people have several boyfriends or girlfriends before settling down and getting
married.
?If an American man likes a girl, he needs to build up the courage to go talk to the girl
directly.
?Americans do not think too much about the future and marriage until they have been with
someone a long time.
?Sometimes people will stay together just because they like each other even though there is
no chance of marriage.
?Most Americans are not pressured by parents to get married and thus put off getting
married until later.
?Chinese men like to write love letters, or will write a girls name for everyone to see with
“I U.”
?Many Chinese will marry their first boyfriend or girlfriend.
?Chinese families are much more involved. Parents try to play “matchmaker” and find
their children mates.
?In People?s Park in Shanghai, parents post flyers with a description of their child in order
to find a wife or husband.
?In China, many people get married not because they are in love, instead because of
pressure from parents.
?Many Chinese see 30 as the age limit for marriage.
?Many Chinese will not date someone unless they see a future of marriage. Relationships with Parents
?Most Chinese will obey their parents no matter what their age.
?Sometimes they will obey even when they know their parents are wrong.
?Chinese are constantly doing things just to please their parents (getting married, moving
back home, etc)
?By the time Americans are adults, they tend not to obey their parents as much.
?Americans rarely are pressured into marriage or a relationship by parents.
Drinking Style
?When Chinese men get together to drink baijiu, it turns into a drinking contest.
?Often times Chinese have to carry their red faced, drunk friends out of a bar or restaurant
because they can?t walk anymore.
?Americans drink like this before the legal drinking age of 21 and while in college.
?Getting drunk to the point of being sick or not being able to walk is considered a loss of
face.
?Americans drink to enjoy it, not to try to see who can drink the most.