cultural differences between China and America

As we all know,there are big cultural differences between China and America. Today I choose three most obvious part of the differences to share with you. 1.Parents and Kids(Education) America:In the United States, parents tend to encourage their children to develop their potential to the fullest extent. Fathers and mothers frequently instill in their children both ambition and, as importantly, the confidence necessary to work toward their goals. American parents tend to be very positive: they concentrate on what their kids can do, not what they can't. As a result, millions of American boys and girls grow up hoping to become actors and athletes, diplomats and doctors; many even want to become president. China;As a rule, Chinese parents do not foster the same kind of ambition and confidence Americans instill in their children, nor do they encourage the same level of participation in extracurricular activities. Children are typically admonished to study hard and pass exams. Too often, time away from schoolbooks is seen as time wasted. This approach has created so much pressure for Chinese children that leaders in Chinese educational circles have issued calls for less homework at the lower grade levels. 2.Compliments and Praise(act of politeness) There are some differences in replying to compliments between Chinese and American: When being complimented, an American would readily accept the compliment by saying something like “Thank you" to show his appreciation of the prai se, but a Chinese speaker would try to deny the truth of the compliment. They both think they are behaving properly. The American is being polite to the extent that by accepting and showing appreciation of the compliment, he avoids hurting the positive face of the person who makes it; the Chinese speaker is showing modesty by denigrating himself, ignoring the factuality of the compliment paid to him. As has been mentioned, self-denigration has been at the core of the Chinese notion of politeness for over two thousand years. 3.Food and Face China:There is much more to Chinese food than just its rich diversity of dishes. As important as any ingredient or cooking style is the concept of face. What and how much the host orders for his guests are generally taken as a reflection of regard in which the host holds the guests. Chinese hosts tend to order high quality dishes and in great quantity.If not,they will have a sense of losing face. There is a question of paying the bill. To the Chinese mind,the payment of the bill is a matter of face. As the bill is brought to the table, one or more of the persons attending the dinner will insist on paying it. This type of scene is commonplace in restaurants across the country. America:However,it is not a big matter in America. When eating out ,Amerians just order what they want to eat , as much as they can eat ,and they just go dutch .It’s simple and clear.