Eye contact and Facial expressions.As you talking to English and American,look at each other is the sign of honest and upright.There is a idiom said that never trust a person who can not look you in the eyes.But when Chinese communicating they needn’t look each other all the time.What is more someone even avoid eye contact to present respect.This is one of the reason why they think Chinese are not friendly.At the same time,it expain why English prefer to communicate face to face,but Chinese prefer to have a heart-to-heart talk.
Gesture There are many kinds of meaning that signs could stand for.It is especially stress in the culture.
——When Chinese people count up from 1 to 5 they firstly spread palm,then fingers bent inside.On the other hand,English first make a fest,then spread fingers one by one.
——English use thumb and index finger make a circle to present OK.But prefer to use it as zero.So one time a Chinese student ask his English teacher about his exam result,the teacher sign OK,to this student surprise,he think the teacher mean he has got a zero.
——present figure 3 Chinese circle thumb and index finger together and keep other three finger straight to present three.(If other three fingers spread as well means to zero,just as when English say OK.) But English is spread index,middle and ring finger circle little finger and thumb together.
Chinese use index finger scrape face to present shame and shy.But English present this meaning is facing mock people 這點(diǎn)每看懂不好意思啊.
English turn palm outside and put index and middle finger as a V to present victory.But Chinese use this sign as two.Nixon had done the sign like three V.
If English ask for take a car they will face the car and right hand make a fist then tilt thumb shaking to the right shoulder.(But in Australia and New Zealand it is a Lustful action.)Chinese used to face the car and scrape arm just as stop.Or they may hold high right hand or both hand to greet to drivers.
——Chinese let others approach them by palm down but English by palm up.A Chinese professor went to an American family,he wanted to give the boy a gift.But when he beckoned to him,this child stepped back.Because this style to beckon mean to let someone go away.
These examples are the same actions both Chinese and English use but present different meanings or the same meaning by different signs.
These are the specific sign that cooperate with hands.
——Two arms cross at waist then stretch along the body means the end or could not be saved.
——Two arms move around body to outline the build of the woman means beauty.
——Shrug one’s shoulders:Wrinkling forehead,Raising eyebrows,two elbows bending,two palms spreading up,even bending legs and so on means I do not know,I have no choice,there is no hope in this situation or I cannot help.
——Beating the shoulders with hands means fortunately.
There are many signs Chinese do that English could not understand.
——When others survey tea and wine to you,people in Guangdong used to use fingers knock table to express thankfulness.Now this action has spread many areas in China.If you do not show polite in this way,traditionally Chinese may put two hands besides the toast.
Pass things to others or take things from others with two hands,it means respect.
——Put two index fingers together means to two people fall in love.
——putting hand over mouth means to secrete.