6 cultural differences between China and the US

　　必须了解的六大中美文化差异

　　Editor’s note: Living in a culture that is different from your own can be both an exciting and challenging experience. You have to learn different cultural practices and try to adapt to them. Our bloggers share the top six cultural differences between China and the US to help promote mutual understanding. You’re welcome to leave your comments.

　　编者注：生活在不同于自己的文化中，既令人激动又充满挑战。你必须学习不同的文化习俗，并尝试适应他们。我们的博主分享了中美之间的六大文化差异，以促进相互了解。欢迎留下您的意见。

　　1. Privacy

　　一.隐私

　　Chinese people do not have the same concept of privacy as Americans do. They talk about topics such as ages, income or marital status, which Americans think is annoying and intrusive.

　　中国人与美国人的隐私观念不同。中国人会谈论年龄，收入或婚姻状况等话题，但美国人认为这些话题令人讨厌和反感。

　　2. Family

　　二.家庭

　　　　In China, elders are traditionally treated with enormous respect and dignity while the young are cherished and nurtured. In America, the goal of the family is to encourage independence, particularly that of the children. Unlike the Chinese, older Americans seldom live with their children.

　　在中国，尊老爱幼是传统。在美国，家庭目标是鼓励独立，特别是鼓励儿童独立。与中国人不一样，美国的老人很少和孩子一起生活。

　　3. Friends

　　三.朋友

　　　　Chinese people have different meanings to define friends. Just hanging out together time to time is not friendship. Friendship means lifelong friends who feel deeply obligated to give each other whatever help might seem required. Americans always call people they meet friends, so the definition of friends is general and different. There are work friends, playing friends, school friends and drinking friends.

　　中国人对朋友的定义有不同的含义。只是偶尔出去一起闲逛的算不上朋友。友谊是指一辈子的朋友，是在对方需要时能够真心实意提供任何帮助的朋友。美国人总是把见过面的都称朋友，所以朋友的定义既宽泛又不同。同事，玩友，校友和酒友都算朋友。

　　4. Money

　　四.金钱

　　As is well known, the Chinese like to save. They are always conservative when they are planning to spend money. It is different in the USA, where far fewer families are saving money for emergencies and education than their Chinese counterparts.

　　众所周知，中国人喜欢存钱，他们花钱时会很省。在美国则不同，与同行业的中国人相比，美国很少有家庭会存钱以备急用和教育经费。

　　5. Education

　　五.教育

　　Chinese people value education and career more than Americans, who in turn put more emphasis on good character and faith.

　　中国人比美国人更重视教育和事业，而美国人更加强调良好的品格和信仰。

　　6. Collectivism vs. Individualism

　　六.集体主义与个人主义

　　Basically China values the community and the US values the individual. If you achieve something in the US, it’s because you were great. While in China, if you achieve something in China it’s because the team, or family, or company is great. Everything you do gets attributed to the greater whole, while in America individual merits are celebrated.

　　基本上，中国重视集体，美国珍视个人。如果你在美国取得成就，那是因为你很厉害。但是如果你在中国取得成就，那就是团队、家庭或公司的功劳。你所做的一切都归功于更大的整体，而在美国，人们会庆祝个人的功劳。

　　来源:China Daily