Each society has agreed rule of behaviour, but the way to be politeness is different in each culture and people could recognise whether the behaviour are properly or not according to those potential instructions. Then how is the politeness in Chinese culture different from Australian culture?
In general, the politeness expression is highly different in people’s daily life. Australia politeness is everywhere just as showing in everyday life. It is extremely common for people in melbourne to speak polite words. For example, when squeezing past someone in a narrow aisle,people often say ‘Excuse me’ to get a person’s attention and ‘sorry’ if we bump into them. When getting off a bus, passengers say ‘thank you’ rather than the driver. people will also say, ‘Bless you’ when you sneeze. This phrase has no religious intent, which is extremely politeness, from a foreigner’s perspective. However, in China, people are rarely used those word unless others certainly did a great favour to him or her, lend a huge amount of money, for example. In Australia, as well as other english countries, people are likely to say “how are you” for greeting, however, In China, people are normally speak “have you eat ” to greet to others, which is consider as politeness as chinese people thought “how are you” is difficult to response. In aspect of visiting, Australians often arrive on time for the appointment wether for business or pleasure as it is considered good manners and courteous.
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Dissimilarly,Chinese people are tend to arrive earlier in purpose to show the importance of an appointment and their regards. Also, reaching earlier and help the host to preparing the meal is good manner.
The table etiquette are extraordinary different in Australia and China. In Australia, everyone either helps themselves to get food from serving plates in the centre of the table or is served a meal already on the plate. If you are asked if you would like more it is best to say ‘yes please’ the first time you are asked, as you may not be asked a second or third time. It is polite to ask for a dish to be passed to you: ‘please pass the vegetables’ or ask for more: ‘may I have some more ice cream please?’. Complimenting the meal is considered good manners in Australia. Nevertheless, asking more food are considered as impolite in China, and when people were asked if need more, it is polite to say “no, thank you, i am too full, which even i though is strange.
Further, being modest and humble is most important and common way in politeness expression in Chinese culture. For example, if A says to B “your clothes is very nice.”B would answer: it is not, it is very cheap and yours is more pretty.”, which is the common way to repel to a compliment. Indirectness is also a means in indicating politeness in Chinese culture as it able to save people’s reputation and protecting the relationships between each other.
When Beijing meet Melbourne...! 