American and Chinese culture in the responses for a hostess are at polar opposites. An American hostess, complimented for her culinary skills, is likely to say, “Oh, I’m so glad you liked it, I cooked it especially for you.” Not so a Chinese host or hostess(often the husband does the fancy cooking), who will instead apologize profusely for give you “nothing” even slightly edible honor by providing proper dishes.
The same rules hold true with regard to children. American parents speak proudly of their children’s accomplishments, telling how Johnny made the school team or Jane made the honor well. Not so Chinese parents, whose children ,even if at the top of their class in school, are always so “naughty”, never studying ,never listening to their elders, and so forth.
The last and also the most distinctive difference between American culture and Chinese culture is the Chinese take pride in “modesty”; the Americans in “straight forwardness”. That modesty has left many a Chinese hungry at an American table, for Chinese politeness calls for three refusals before one accepts an offer, and the American hosts take a “no” to mean “no”, whether it’s the first, second, or third time.
参考资料:http://eblog.cersp.com/userlog/2369/archives/2006/3772.shtml