Abstract：Different cultural background produce different ways of thinking and cultural characteristic, which are reflected in all aspects of society. Because of different social and historical traditions, the Chinese and Westerners have formed respective ways of thinking. These difference of thinking modes influence the Chinese and Western cross-cultural communication in different levels. At first, this paper compares the difference between Chinese and Western modes of thinking, such as imaginative thinking and abstract thinking, etc. Then, the paper analyzes the reasons for the difference in modes of thinking between Chinese and Westerners. Besides, the thesis discusses the differences between Chinese and Western thinking modes in linguistic level, advertisements and catering culture. At last, the paper introduces the difference between Chinese and Western thinking modes on cross-cultural communication, such as different greetings, ways of address, taboos, etc.

Key words: Chinese and Westerners; modes of thinking; cross-culture communication; influence.

CONTENTS

摘要

Abstract

1. Introduction-1

2. Differences in modes of thinking between Chinese and Westerners -1

2.1 Imaginative thinking and abstract thinking-2

2.2 Indirect thinking and direct thinking-2

2.3 Individualism and collectivism-3

2.4 Different beliefs and attitudes-4

3. Reasons for the differences in modes of thinking-4

3.1 Historical and cultural reasons-4

3.2 Economic reasons-5

3.3 Geographical reasons-5

   4. Expressions of the differences in modes of thinking-5

4.1 Expressions in the aspect of linguistics-6

          4.1.1 Expressions in the word formations-6

          4.1.2 Expressions in the sentence structures-6

    4.2 Expressions in the aspect of advertisements-7

   4.2.1 Different value orientation and social relations-7

       4.2.2 Different sentence structures-8

   4.2.3 Different cognitive modes and aesthetic standards-8

    4.3 Expressions on dietary cultures-9

   4.3.1 Different dietary concepts-9

   4.3.2 Different dietary objects-10

   4.3.3 Different dietary patterns-10

    4.4 Expressions in cross-cultural communications-11

   4.4.1 Different ways of greetings and partings-11

   4.4.2 Different appellations-12

   4.4.3 Different compliments-12

   4.4.4 Different taboos-12

5. Conclusion-13

References-15

Acknowledgements-16