第六课 文化差异 Cultural Differences

01. Chewing with Your Mouth Open　张开嘴咀嚼食物

　　This is the opposite of western culture. The Chinese appreciate that you make noise while eating. Westerners feel this is disgusting and shows a complete lack of manners. Chew with your mouth shut!

　　这与西方文化相反。中国人喜欢在咀嚼食物的时候发出声响。西方人认为这种行为极为讨厌，是缺乏礼貌的表现。嚼东西的时候要闭上嘴巴！

02. Speaking with Your Mouth Full　说话时满嘴食物

　　This is considered quite rude when at the dinner table. Western children are taught from a very early age never to do this.

　　在餐桌上，这被认为是非常粗鲁的行为。西方人从小就受教导不这样做。

03. Picking/Sucking Teeth　剔牙/吮牙

　　It is considered rude to pick between your teeth where others can see you. Western restaurants usually do not supply toothpicks, so it is sometimes hard to decide when to remove food stuck between the teeth. It is usually best to excuse yourself and go to the bathroom.

　　当着他人的面剔牙是很不礼貌的。西餐厅通常不提供牙签，所以有时候很难决定什么时候该剔牙。当确实需要清理牙缝间的食物时，最好是上洗手间。

04. Elbows on the Table　手肘支在桌上

　　While eating you should be sitting up straight. Do not put your elbows on the table. Putting your elbows on the table will make you look like a farmer.

　　用餐时应该身体坐直，手肘不要支在餐桌上。把手肘放在桌子上会让你看起来像个农民。

05. Spitting Food (Bones, Skin, etc.) Out of Your Mouth　直接从嘴里吐出食物（骨头、壳等）

　　This is not done in Western restaurants. If you do need to take something out of your mouth, bring your napkin up to your mouth and place the item in it.

　　在西方的餐厅里你是见不到这一幕的。真要吐出食物的话，应该把纸巾拿到嘴边，吐在纸巾上。

06. Picking Up Your Plate or Bowl　端起碗碟

　　They think that only children do this. Don't lean over and slurp¹ from the plate on the table either. Food must be transported from the dish to your mouth with a fork or a spoon. If you're nervous about using a knife and fork, buy a set and practice at home until you feel comfortable.

　　西方人觉得这是小孩子才会有的举动。也不要把嘴放在碗边直接吸取食物。要用勺子或叉子把食物送进嘴里。如果你不习惯用刀叉，那就买一套放在家里练习如何使用，直到运用自如。

07. Speaking Loudly　大声讲话

　　All Westerners try to keep the conversation to their own table. If the whole restaurant can hear you, you are speaking too loudly and it will be considered rude. In fact, some westerners find it difficult to do business in Chinese restaurants because the noise level is just too high.

　　用餐时，西方人会把音量控制在饭桌以内。如果整个餐厅都能听到你说话，那你的声音就太大了，这是很失礼的。实际上，一些西方人认为在中国的餐馆里谈生意是件很困难的事，因为噪音太大了。

08. Passing Gas/Belching/Burping　放屁和打嗝

　　This is considered rude in any situation. If you do need to pass gas, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom. Of course sometimes this is out of your control. If you accidentally² pass gas loudly in front of others, you need to say, "excuse me" and quickly start talking about something to distract³ the people around you. DO NOT discuss any details about your gas, or any bodily function at the table!

　　在任何场合下放屁或打嗝都是不雅的。如果确定需要的话，要上洗手间解决。当然也有失控的时候。如果不小心当众放了响屁，要说“对不起”，而且要很快转移话题。千万不要大谈特谈“人之气”，也不要在餐桌上谈论任何与身体器官有关的内容。

09. Cleaning Ears with Fingernails　用指甲挖耳孔

　　This is not done in public. It shouldn't be done in private either! It's dangerous. Use a cotton swab!

　　千万不要在大庭广众下用指甲挖耳。在没有人的地方也不要这样做！用指甲挖很危险，最好用棉签！

10. Smoking　吸烟

　　While others are still eating or even when everyone has finished eating, it is polite to ask their permission to smoke at the table. In many western restaurants, you will be asked if you prefer to be seated in the smoking or non-smoking section. If your host chooses the non-smoking section, you will have to excuse yourself from the table to smoke.

　　当其他的人还没有吃完，或者就算所有的人都用完餐了，如果要吸烟的话，要礼貌地征得大家的许可。在很多西餐厅里你会被问到是愿意在吸烟区还是非吸烟区就餐。如果主人选择了非吸烟区，那你想吸烟时就要征得同桌人的同意到外面去。

11. Advice to Foreigners in China　给在华外国人的建议

　　【C＝Chinese, W=Westerner】

　　W: Man, I can't get used to this way of shopping. I'm never sure if I'm getting the best price, and most of the time I get all tongue-tied when I start haggling⁴.

　　天哪，我可受不了这样买东西。我总也不知道是不是买到了好价钱，大部分时间都是刚一开口侃价舌头就不听使唤了。

　　C: You've got to shop this way though. If you pay the first price you hear, you're likely to get ripped⁵ off.

　　你必须得这样买东西。如果对方开价多少你就给多少，那肯定挨宰。

　　W: I know. I've noticed that you always seem to knock off some of the price.

　　是呀。我看你总是能砍掉一些。

　　C: Don't worry. As soon as you pick up more of the language, there'll be no problem for you either.

　　别担心，你的语言一过关，买东西就不成问题了。