摘  要

近年来，随着经济的快速发展和改革开放的深入，中美之间的合作交流越来越频繁。现今的中国人越来越关注与美国人的沟通。然而，不同的国家有着不同的文化。这对人们间的交流产生了重大的影响。不同的地理环境和历史背景都决定着不同的文化现状。而不同的文化现状代表着不同的习俗和行为准则。由于文化差异，中美间有着一道隐形的文化壁垒，尤其是在文化交流中。这给双方的沟通带来了障碍。由于中国人对美国文化认识的欠缺，中国人在与美国人的交流中可能会产生误会。
本文着重研究中美之间的文化差异以及对双方日常交际产生的影响。在文中，笔者从集体主义和个人主义，依赖性和独立性以及和谐和竞争三方面来分析中美文化间的差异。同时从这三方面分析中美文化差异对中美日常交流的具体影响。旨在让学习者了解中美文化差异和影响，从而避免交流中产生的误会和尴尬。

关键词：中美两国；日常交际；文化差异；影响

Abstract

In recent years, with the high development of economy and deepening of reform and opening up, communication and cooperation between Chinese and Americans are becoming more frequent. Chinese nowadays pay more and more attention to their communication with Americans. However, different countries have different cultures and they influence the communication greatly. Different geographical environment and different historical background decide different current culture situation. Different cultural situations mean different customs and different criterion of conduct. Because of the cultural differences, there is an invisible cultural barrier between Chinese and Americans, especially in their daily communication. It brings them obstacles to communicate well. During communication with Americans, it may cause misunderstandings for Chinese due to their lacked cultural knowledge of the Americans.
The author focuses on studying certain cultural differences and their influences between Chinese and Americans in their daily communication. In this dissertation, the author aims at the differences of Chinese and American cultural differences which are compared from collectivism and individualism, dependence and independence, harmony and competitiveness. In the meanwhile, based on the three aspects, the author analyzes the specific influences on Chinese and American daily communication. To avoid conflict, misunderstandings and embarrassment caused in their daily communication, this paper is to help people learn the cultural differences and its influence in Chinese and American daily communication and use what they get.

Key words: China and America; daily communication; cultural differences

Introduction
Hu Wenzhong (1994) pointed out that culture includes knowledge, faith, art, morality, law, custom, etiquette and it is a tool that individuals in society take over ability. Social scientists tell us that each culture is unique and various from others. Different countries have different cultures, especially in their daily communication.
Daily communication is now becoming an essential part in our nation’s life. Chinese are connecting more closely with the Americans. And people with different lifestyles, ways of thinking, behavior and values are communicating more with each other. For example, both Chinese and Americans talk about knowledge, doing business, studying languages and so on. So there is no doubt that daily communication plays an important part in the process, for it is really a big part of communication. But as cultures are various, people will express themselves differently during their communication.