Abstract:
 Human communication has two forms: verbal communication and nonverbal communication. For a long time overlooking nonverbal communication people have always focused on verbal communication. Not until 1950s have some scholars begun to conduct a series of systematical researches. Today some achievements have been made and even have developed into marginal subjects. However, nonverbal communication is still a young science which needs to be studied further. As nonverbal communication plays a greater and indispensable role than verbal communication in intercultural communication, it is of great importance to study nonverbal communication in different cultures so as to find out the root of different meanings on behaviour understandings and improve our communicative quality. Nonverbal communication reflects one's true attitudes, psychology and value. It is the bridge of friendship and success in intercultural communication. Different countries have different cultures which form different understanding of nonverbal behaviours. Different nonverbal behaviors may have the same meaning in different countries. Or they may have different meanings for different people. And the reason lies in that people live in different areas are influenced by their convention, customs, and values, even modes of thinking. Thus it is unavoidable that intercultural communication will lead to cultural conflict. Nonverbal communication has strong cultural characteristics. If we ignore them, there will lead to serious consequences. This thesis first briefly introduces the nature of nonverbal communication including its definition, functions, classifications and the relationship between nonverbal communication and verbal communication. Then it continues to explain the relationship between nonverbal communication and cultures. Finally this thesis illustrates in detail cultural differences in nonverbal communication. Cultural misunderstandings and conflicts occur frequently in intercultural communication, so the thesis aims to improve the cultural awareness of people in the aspect of nonverbal communication and their communicative quality.

Key words: nonverbal communication; culture; nature; cultural differences

摘要：
人们的日常交际分为语言交际和非语言交际，一直以来人们往往重视语言交际而忽略非语言交际。直到20世纪50年代，才有一些学者对非语言交际进行了一些系统性的研究。时至今日，非语言交际已取得了一些成果并已发展成为了一门边缘性学科。然而，作为一门新兴的科学，非语言交际依然有待于进一步深入研究。在进行跨文化交际时，相较于语言交际，非语言交际起着更重要且更不可缺少的作用。因此研究探讨跨文化交际中的非语言交际就显得尤为重要。全篇旨在分析跨文化非语言交际引起的文化冲突根源从而提高人们的跨文化交际意识。非语言交际能够反映出人们真实的态度，心理状况以及其价值观。它是人们在跨文化交际中建立友谊和获得成功的桥梁。由于不同国家拥有不同的文化背景从而形成了对非语言行为不同的理解。不同的非语言行为在不同的国家可能有相同的意义抑或对不同的人来说它们拥有不同的意义，其原因在于不同的地域，人们的习惯，风俗，价值观甚至于思维模式都有所不同。因此在跨文化交际中难免会造成文化冲突。非语言交际拥有浓重的文化特色，如果我们忽视它的重要性，其后果将会相当的严重。本文首先简单地介绍了非语言交际的一些基本概念，其中包括它的定义，作用，类别，和其与语言交际之间的关系。然后紧接着阐述了非语言交际与文化之间的一些联系。最后具体举例说明了不同文化中非语言交际方面的差异。在跨文化交际中文化误解和文化冲突时常发生，所以本文意在提高人们在非语言交际方面的文化意识和他们的跨文化交际意识。

关键词：非语言交际；文化；基本特性；文化差异