Main Differences Between Chinese and American Culture

Culture can be defined as the ways of thinking, ways of acting, and the material objects that make up a person’s way of life. I have decided to compare and contrast the American and Chinese cultures. Both cultures have similarities when dealing with religion and family. American and Chinese cultures have differences when dealing with family, food, and diet. I was shocked to learn that the American and Chinese cultures share similar religious beliefs.

Many in the Chinese community share the same religious beliefs as Americans do. Catholicism is the religious preference in twenty-one percent of Chinese households. Though I never knew exactly what religious beliefs were practiced by the Chinese, I was very shocked to see that twenty-one percent practiced Catholicism. The similarity comes from the role that faith plays in our lives gives the American and Asian community a solid family core. Both the American and Chinese cultures had similarities and differences when it comes to family life. When it comes down to family life, both cultures have strong family beliefs. Also, both cultures view education as important. The difference falls in the fact that American culture is more lacking in their requirements for grades. The Chinese community prides itself on having a four-point zero grade point average. The American community encourages their children to do well. I take this to mean that it is more of a priority for the Chinese community.

Another area in which both cultures differ is food. American culture and Chinese culture cook with different styles and tastes. Another difference would be at mealtime. The Chinese community enjoys making mealtime the time for family gatherings, socialization, and celebration. In American culture mealtimes are also a time for a family gathering, however, it is also very rushed at times. When it comes to diet, American culture and Chinese culture have big differences. The Chinese culture has three major dietary cultures, and they adhere to them well. Even though they adapt to different dietary cultures, they very seldom are American meals. Some of the Chinese cultures use spices and seasonings as medicines. The American culture is just now starting to adopt foods to be used as a form of medicine.

Some of the more obvious differences in the cultures would include the language and forms of writing our languages. Chinese cultures generally use symbols when writing their language. Whereas in American culture we write using words and letters. Also, both cultures speak in different ways. In American culture, we have adapted to using the English language. In Chinese culture, they have different languages depending on the area.

In conclusion, I have learned that there are many differences between American culture and Chinese culture. I have also found that there are a few things that both cultures have in common. Some of the differences are family, food, diet, and language. The things that both cultures have in common are religion and family. I hope that I was able to teach you something you did not know about one or both of these cultures.