Why are Chinese people quiet?

Answer 1

If you are talking about people who have recently immigrated from China, they are quiet for a few of reasons: # They probably don't speak English, and if they do, probably not very well. It could be a confidence issue. This is not particularly a problem for the Chinese. It's usually the people who are new to a country and not speaking the native tongue. # If they have had a bad experience with communism, or their parents did, they may have been raised to keep quiet for safety reasons. # This is probably the most true, for the general Chinese public at least, that it is in their culture to be quiet (especially when it comes to schooling). The Chinese have the utmost respect for their teachers, and will generally choose to ask questions after class, rather than interrupt teaching during a class. Chinese people are also generally raised to be extremely tolerant, so they will tend to internalise aggression rather than show it, compared to their Western counterparts. However, all of these reasons are very general. Chinese families who have lived in North America for years have learned to adapt to Western culture, and have learned the value of self-expression and questioning as a very acceptable way of learning. Their children would be much the same as any North American child in terms of self-expression and asking questions.

Answer 2

Cultural norms in China often stress the importance of harmony and avoiding confrontation. This leads to a preference for subtle communication and not "losing face" in public. Silence is sometimes valued as a way to show respect and attentiveness in conversations.