Definitely. That is why in Mandarin Chinese, there is no expression like “excuse me” that can be used almost anywhere in daily life. Face plays an irreplaceably significant role in the daily and political life, especially in public contexts. Some say it is hypocrisy, some say modesty and some say indirectness. For instance, in China, children generally should not call their parents by names but by courteous parental titles like “father, mother, dada, mama.” Otherwise, it would be deemed as an offence or even a defiance of parental authority.
Likewise, government-controlled TV channels like CCTVs most of the time present “positive” news rather than “negative” ones, probably because they consciously or unconsciously think it is a loss of face and dignity to display their skeleton in the cupboard.
To acknowledge your faults in a way indicates an apology, and to indicate an apology in a way equals a face loss. This is the hidden logic.
It has something to do with the national character of indirectness that can be testified by Chinese people’s comparatively timid way of expressing love to another person: “I think you are guy that is not bad” in many contexts means “like love you;” “Not bad” in many northern dialects means “pretty good.”
Likewise, government-controlled TV channels like CCTVs most of the time present “positive” news rather than “negative” ones, probably because they consciously or unconsciously think it is a loss of face and dignity to display their skeleton in the cupboard.
To acknowledge your faults in a way indicates an apology, and to indicate an apology in a way equals a face loss. This is the hidden logic.
It has something to do with the national character of indirectness that can be testified by Chinese people’s comparatively timid way of expressing love to another person: “I think you are guy that is not bad” in many contexts means “like love you;” “Not bad” in many northern dialects means “pretty good.”
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