Gratitude 

It is observed that Chinese people use "Thank you" and "please" less frequently than the Westerners. In our daily life, if you use these words a lot, people will have a strange feeling about you. Minor favors do not worth mentioning. This is especially true among friends. If you thank a good friend for passing you a book, he or she may be a little annoyed. According to Confucianism, there is an obligation between friends. We help friends whenever they are in trouble. As the saying goes, "For a great favor, no thanks are necessary". 

Confucianism is the theoretical expression of Chinese social system. It is the philosophy of people's daily life. Confucianism emphasizes the social responsibilities of man. There are five cardinal hierarchical relationships, the emperor over the subject, the father over the son, the husband over the wife, the elder brother over the younger brother, friend and friend. People's code of conduct should practice the five key principles, benevolence, personal loyalty, courtesy or politeness or propriety, wisdom, faithfulness. Friends are bound together by faithfulness and personal loyalty. 

The Analects says, "I ask myself, said Master Zeng, three questions everyday. In dealing with others, have I not thought of their interest? In making friends, have my deeds not agreed with my words? In teaching students, have I not put into practice what I teach them?" 曾子曰：吾日三省吾身，为人谋而不忠乎？与朋友交而不信乎？传不习乎？

Faithfulness and personal loyalty are highly valued between friends, which can be found in Chinese collocations describing friendship, such as 为朋友两肋插刀，上刀山下火海在所不辞, etc. Friends are compared with brothers and sisters. It is an obligation for friends to help each other. That explains why we don't thank each other frequently. 

The Westerners cannot understand the above mentioned Chinese way of doing things. It is regarded as rudeness if a "thank you" is not delivered. 

Expressions of gratitude include: 

• Thanks. / Thank you. / Many thanks. / Thanks a lot. 

• I am grateful to you for your help. / I am thankful to you for your help. 

• I really appreciate your help. 
  

Responses may be: 

• Not at all. 

• You are welcome. 

• My pleasure. 

• That's all right. 

  
  

Apology

In China, we use 没关系 or 不要紧 in response to gratitude and apology. But "Never mind" does not possess the same function in English. It is only used as the response to apology. 

In expressing apology, the most frequently used expressions are: 

• Excuse me. 

• I'm sorry. / I'm terribly sorry. / I'm extremely sorry. / I'm awfully sorry. 

• Sorry about that. 

• Pardon. / I beg your pardon.

• I apologize. / I must apologize for ... / I must beg to apologize for ...

• May I offer you my profoundest apologies? 

Responses are: 

• Never mind. 

• It doesn't matter. 

• Don't worry. 

• It's nothing. 
  

What kind of person is Trump? Let's listen to the above speech and find out. From the video, what communication skills have you learned in improving ways of compliments?