What does mianzi mean?
face
The Chinese word mianzi (面子) means literally ‘face’, and it refers to the recognition of an individual’s social status and prestige by others. Among complete strangers, interactions are often superficial and short-lived and an individual is rarely worried about what strangers think of them.
What is the concept of face in China?
The concept of face (mianzi) in Chinese culture is a complex one. It can perhaps be most closely defined as “dignity” or “prestige”, but no translation can aptly cover all its fine nuances. As a foreigner, it will often be assumed and accepted that you do not mean to cause someone to lose face.
What is mianzi in Chinese business?
Mianzi, or Face China’s is a culture in which reputation and hierarchy are highly valued. How you are perceived by others, and the respect that you command from them is very important to Chinese business. Think of it as being like reputation, except on a much deeper level.
Where did the concept of face come from?
The sociologist Erving Goffman introduced the concept of “face” into social theory with his (1955) article “On Face-work: An Analysis of Ritual Elements of Social Interaction” and (1967) book Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-Face Behavior.
What is face theory Goffman?
Face, according to Goffman (1956), is ”the positive social value a person effectively claims for himself by the line others assume he has taken during a particular contact” (p. 268).
What does face mean to the Japanese?
The term ‘face’ in the figurative sense of ‘positive social image’ or. honour, prestige or reputation is often associated with East Asians, including the Chinese and Japanese.
What does 面子 (mianzi) mean?
What is 面子 “Mianzi”? What is 面子 “Mianzi”? The English expression “to save face” comes from the Chinese word for face (面子 miànzi), which describes one’s reputation or dignity in social contexts.
What is mianzi in Chinese culture?
However, the Chinese concept of mianzi actually has much less to do with individual perspective than with collective interests and opinion. Mianzi is, in fact, something that is given or lent to someone rather than self-presumptive, marking a significant difference with the Western view of social status.
What is the Chinese mianzi honor code?
For hundreds of years, Chinese business operated on the mianzi honor code where a gentleman’s reputation provided him with credit for making business deals.