入鄉隨俗：你必須知道的文化禁忌

當你去別的國家或地區旅行，和當地的人打交道時，即使你懷著良好的意愿，若不注意文化差異以及禮儀風俗，也可能令自己身陷窘境，甚至還有可能冒犯別人。因此，了解世界各地常見的文化禁忌必不可少。

Touching Someone 身體接觸

Where It's Offensive: Korea， Thailand， China， Europe， the Middle East

禁忌國家或地區：韓國、泰國、中國、歐洲、中東

What's Offensive: In Mediterranean countries， if you refrain1) from touching someone's arm when talking to them or if you don't greet them with kisses or a warm embrace， you'll be considered cold. But backslap2) someone who isn't a family member or a good friend in Korea， and you'll make them uncomfortable. In Thailand， the head is considered sacred—never even pat a child on the head.

What You Should Do Instead: Observe what locals are doing and follow suit3). In Eastern countries remember that touching and public displays of affection are unacceptable. In places like Qatar and Saudi Arabia， men and women are forbidden from interacting， let alone touching.

冒犯之處：在地中海國家，如果和別人交談時不去觸碰對方的手臂，或者打招呼時沒有親吻或熱情擁抱對方，別人就會認為你待人冷漠。但是在韓國，除非是在家庭成員或者好友之間，否則輕拍他人背部會令人不愉快。在泰國，頭部被認為是神圣不可侵犯的——永遠不要去拍哪怕小孩子的頭部。

正確做法：觀察當地人的做法，入鄉隨俗即可。在東方國家，身體接觸或者當眾表達好感是不被人們所接受的。在卡塔爾和沙特阿拉伯這樣的地方，男女之間是不允許有交往的，觸摸就更不可以了。

Knowing Your Right from Your Left 分清左右

Where It's Offensive: India， Africa， the Middle East

禁忌國家或地區：印度、非洲、中東

What's Offensive: Many cultures still prefer to eat using traditional methods—their hands. In these cases， food is often offered communally4)， which is why it's important to wash your hands before eating and observe the right-hand-is-for-eating and the left-hand-is-for-other-duties rule. If you eat with your left hand， expect your fellow diners to be mortified5). And when partaking6) from a communal bowl， stick to a portion that's closest to you. Do not get greedy and plunge7) your hand into the center.

What You Should Do Instead: Left-handed? Attempt to be ambidextrous8)—even children who are left-handed in these cultures are taught to eat with their right hand—or at least explain yourself to your fellow diners before plunging in.

冒犯之處：在許多文化中，人們仍然喜歡使用傳統方法進食——即用手。在這些國家，人們通常都是共同用餐，因此特別注重飯前洗手，遵循“右手進餐、左手做其他事情”的慣例。如果你用左手，和你一起用餐的人將會覺得受到了侮辱。在從公共碗碟里取菜時，要取離你最近的那一部分，不要貪吃，切忌直接從公共碗碟正中央取食。

正確做法：左撇子該怎么辦？那就盡量兩手并用——在這些文化中，即使左撇子的兒童從小都要學著用右手進食——或者至少向一起用餐的人解釋你是左撇子，而不是二話不說就直接上左手。

Keeping Your Clothes on 不脫衣服

Where It's Offensive: Scandinavian9) countries， Turkey

禁忌國家或地區：斯堪的納維亞國家、土耳其

What's Offensive: Wearing bathing suits， shorts and T-shirts， underwear， or any other piece of clothing into a sauna10)， hammam11)， or other place of physical purification. In some cultures， a steam room or a sauna is considered a place of purity and reflection， where the outside world (i.e.， your clothes) should be left outside. In some Scandinavian countries it's common for entire families to sauna together in the nude12).

What You Should Do Instead: Sitting on a folded towel is considered acceptable. If you're too modest to appear naked， strip down13)， but wrap yourself in a towel.

冒犯之處：穿著浴衣、短褲、T恤、內衣或者其他任何衣物進入桑拿室、浴室或者其他凈化身體的地方都被視為冒犯行為。在某些文化中，蒸汽室或者桑拿室被認為是自我凈化、自我反思的場所，外界的一切(比如衣物)都應該留在外面。在斯堪的納維亞某些國家，全家人赤身裸體共同蒸桑拿是很常見的。

正確做法：坐在折疊的浴巾上是可以接受的做法。如果你覺得自己太過靦腆，不愿意赤裸相見，那么可以把衣服脫光，圍上條浴巾。

Looking Them in the Eye ... or Not直視或者不直視對方的眼睛

Where It's Offensive: Korea， Japan， Germany

禁忌國家或地區：韓國、日本、德國

What's Offensive: For Americans， not making direct eye contact can be considered rude， indifferent， or weak， but be careful how long you hold someone's gaze in other countries. In some Asian nations， prolonged14) eye contact will make a local uncomfortable， so don't be offended if you're negotiating a deal with someone who won't look you straight in the eye. If toasting15) with friends in a German beer hall， your eyes had better meet theirs—if they don't， a German superstition16) says you're both in for seven years of bad luck in the bedroom.

What You Should Do Instead: Avoid constant staring and follow the behavior of your host—and by all means17)， look those Germans straight on.

冒犯之處：對于美國人來說，如果沒有直接的眼神接觸可能會被認為無禮、冷漠或者怯懦，但是在其他國家一定要注意和對方目光交流時間的長短。在亞洲某些國家，目光交流時間過長會讓當地人感到不適，因此，如果你在和某人商談某筆交易時，對方沒有直視你的眼睛，不要覺得自己被冒犯了。而在德國，在啤酒館和朋友們干杯時，最好看著他們的眼睛——否則，根據德國的一個迷信說法，你們都會在臥室里遭遇七年霉運。

正確做法：避免長時間盯著別人看，主人怎么做你就怎么做；但一定記住，要直視德國人的眼睛。

Blowing Your Nose 擤鼻涕

Where It's Offensive: Japan， China， Saudi Arabia， France

禁忌國家或地區：日本、中國、沙特阿拉伯、法國

What's Offensive: Some cultures find it disgusting18) to blow your nose in public—especially at the table. The Japanese and Chinese are also repelled19) by the idea of a handkerchief.

What You Should Do Instead: If traveling through Eastern and Asian countries， leave the hankies at home and opt for disposable tissues instead. In France as well as in Eastern countries， if you're dining and need to clear your nasal20) passages21)， excuse yourself and head to the restroom. Worst-case scenario22): make an exaggerated23) effort to stir24) away from the table. Let's hope you don't have a cold.

冒犯之處：在有些文化中，當眾擤鼻涕是一件惡心的事——尤其是在餐桌上。日本人和中國人對于使用手帕擤鼻涕也覺得反感。

正確做法：如果去東方和亞洲國家旅行，把手帕留在家里吧，而選擇使用一次性面巾紙。在法國以及東方國家，進餐時如果需要清理鼻腔，找個理由去洗手間吧。最糟糕的景象是：大驚小怪、手忙腳亂地從餐桌邊跑開。但愿你沒感冒。

Removing Your Shoes ... or Not 脫鞋，或者不脫

Where It's Offensive: Hawaii， the South Pacific， Korea， China， Thailand

禁忌國家或地區：夏威夷、南太平洋、韓國、中國、泰國

What's Offensive: Take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party and the hostess will find you uncivilized， but fail to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia， Hawaii， or the Pacific Islands and you'll be considered disrespectful. Not only does shoe removal very practically keeps sand and dirt out of the house， it's a sign of leaving the outside world behind.

What You Should Do Instead: If you see a row of shoes at the door， start undoing25) your laces. If not， keep the shoes on.

冒犯之處：在倫敦出席晚宴時，如果在門口脫掉鞋子，女主人會認為你舉止粗俗，然而，如果在亞洲、夏威夷或者太平洋群島，進入主人家門時，不脫鞋子則是一種失禮行為。脫鞋不僅實際上能夠將沙子和灰塵擋在屋外，更象征著將外在世界拋在身后。

正確做法：如果在門口看到一排鞋子，那就動手解鞋帶吧。如果沒有，那就不用說。

1.refrain [r??fre?n] vi. 忍??；節制，自制以避免

2.backslap [?b?ksl?p] vt. 拍(……)肩背表示親熱(或贊許)

3.follow suit: 學樣，跟著做

4.communally [k??mju?nli] adv. 集體公用地，共同地

5.mortify [?m??t?fa?] vt. 使失面子，使受辱；使窘迫

6.partake [pɑ??te?k] vi. 共享，分享；吃，喝

7.plunge [pl?nd?] vt. (猛力)把……投入(或插入、刺進) (into， in)

8.ambidextrous [??mbi?dekstr?s] adj. 兩手都善用的

9.Scandinavian [?sk?nd??ne?vi?] n. 斯堪的納維亞的

10.sauna: 參見P57注釋5

11.hammam [?h?m?m] n. 土耳其浴浴室

12.in the nude: 赤身裸體；赤裸裸

13.strip down: 脫光衣服

14.prolonged [pr??l??d] adj. 持續時間久的；(時間)特別長的；較長的

15.toast [t??st] vi. 干杯；舉杯祝酒

16.superstition [?su?p??st??n] n. 迷信；迷信想法

17.by all means: 一定，務必

18.disgusting [d?s?ɡ?st??] adj. 令人作嘔的；令人厭惡的

19.repel [r??pel] vt. 使厭惡，使反感

20.nasal [?ne?zl] adj. 鼻的

21.passage [?p?s?d?] n. (人體內的)道，通道

22.scenario [s??nɑ?ri??] n. 事態，局面

23.exaggerated [?ɡ?z?d??re?t?d] adj. 夸張的，夸大的

24.stir [st??(r)] vi. (起身)走動；離開

25.undo [?n?du?] vt. 解開；打開；松開