Face in Chinese, Japanese, and U.S. American cultures

This paper delved into the nature of face as a socio-psycho-linguistic concept through the examination of its varying conceptualizations and components in three different cultures: Chinese, Japanese, and U.S. American. The points of investigation are as follows: (1) semantic fields of the terms which signify ‘face’ in the Chinese, Japanese, and English languages, (2) cultures, social behaviors, and social systems of the three peoples, (3) differences between face and other similar concepts, such as prestige and honor, (4) comparative weights of attributes comprising face, such as formal position, personal reputation, conformity, and integrity of social being, which may vary significantly according to culture.