Why do the Chinese rarely raise questions during a meeting? Deeply rooted in Chinese society is the need to belong and conform to a unit, whether the family or an organization. By keeping silent, Chinese try not only to save their own faces, but also the faces of others. In a meeting, there are 3 faces to preserve.
FIRST, my own face. I do not speak up because I don’t want to be seen as less intelligent than others.
SECOND, the speaker’s face. If I raise questions, this can be interpreted that the speaker hasn’t well explained. I risk embarrassing him.
THIRD, the group’s face. In the same meeting are seated people from different units. If I ask questions, I risk making my group feel uncomfortable, especially if my hierarchy is present.
Hence, by “giving face” to others, one ensures his own place in the group.