[stevendaniels]

There are so many intricacies to being polite in China. Living in China for over 12 years hasn't taught me even half of what I'd need to know. I don't think one can decide whether a society is polite or not based on one or two phrases.

Comparing what constitues politeness in China and in America is an interesting topic. In China, it is polite for younger people to greet their elders with the proper title (e.g. Grandfather Li, Second Auntie, etc., uncle) when meeting them. In America, teens will often go into people's houses without so much as a "hello". It's funny how far Chinese people will take this. Even children who can barely talk are strongly encouraged to greet their elders appropriately, and for most kids, grandfather (爷爷 yéyé), auntie (阿姨 āyí), grandmother (奶奶 nǎinai) and uncle (叔叔 shūshu) are probably among a childs first 10 words.

[ronnier]

After traveling to 30+ countries, China multiple times, and currently living in Japan, the last thing I associate with China is politeness.

[mazerackham]

You're still stuck in your narrow view of politeness. The concept of politeness is not a constant, but a variable that changes throughout various cultures.

[derefr]

"Politeness" is not an objectively-quantifiable one-dimensional characteristic of a culture, sure. There are smaller traits that are quantifiable, though.

"Care taken around inattentive strangers", for example: the difference between assuming it's someone else's fault if they stand in the road, and assuming it's your responsibility to not hit someone standing in the road.

Or "empathy for people who don't know your customs", for another: the difference between expecting foreigners to already know how to be polite in your locale, being willing to teach foreigners local etiquette, and feeling a responsibility to learn multiple foreign cultures in order to react to each foreigner with the etiquette of their own culture, which is a truly strange feeling I've only experienced while in Japan.

[stevendaniels]

My comment didn't say that China is or isn't polite. I just said the discussion of politeness can't be reduced to the usage of one or two phrases.