Abstract: There are two means of communication: verbal and non-verbal. Non-verbal communication is more commonly used in daily life. And body language is the most important part of non-verbal language. With the development of globalization, business communication has become cross-cultural business communication. Under this circumstance, body language plays an increasing prominent role in business communication. Generally speaking, body language consists of gestures, postures, facial expressions and eye contacts. Different from verbal language, body language has its own features. And it also has its own particular functions, such as the supplement, information feedback, controller, denial and replacement. However, body language varies from culture to culture because people from different countries have different values and ways of thinking. So we should find some ways to avoid the misunderstandings in business communication and learn to use proper body language in business communication. After that, we should increase the awareness of cultural diversity and try to take culture and context into account when interpreting body language. While for us undergraduates, we should know how to use body language wisely in job interviews and business negotiations, because this kind of cultural competence will be very useful for our future success.
Key Words: body language; business communication; cultural differences; job interview
