跨文化交际可以说是具有不同文化背景的人从事交际的过程,它不但是跨越国界的交际,民族之间的接触与融合也是跨文化交际。但是跨文化交际必须跨越的是不同的文化,因而不但要揭开其显形文化,最重要的是跨越隐型文化。本文从中美对恭维语的不同反应分析其背后的隐型文化,即价值观,说明隐型文化在跨文化交际过程中的重要性。 Cross-cultural communication can be said that people with different cultural backgrounds engage in the process of communication. It is not only a cross-border communication but also an inter-ethnic contact and integration as well as an intercultural communication. However, intercultural communication must cross different cultures, so it is not only necessary to unveil its explicit culture, but most importantly, to cross the invisible culture. This article analyzes the implicit culture behind the compliment language from the different reactions of Chinese and American compliments, that is, the values, and illustrates the importance of invisible culture in intercultural communication.