Hierarchical relationships structure how communication flows in Chinese contexts. What you can communicate to whom, through what channels, using what forms, depends on your relative positions. Communication upward to superiors differs fundamentally from communication to peers or subordinates — different vocabulary, different framing, different levels of directness. Bypassing hierarchical levels disrupts proper communication order and creates problems.
This applies across contexts: family seniority, educational authority, professional rank, social status. You may need to navigate multiple hierarchies simultaneously. Success requires accurately reading hierarchical positions and communicating accordingly. A message that’s appropriate peer-to-peer becomes inappropriate when directed upward or downward. Understanding where you and others sit in relevant hierarchies, and communicating in ways that respect those positions, is foundational competence.
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