Silence, as a form of nonverbal communication, may be interpreted in various ways depending upon the culture. The purpose of this study is to explain misunderstanding concerned with the uses of silence in conversations situated in different cultural backgrounds, and then give possible methods to avoid it. The explanation is mainly based on the two categories related to the context posed by Edward Hall： high-context culture ＆ low-context culture. In this part, the study also contrasts distinct verbal styles in America ＆ Japan, in addition, it analyses different attitudes towards silence from three aspects： traditional value, religion and power distance. At end, the study is concluded with four solutions that try to solve the problem.
