This research is an examination of the 'word' as a cultural unit in cross-cultural communication in construction business. The qualitative analysis of some vocabulary units shows that simple words should be perceived as culture specific and might serve as barriers in cross-cultural communication. It is explained by the fact that speakers of different cultural backgrounds have little awareness about cultural associations that the word entails apart from its direct meaning. The comparative cultural research employed in the process of the study demonstrates that the perception of words largely depends on the type of culture the speakers represent, as well as the peculiarities of cultural, historical and social background of the latter. The results of the study are presented in the form of analysis of the linguistic data and cultural phenomena, which take place in cross-cultural communication.