Objective To comprehend the level and determinants of silence behaviors among nurses. Methods Totally, 1012 nurses from in 6 hospitals in Liling city of Hunan Province were surveyed using a self-designed general information questionnaire and the Silent Behavior Scale. Results Clinical nurses scored （34.50±9.91） points in silence behaviors; the three items with the highest scores all came from the "acquiescent silence dimension" and the three items with the loweest scores all came from the "indifferent silence dimension". Conclusion Silence behaviors in clinical nurses was at medium level.Nursing managers should pay attention to their own lea-dership styles, give nurses more opportunities to speak up and actively take nurses′opinions to create an open and harmonious atmosphere. Hospital managers should also create more opportunities for nurses′ learning and activities, and improve nurses′sense of participation, so as to reduce nurses′ silence behaviors.