Chinese · C1 · Unit 4
Diplomacy
说话的分寸
By the end you can
- Give bad news tactfully
- Disagree and criticise diplomatically
- Understand what indirect language really means
Words and phrases
| Chinese | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 委婉 | (wěiwǎn) tactful, indirect | 这件事你说得委婉一点。 |
| 实在抱歉 | (shízài bàoqiàn) I'm truly sorry | 实在抱歉，项目要推迟两周交付。 |
| 恐怕 | (kǒngpà) I'm afraid | 恐怕我们赶不上原定的日期了。 |
| 由于种种原因 | (yóuyú zhǒngzhǒng yuányīn) for various reasons | 由于种种原因，进度比预期慢了一些。 |
| 您看 | (nín kàn) what do you think (softens a suggestion) | 您看这样行不行：我们先交第一部分。 |
| 话说回来 | (huà shuō huílai) that said | 话说回来，我们这边也有做得不够的地方。 |
| 有待商榷 | (yǒudài shāngquè) open to debate (a polite way to disagree) | 这个结论恐怕有待商榷。 |
| 言外之意 | (yán wài zhī yì) what's implied, the subtext | 他的言外之意是我们的报价太高了。 |
| 研究研究 | (yánjiū yánjiū) we'll look into it (often a polite no) | 领导说“研究研究”，其实就是不同意。 |
| 给面子 | (gěi miànzi) save someone's face, show them respect | 当着客户的面批评他，太不给面子了。 |
| 留有余地 | (liú yǒu yúdì) leave room (to manoeuvre) | 话别说死，要留有余地。 |
| 尽力而为 | (jìnlì ér wéi) do our best | 我们会尽力而为，但不能保证。 |
Then talk it through
Telling a client their project will be late. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.