New here? This is lesson 212 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Say no kindly in Traditional Chinese
Zhi-Ming wants a bright orange for the project. You think it will overpower the type, but he is the client, so a blunt no would cost you the relationship.
Learn six ways to disagree while still sounding like a teammate: name his concern, offer another angle, and meet in the middle.
You will land on a third color together. Keep the tone warm. A-Li's unfinished soy milk is not today's problem.
By the end of this lesson
Disagree with a client without losing the relationship, and land on a third option.
- 我理解你的考量，不過___I understand your concerns, but ___.
- 會不會有別的角度可以看？Could there be another angle?
- 你說的可能是對的，不過___You may be right, but ___.
- 我在想，這是不是不一定成立I wonder if this doesn't always hold.
- 你不覺得也有可能是這樣嗎？Don't you think it could also be this?
- 我們各退一步怎麼樣？How about we each give a little?
Scene — a third color
Maya and Zhi-Ming sit at the design studio two MRT stops from Banyan Lane. Color swatches cover the table, and Zhi-Ming has already circled a bright orange.
Maya thinks it will fight the headlines. They need a third option that keeps the work, and the working relationship, intact.
Learn — soft nos that keep the work
These six lines let you push back without shutting the other person down. Listen, then say each one out loud.
Notice how 不過 holds the door open after you have already shown you heard them.
我理解你的考量，不過___
I understand your concerns, but ___.
When to use it: Use this to show you heard someone before you disagree.
不過 adds a contrast after you have already treated their concern as real.
Say it: The first third tone in 理解 rises before the next third tone.
會不會有別的角度可以看？
Could there be another angle?
When to use it: Use this to invite a new view without calling the first one wrong.
會不會 turns the idea into a soft yes-no question, so it lands more gently.
Say it: 不 in 會不會 rises because the 會 after it is fourth tone.
你說的可能是對的，不過___
You may be right, but ___.
When to use it: Use this when some of their point may stand, but you still need a change.
可能 keeps their face; you are not calling them wrong, only leaving room.
我在想，這是不是不一定成立
I wonder if this doesn't always hold.
When to use it: Use this to question a rule without attacking the person who said it.
不一定 means the claim is not true in every case, not that it is never true.
你不覺得也有可能是這樣嗎？
Don't you think it could also be this?
When to use it: Use this to float your idea as something they might already almost share.
也 says your idea can sit beside theirs, not instead of it.
我們各退一步怎麼樣？
How about we each give a little?
When to use it: Use this when both of you are stuck and a middle path would save the work.
各 means each person moves a little, not only the other side.
Say it: 一 before 步 rises because 步 is a fourth tone.
Story — Zhi-Ming wants orange
Zhi-Ming has circled a bright orange. Maya does not think it will work, but he is the client.
Listen for how she names his concern, then steers them toward a third color.
Zhi-Ming這次主色，我想用這種亮橘色。For the main color this time, I want to use this bright orange.
Maya我理解你的考量，不過這個顏色太搶眼了。I understand your concerns, but this color is too eye-catching.- Zhi-Ming橘色很有活力，客戶應該會喜歡。Orange has a lot of energy; the client should like it.
- Maya你說的可能是對的，不過螢幕上會刺眼。You may be right, but it will glare on screen.
- Zhi-Ming那深橘色呢？一樣很醒目。What about a deep orange? It's still striking.
- Maya我在想，這是不是不一定成立。I wonder if this doesn't always hold.
- Zhi-Ming為什麼？Why?
- Maya深的還是會壓過標題。我想換個角度看。A deep one will still overpower the headline. I'd like to look at it from another angle.
- Zhi-Ming好啊，你說。Sure, go ahead.
- Maya會不會有別的角度可以看？Could there be another angle?
- Zhi-Ming有別的顏色嗎？Are there other colors?
- Maya有啊，我這裡還有一個。Yes, I have another one here.
- Maya slides a warmer, quieter swatch across the table.
- Maya你不覺得也有可能是這樣嗎？Don't you think it could also be this?
- Zhi-Ming這個比較灰，會不會太安靜？This one is greyer. Would it be too quiet?
- Maya我們各退一步怎麼樣？How about we each give a little?
- Zhi-Ming你說怎麼退？How do we give a little, in your view?
- Maya主色用這個，重點再用亮橘。Use this for the main color, and keep the bright orange for accents.
- Zhi-Ming好喔，這個我可以接受。All right, I can accept this.
Practice — disagree without a fight
Work through short client moments and pick the line that keeps the door open. One of them is listening only.
After each answer, read why the other options miss, then say the right line again.
0 of 11 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
會不會有別的角度可以看？
What do you say?
What do you say?
Zhi-Ming has just explained why he wants the bright orange. Show you understand his concerns, then leave room to disagree.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
你不覺得也有可能是這樣嗎？
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Build the line
Build the line
I wonder if this doesn't always hold.
，
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Zhi-Ming states his point as certain. Soften that word so you can still disagree.
你說的____是對的，不過___
Pick the reply
Zhi-Ming says:
Pick the reply
這個比較灰，會不會太安靜？
This one is greyer. Would it be too quiet?
And you reply with:
Match the pairs
Traditional Chinese
會不會有別的角度可以看？Drop the English here我在想，這是不是不一定成立Drop the English here你不覺得也有可能是這樣嗎？Drop the English here我們各退一步怎麼樣？Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
Zhi-Ming has only put one orange on the table. Ask whether other colors are available.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
I wonder if this doesn't always hold.
我在想，這是不是____成立
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want to shift the talk without saying he is wrong. Say you would like to look from another angle.
Say it — your polite no
You play Maya in the color meeting. Listen to Zhi-Ming, then disagree without closing the door.
Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay his line before your turn.
- Zhi-Ming has already circled a bright orange on the swatch sheet.
- Zhi-Ming這次主色，我想用這種亮橘色。橘色很有活力，客戶應該會喜歡。For the main color this time, I want this bright orange. It has energy, and the client should like it.
- Maya (you)Show you understand his reason, then say this color is too eye-catching.
Show you understand his reason, then say this color is too eye-catching.
我理解你的考量，不過___
I understand your concerns, but ___.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 我理解你的考量，不過___ | I understand your concerns, but ___. | |
| 會不會有別的角度可以看？ | Could there be another angle? | |
| 你說的可能是對的，不過___ | You may be right, but ___. | |
| 我在想，這是不是不一定成立 | I wonder if this doesn't always hold. | |
| 你不覺得也有可能是這樣嗎？ | Don't you think it could also be this? | |
| 我們各退一步怎麼樣？ | How about we each give a little? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's soft nos are in Yak Cards with more lines for disagreeing without a fight.
Review a few disagreement cards before your next client call so the kind no comes first.
Open Yak Cards