Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 235 of 240

New here? This is lesson 235 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

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Let it rest in Traditional Chinese

Yi-Jun wants the rest of the typhoon story. Last time A-Li stopped halfway, and she is ready to push for every detail.

You will close a topic with grace: skip the small facts, sum up, and leave the rest for later.

Maya keeps the ending ordinary. A-Li's soy milk is still unfinished, and the fortune slip can wait.

By the end of this lesson

Close a story with grace: skip details, sum up, park a topic, and leave the rest for later.

  • 細節我就不多說了I won't go into the details.
  • 大概就是這樣That's pretty much it.
  • 免得你覺得無聊So you don't get bored.
  • 這就先不談了Let's not talk about this for now.
  • 說到這裡就好That's enough on that.
  • 以後有機會再說Maybe another time.

Scene — a paused typhoon story

Rain has eased over Banyan Lane, and the breakfast shop is quiet again. Yi-Jun sits with Maya and wants the rest of that first typhoon day.

A-Li occupies two stools, soy milk still full. Auntie Lin wipes the counter and does not unfold the slip in the till.

After the rain, Yi-Jun sits with Maya in the quiet breakfast shop while A-Li occupies a pair of stools beside untouched soy milk.

Learn — closing with grace

These six lines let you stop a story without sounding cold. Listen, then say each one.

Notice how 先 and 以後 keep the door open, while 就好 closes it for now.

  1. Maya sits at the breakfast counter and stops Yi-Jun with a small halt of her hand, keeping the rest of the story short.

    細節我就不多說了

    I won't go into the details.

    When to use it: Use this when you want to skip the small facts.

    就 here marks a decision: you are cutting the details now.

  2. Maya leans back from her tray at the counter, finished with the telling.

    大概就是這樣

    That's pretty much it.

    When to use it: Use this after a short summary to wrap up.

    就是 presents this as the whole picture, not a new point.

  3. Maya lifts her cup toward Yi-Jun at the counter, cutting the story short so it will not drag.

    免得你覺得無聊

    So you don't get bored.

    When to use it: Add this after you stop, so the listener is spared.

    免得 states the purpose: you stop so a bad result does not happen.

    Say it: The 得 in 覺得 is a light neutral tone.

  4. Auntie Lin's hand rests on the till drawer, leaving a folded slip shut inside.

    這就先不談了

    Let's not talk about this for now.

    When to use it: Park a topic now without shutting the person down.

    先 means for now, so the talk can still return later.

  5. Auntie Lin comes over with a cloth while Maya and Yi-Jun still sit at the counter.

    說到這裡就好

    That's enough on that.

    When to use it: Draw a warm line under what you have already said.

    就好 means this amount is enough; you are not adding more.

  6. Maya holds her cup and looks out at the wet lane as if the rest of the story can wait.

    以後有機會再說

    Maybe another time.

    When to use it: Leave a topic open without naming a time.

    再說 means talk later, not say the same words again.

    Say it: 以 is third tone; it does not change before fourth-tone 後.

Story — enough for today

Yi-Jun asks Maya to finish the typhoon story A-Li left hanging. Maya keeps it short and kind.

Listen for how she parks the rest without shutting anyone out.

  1. Yi-Jun leans in, still hungry for the rest of that typhoon day.
  2. Yi-Jun阿犛那天講故事，他說到一半就停了。A-Li was telling a story that day, and he stopped halfway through.
  3. Yi-Jun後來呢？And then?
  4. Maya細節我就不多說了。I won't go into the details.
  5. Yi-Jun為什麼？我還想聽啊。Why? I still want to hear it.
  6. Maya免得你覺得無聊。So you don't get bored.
  7. A-Li外面風很大，我們就待在家。It was very windy outside, so we just stayed home.
  8. Yi-Jun那天還有什麼特別的事嗎？Was there anything else special that day?
  9. Maya大概就是這樣。That's pretty much it.
  10. Yi-Jun籤上有寫颱風嗎？Did the slip mention a typhoon?
  11. Maya這就先不談了。Let's not talk about this for now.
  12. Auntie Lin comes over with a cloth.
  13. Auntie Lin美女，還在講那天喔？Still talking about that day?
  14. Maya說到這裡就好。That's enough on that.
  15. Yi-Jun好啦，那我不問了。Fine, then I won't ask.
  16. Maya以後有機會再說。Maybe another time.
  17. Auntie Lin阿犛，豆漿還喝嗎？A-Li, are you still going to drink the soy milk?
  18. A-Li好啊，等一下。Sure, in a bit.
  19. Auntie Lin好喔，先放著。Okay, leave it for now.
  20. Maya關於這個，我想說的就這些。That's all I wanted to say about this.

Practice — let it rest

Try nine short tasks that close a topic. Pick the line that fits each moment.

After each answer, read why the other choices fail, then say the line again.

0 of 9 done

  1. What does it mean?

    細節我就不多說了

  2. What do you say?

    Yi-Jun asks whether the fortune slip mentioned the typhoon. Park that topic for now.

  3. Build the line

    That's enough on that.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    So you don't get bored.

    ____你覺得無聊

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Swap the word

    Leave the rest of the typhoon story for when there is a chance.

    以後____機會再說

  7. What do you say?

    A-Li has stopped in the middle of the typhoon story. Ask what happened next.

  8. What does it mean?

    他說到一半就停了

  9. What do you say?

    You have said all you wanted about that typhoon day. Close your part.

Say it — your ending

You play Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Yi-Jun wants more of the typhoon story.

Listen to each cue, then close the topic out loud. You can replay the other person's line before your turn.

  1. Yi-Jun wants the rest of the typhoon story.
  2. Yi-Jun後來呢？And then?
  3. Maya (you)Skip the small facts.

    細節我就不多說了

    I won't go into the details.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
細節我就不多說了I won't go into the details.
大概就是這樣That's pretty much it.
免得你覺得無聊So you don't get bored.
這就先不談了Let's not talk about this for now.
說到這裡就好That's enough on that.
以後有機會再說Maybe another time.
Next: lesson 236Retelling the year

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's closing lines are in Yak Cards with more ways to end a topic kindly.

Review a few cards each day so stopping a story still sounds warm.

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