别人夸你，怎么接话？

你夸我蛋糕好吃，我却一直说做得不好。

nǐ kuā wǒ dàn gāo hǎo chī wǒ què yì zhí shuō zuò de bù hǎo

You complimented my cake, but I kept saying I hadn't done a good job.

对，我还以为你在提醒我，不要吃这个蛋糕！

duì wǒ hái yǐ wéi nǐ zài tí xǐng wǒ bú yào chī zhè gè dàn gāo

Right! I thought you were warning me not to eat this cake!

我是小悦。其实，我只是有点不好意思。

wǒ shì xiǎo yuè qí shí wǒ zhǐ shì yǒu diǎn bù hǎo yì si

I'm Xiao Yue. Actually, I just felt a little shy.

我是Leo。今天我们就聊聊，别人夸你怎么接。

wǒ shì Leo jīn tiān wǒ men jiù liáo liao bié rén kuā nǐ zěn me jiē

I'm Leo. Today, let's talk about how to respond to compliments.

先送你一句：谢谢，听你这么说，我很开心。

xiān sòng nǐ yí jù xiè xie tīng nǐ zhè me shuō wǒ hěn kāi xīn

Here's a phrase to start with: Thank you. I'm happy to hear that.

直接接受夸奖，也不一定是在骄傲，对吗？

zhí jiē jiē shòu kuā jiǎng yě bù yí dìng shì zài jiāo ào duì ma

Accepting a compliment doesn't necessarily mean you're being arrogant, right?

对。我们会比较一些中西方的交流习惯。

duì wǒ men huì bǐ jiào yì xiē zhōng xī fāng de jiāo liú xí guàn

Right. We'll compare some conversational habits in Chinese and Western settings.

还会练习怎么回应，不让一句好话变成尴尬。

hái huì liàn xí zěn me huí yìng bú ràng yí jù hǎo huà biàn chéng gān gà

And we'll practise responding so a kind remark doesn't become awkward.

不过，每个人不同，不能只按国家来判断。

bú guò měi gè rén bù tóng bù néng zhǐ àn guó jiā lái pàn duàn

But everyone is different. We can't judge people just by their country.

先从刚才那块蛋糕说起，我是真的觉得好吃。

xiān cóng gāng cái nà kuài dàn gāo shuō qǐ wǒ shì zhēn de jué de hǎo chī

Let's start with that cake. I really did think it was delicious.

你说奶油不太甜，水果也很新鲜。

nǐ shuō nǎi yóu bú tài tián shuǐ guǒ yě hěn xīn xiān

You said the cream wasn't too sweet and the fruit was fresh.

你却回答：哪里哪里，就是随便做的。

nǐ què huí dá nǎ li nǎ li jiù shì suí biàn zuò de

But you replied: Oh, not at all. I just threw it together.

哈哈，听起来是不是有点奇怪？

hā ha tīng qǐ lái shì bu shì yǒu diǎn qí guài

Haha, does that sound a little strange?

我想，你开甜品店，还会随便给客人做蛋糕吗？

wǒ xiǎng nǐ kāi tián pǐn diàn hái huì suí biàn gěi kè rén zuò dàn gāo ma

I thought, you run a dessert shop. Would you really make cakes carelessly for customers?

当然不会。我是想表现得谦虚一点。

dāng rán bú huì wǒ shì xiǎng biǎo xiàn de qiān xū yì diǎn

Of course not. I was trying to sound modest.

谦虚，就是不把自己的优点说得太多？

qiān xū jiù shì bù bǎ zì jǐ de yōu diǎn shuō de tài duō

Being modest means not talking too much about your strengths?

差不多。但我刚才把客气话说得太重了。

chà bù duō dàn wǒ gāng cái bǎ kè qi huà shuō de tài zhòng le

More or less. But I took that polite response too far.

你想说自己不骄傲，我却听成蛋糕有问题。

nǐ xiǎng shuō zì jǐ bù jiāo ào wǒ què tīng chéng dàn gāo yǒu wèn tí

You meant you weren't showing off. I heard that something was wrong with the cake.

所以，礼貌的目的相同，表达方法可能不同。

suǒ yǐ lǐ mào de mù dì xiāng tóng biǎo dá fāng fǎ kě néng bù tóng

So the intention can be the same, even when the ways of being polite differ.

那我们先接受夸奖，再慢慢聊。

nà wǒ men xiān jiē shòu kuā jiǎng zài màn màn liáo

Then let's accept the compliment first and talk it through.

我小时候，做得好被人夸，家人常说别骄傲。

wǒ xiǎo shí hou zuò de hǎo bèi rén kuā jiā rén cháng shuō bié jiāo ào

When I was praised as a child, my family often reminded me not to get proud.

你就把这句话，带进平时的回答里了？

nǐ jiù bǎ zhè jù huà dài jìn píng shí de huí dá lǐ le

And that became part of how you usually responded?

对。别人说我厉害，我会先说，没有没有。

duì bié rén shuō wǒ lì hai wǒ huì xiān shuō méi yǒu méi yǒu

Yes. If someone said I was impressive, I'd start with: Oh, not really.

你不是觉得他说错了，而是不想太得意。

nǐ bú shì jué de tā shuō cuò le ér shì bù xiǎng tài dé yì

You weren't saying they were wrong. You didn't want to seem too pleased with yourself.

没错。有时候，我甚至还没想清楚就说出来了。

méi cuò yǒu shí hou wǒ shèn zhì hái méi xiǎng qīng chu jiù shuō chū lái le

Exactly. Sometimes I'd say it before I even thought about it.

像一个习惯性的反应，不一定是真实评价。

xiàng yí ge xí guàn xìng de fǎn yìng bù yí dìng shì zhēn shí píng jià

Like an automatic response, rather than an actual judgement.

对。哪里哪里，就是常见的谦虚说法。

duì nǎ li nǎ li jiù shì cháng jiàn de qiān xū shuō fǎ

Right. Nali nali is a common way of responding modestly.

它不是在问哪个地方，对吧？

tā bú shì zài wèn nǎ gè dì fang duì ba

It isn't actually asking which place, right?

哈哈，不是。这里可以理解成，你过奖了。

hā ha bú shì zhè lǐ kě yǐ lǐ jiě chéng nǐ guò jiǎng le

Haha, no. Here it means something like: You're too kind.

过奖，就是夸得超过我觉得自己值得的程度？

guò jiǎng jiù shì kuā de chāo guò wǒ jué de zì jǐ zhí de de chéng dù

Guojiang means the praise goes beyond what I think I deserve?

对，不过也可能只是客气，不是真的嫌你夸太多。

duì bú guò yě kě néng zhǐ shì kè qi bú shì zhēn de xián nǐ kuā tài duō

Yes, though it can simply be politeness, rather than a real objection to the praise.

我以前还认真解释，自己没有夸张。

wǒ yǐ qián hái rèn zhēn jiě shì zì jǐ méi yǒu kuā zhāng

I used to explain seriously that I wasn't exaggerating.

然后对方更不好意思，你又更努力地夸？

rán hòu duì fāng gèng bù hǎo yì si nǐ yòu gèng nǔ lì de kuā

And then they got more embarrassed, so you tried even harder to praise them?

没错。两个人像在比赛，一个夸，一个否认。

méi cuò liǎng gè rén xiàng zài bǐ sài yí ge kuā yí ge fǒu rèn

Exactly. It became a contest: one person praised, and the other denied it.

所以听见客气话，不用急着证明对方有多优秀。

suǒ yǐ tīng jiàn kè qi huà bú yòng jí zhe zhèng míng duì fāng yǒu duō yōu xiù

So when you hear a modest response, you don't have to rush to prove how great they are.

可以笑着说，我是真心的，然后自然往下聊。

kě yǐ xiào zhe shuō wǒ shì zhēn xīn de rán hòu zì rán wǎng xià liáo

You can smile and say, I mean it, then let the conversation move on.

对，也给对方一点接受夸奖的时间。

duì yě gěi duì fāng yì diǎn jiē shòu kuā jiǎng de shí jiān

Right. Give them a little time to take the compliment in.

但不是所有中国人都会先否认。

dàn bú shì suǒ yǒu zhōng guó rén dōu huì xiān fǒu rèn

But not everyone in China responds by denying praise.

当然。很多人也会直接说，谢谢，我很开心。

dāng rán hěn duō rén yě huì zhí jiē shuō xiè xie wǒ hěn kāi xīn

Of course. Many people simply say, Thank you. That makes me happy.

所以要了解习惯，也要听眼前这个人怎么说。

suǒ yǐ yào liǎo jiě xí guàn yě yào tīng yǎn qián zhè gè rén zěn me shuō

So understand the habits, but also listen to the person in front of you.

那你在伦敦长大时，通常怎么回应夸奖？

nà nǐ zài lún dūn zhǎng dà shí tōng cháng zěn me huí yìng kuā jiǎng

How did you usually respond to compliments growing up in London?

在我的学校和朋友圈里，先说谢谢很常见。

zài wǒ de xué xiào hé péng you quān lǐ xiān shuō xiè xie hěn cháng jiàn

At my school and among my friends, saying thank you first was common.

比如别人说，你今天的分享讲得很好？

bǐ rú bié rén shuō nǐ jīn tiān de fēn xiǎng jiǎng de hěn hǎo

For example, if someone said your presentation was really good?

我会说，谢谢，我准备了很久，很高兴你喜欢。

wǒ huì shuō xiè xie wǒ zhǔn bèi le hěn jiǔ hěn gāo xīng nǐ xǐ huān

I'd say, Thank you. I spent a long time preparing, so I'm glad you liked it.

你既接受了夸奖，也说了自己付出的努力。

nǐ jì jiē shòu le kuā jiǎng yě shuō le zì jǐ fù chū de nǔ lì

You're accepting the praise and acknowledging the effort you put in.

对。别人通常不会因此觉得我在说，我最厉害。

duì bié rén tōng cháng bú huì yīn cǐ jué de wǒ zài shuō wǒ zuì lì hai

Right. People wouldn't usually take that as me saying I'm the best.

但你也见过不太会接受夸奖的英国朋友吧？

dàn nǐ yě jiàn guò bú tài huì jiē shòu kuā jiǎng de yīng guó péng you ba

But you've also had British friends who struggled to accept compliments, right?

当然。有的朋友会开玩笑，说自己只是运气好。

dāng rán yǒu de péng you huì kāi wán xiào shuō zì jǐ zhǐ shì yùn qì hǎo

Of course. Some would joke that they just got lucky.

所以西方也有谦虚，也有人会不好意思。

suǒ yǐ xī fāng yě yǒu qiān xū yě yǒu rén huì bù hǎo yì si

So people in Western settings can also be modest or feel embarrassed.

对。而且西方不是一个地方，习惯也不全一样。

duì ér qiě xī fāng bú shì yí ge dì fang xí guàn yě bù quán yí yàng

Right. And the West isn't one place with one set of habits.

我现在明白，不能简单分成谁自信，谁害羞。

wǒ xiàn zài míng bai bù néng jiǎn dān fēn chéng shéi zì xìn shéi hài xiū

I see. We can't simply divide people into confident and shy groups.

也不能说，中国人只会否认，外国人只会感谢。

yě bù néng shuō zhōng guó rén zhǐ huì fǒu rèn wài guó rén zhǐ huì gǎn xiè

Or say Chinese people only deny praise, while foreigners only say thanks.

关系亲不亲、当时有没有别人，都有影响。

guān xi qīn bu qīn dāng shí yǒu méi yǒu bié rén dōu yǒu yǐng xiǎng

How close you are and whether other people are there can both matter.

朋友夸我衣服，我可能轻松地开个玩笑。

péng you kuā wǒ yī fu wǒ kě néng qīng sōng de kāi gè wán xiào

If a friend compliments my shirt, I might make a relaxed joke.

可是在正式场合，你可能会回答得更认真。

kě shì zài zhèng shì chǎng hé nǐ kě néng huì huí dá de gèng rèn zhēn

But in a formal setting, you might respond more seriously.

对。重点是让对方知道，我收到了他的好意。

duì zhòng diǎn shì ràng duì fāng zhī dào wǒ shōu dào le tā de hǎo yì

Exactly. What matters is showing that I appreciate their kind intention.

那我们来试三种回答，听听感觉有什么不同。

nà wǒ men lái shì sān zhǒng huí dá tīng ting gǎn jué yǒu shén me bù tóng

Let's try three responses and hear how they feel.

好。我负责夸，你负责接，蛋糕先别拿走。

hǎo wǒ fù zé kuā nǐ fù zé jiē dàn gāo xiān bié ná zǒu

Okay. I'll give the compliment, and you respond. Just don't take the cake away.

放心，你已经吃了两块，肯定没有问题。

fàng xīn nǐ yǐ jīng chī le liǎng kuài kěn dìng méi yǒu wèn tí

Don't worry. You've already had two slices. It's clearly fine.

好，那我认真夸一次，这个蛋糕真的很好吃。

hǎo nà wǒ rèn zhēn kuā yí cì zhè gè dàn gāo zhēn de hěn hǎo chī

Then here's a sincere compliment: This cake is really delicious.

第一种：没有没有，做得很差，我还差得远。

dì yì zhǒng méi yǒu méi yǒu zuò de hěn chà wǒ hái chà de yuǎn

First response: Oh, not at all. I did a terrible job. I have a long way to go.

听到这里，我反而不知道该怎么回答了。

tīng dào zhè lǐ wǒ fǎn ér bù zhī dào gāi zěn me huí dá le

That actually leaves me unsure what to say next.

因为我不只是谦虚，还把自己的努力否定了。

yīn wèi wǒ bù zhǐ shì qiān xū hái bǎ zì jǐ de nǔ lì fǒu dìng le

Because I'm doing more than being modest. I'm dismissing my own effort.

第二种呢？你不会要让我把蛋糕退回来吧？

dì èr zhǒng ne nǐ bú huì yào ràng wǒ bǎ dàn gāo tuì huí lái ba

What's the second one? You aren't going to ask me to return the cake, are you?

哈哈，第二种很简单：谢谢。

hā ha dì èr zhǒng hěn jiǎn dān xiè xie

Haha. The second one is simple: Thank you.

已经很自然了，不需要每次都讲一大段。

yǐ jīng hěn zì rán le bù xū yào měi cì dōu jiǎng yí dà duàn

That already sounds natural. You don't need a long speech every time.

第三种：谢谢，我试了好几次，你喜欢就好。

dì sān zhǒng xiè xie wǒ shì le hǎo jǐ cì nǐ xǐ huān jiù hǎo

Third response: Thank you. It took a few tries. I'm glad you like it.

这句话让我知道，你认真做了，也愿意接受肯定。

zhè jù huà ràng wǒ zhī dào nǐ rèn zhēn zuò le yě yuàn yì jiē shòu kěn dìng

That tells me you worked hard and are willing to accept the praise.

所以可以记住，先感谢，再加一句事实或感受。

suǒ yǐ kě yǐ jì zhù xiān gǎn xiè zài jiā yí jù shì shí huò gǎn shòu

So remember: thank them first, then add a fact or a feeling.

事实，就是我准备了很久，我练习了几次。

shì shí jiù shì wǒ zhǔn bèi le hěn jiǔ wǒ liàn xí le jǐ cì

A fact could be: I prepared for a long time, or I practised a few times.

感受，就是听你这么说，我很开心，也更有信心。

gǎn shòu jiù shì tīng nǐ zhè me shuō wǒ hěn kāi xīn yě gèng yǒu xìn xīn

A feeling could be: I'm happy to hear that, and it gives me more confidence.

一定要加后面这句吗？

yí dìng yào jiā hòu mian zhè jù ma

Do you always need to add that second part?

不用。简单的谢谢，有时就足够了。

bú yòng jiǎn dān de xiè xie yǒu shí jiù zú gòu le

No. Sometimes a simple thank you is enough.

接受夸奖，也不等于同意对方说的每个字。

jiē shòu kuā jiǎng yě bù děng yú tóng yì duì fāng shuō de měi gè zì

Accepting praise doesn't mean agreeing with every word they say.

对。如果他说你做得完美，你不必真的觉得完美。

duì rú guǒ tā shuō nǐ zuò de wán měi nǐ bú bì zhēn de jué de wán měi

Right. If they call your work perfect, you don't have to think it's perfect yourself.

可以说，谢谢，我很高兴这次的结果不错。

kě yǐ shuō xiè xie wǒ hěn gāo xīng zhè cì de jié guǒ bú cuò

You can say, Thank you. I'm glad it turned out well this time.

这样既自然，也没有夸大自己的能力。

zhè yàng jì zì rán yě méi yǒu kuā dà zì jǐ de néng lì

That sounds natural without overstating your ability.

我记住了，先别忙着把夸奖退回去。

wǒ jì zhù le xiān bié máng zhe bǎ kuā jiǎng tuì huí qù

Got it. Don't rush to send the compliment back.

对，像接一份小礼物，不需要马上拒绝。

duì xiàng jiē yí fèn xiǎo lǐ wù bù xū yào mǎ shàng jù jué

Right. Think of accepting a small gift. You don't have to refuse it straight away.

那我们换几个场景，看看怎么接得更具体。

nà wǒ men huàn jǐ gè chǎng jǐng kàn kan zěn me jiē de gèng jù tǐ

Let's try a few settings and make our responses more specific.

先说工作。别人夸，你的报告重点很清楚。

xiān shuō gōng zuò bié rén kuā nǐ de bào gào zhòng diǎn hěn qīng chu

Work first. Someone says, The main points in your report are really clear.

我可以说，谢谢，同事也给了我不少帮助。

wǒ kě yǐ shuō xiè xie tóng shì yě gěi le wǒ bù shǎo bāng zhù

I could say, Thank you. My colleagues helped me a lot too.

很好。你接受了自己的部分，也感谢了团队。

hěn hǎo nǐ jiē shòu le zì jǐ de bù fen yě gǎn xiè le tuán duì

Good. You're accepting credit for your part and thanking the team.

如果其实大部分都是我做的，还要提同事吗？

rú guǒ qí shí dà bù fen dōu shì wǒ zuò de hái yào tí tóng shì ma

What if I actually did most of it? Do I still need to mention colleagues?

不用为了显得谦虚，编一个不存在的帮助。

bú yòng wèi le xiǎn de qiān xū biān yí ge bù cún zài de bāng zhù

You don't need to invent help just to sound modest.

那就说，谢谢，我特意把重要信息整理了一下。

nà jiù shuō xiè xie wǒ tè yì bǎ zhòng yào xìn xī zhěng lǐ le yí xià

Then: Thank you. I made a point of organising the key information.

对，说事实就很好，不必把自己的功劳全让出去。

duì shuō shì shí jiù hěn hǎo bú bì bǎ zì jǐ de gōng láo quán ràng chū qù

Right. Just state the facts. You don't have to give all your credit away.

接下来是衣服。小悦，你今天这件衣服很好看。

jiē xià lái shì yī fu xiǎo yuè nǐ jīn tiān zhè jiàn yī fu hěn hǎo kàn

Next, clothing. Xiao Yue, that outfit looks lovely on you today.

谢谢，我也很喜欢这个颜色。

xiè xie wǒ yě hěn xǐ huān zhè gè yán sè

Thank you. I really like this colour too.

以前我听过一个回答，这个很便宜。

yǐ qián wǒ tīng guò yí ge huí dá zhè gè hěn pián yi

I've also heard people reply, It was really cheap.

哈哈，这也很常见，可能是想表现得随意一点。

hā ha zhè yě hěn cháng jiàn kě néng shì xiǎng biǎo xiàn de suí yì yì diǎn

Haha, that's common too. They might just be keeping things casual.

但夸你衣服的人，不一定是在问价格。

dàn kuā nǐ yī fu de rén bù yí dìng shì zài wèn jià gé

But the person complimenting your clothes isn't necessarily asking about the price.

对。想分享购物经历可以说，不想说也没关系。

duì xiǎng fēn xiǎng gòu wù jīng lì kě yǐ shuō bù xiǎng shuō yě méi guān xi

Right. You can share the shopping story if you want, but you don't have to.

如果我不太想被别人评价外表呢？

rú guǒ wǒ bú tài xiǎng bèi bié rén píng jià wài biǎo ne

What if I don't really like people commenting on my appearance?

可以简单感谢，再把话题转到别的地方。

kě yǐ jiǎn dān gǎn xiè zài bǎ huà tí zhuǎn dào bié de dì fang

You can thank them briefly and move the conversation to something else.

比如，谢谢。对了，你刚才说的那本书叫什么？

bǐ rú xiè xie duì le nǐ gāng cái shuō de nà běn shū jiào shén me

For example, Thank you. By the way, what was that book you mentioned?

对。夸奖是否合适，也要看关系和场合。

duì kuā jiǎng shì fǒu hé shì yě yào kàn guān xi hé chǎng hé

Exactly. Whether a compliment is appropriate depends on the relationship and setting too.

不熟的人，少对身材、年龄这些事情随便评价。

bù shú de rén shǎo duì shēn cái nián líng zhè xiē shì qíng suí biàn píng jià

With people you don't know well, avoid casual comments about things like body shape or age.

更稳妥的是夸具体的选择、努力或成果。

gèng wěn tuǒ de shì kuā jù tǐ de xuǎn zé nǔ lì huò chéng guǒ

It's often safer to praise a specific choice, effort, or achievement.

比如，你刚才的解释很清楚，而不是只说你真厉害。

bǐ rú nǐ gāng cái de jiě shì hěn qīng chu ér bú shì zhǐ shuō nǐ zhēn lì hai

Like, Your explanation was really clear, rather than just, You're amazing.

还有一种，学中文的人一定很熟悉。

hái yǒu yì zhǒng xué zhōng wén de rén yí dìng hěn shú xī

There's another compliment Chinese learners will know well.

我猜到了，你的中文说得真好！

wǒ cāi dào le nǐ de zhōng wén shuō de zhēn hǎo

I can guess: Your Chinese is really good!

你刚回杭州的时候，听到这句话会紧张吗？

nǐ gāng huí háng zhōu de shí hou tīng dào zhè jù huà huì jǐn zhāng ma

Did that compliment make you nervous when you first came back to Hangzhou?

会。我担心接下来一句说错，就让对方失望。

huì wǒ dān xīn jiē xià lái yí jù shuō cuò jiù ràng duì fāng shī wàng

Yes. I worried that a mistake in my next sentence would disappoint them.

一次夸奖不是一次考试，不要求你接下来全都说对。

yí cì kuā jiǎng bú shì yí cì kǎo shì bú yào qiú nǐ jiē xià lái quán dōu shuō duì

A compliment isn't a test. It doesn't mean every sentence afterwards has to be perfect.

这么想，压力小多了，我可以继续认真练习。

zhè me xiǎng yā lì xiǎo duō le wǒ kě yǐ jì xù rèn zhēn liàn xí

Thinking of it that way takes the pressure off. I can just keep practising.

对，肯定现在的进步，和继续学习并不矛盾。

duì kěn dìng xiàn zài de jìn bù hé jì xù xué xí bìng bù máo dùn

Exactly. Appreciating your progress and continuing to learn go together.

原来接受一句好话，也是在给自己一点鼓励。

yuán lái jiē shòu yí jù hǎo huà yě shì zài gěi zì jǐ yì diǎn gǔ lì

So accepting a kind word can also be a way to encourage yourself.

没错。你以前会怎么回答？

méi cuò nǐ yǐ qián huì zěn me huí dá

Exactly. How did you used to respond?

我会说，没有没有，我的中文很差，什么都不会。

wǒ huì shuō méi yǒu méi yǒu wǒ de zhōng wén hěn chà shén me dōu bú huì

I'd say, Oh, no. My Chinese is terrible. I don't know anything.

可是你已经用中文聊了半天，什么都不会不太准确。

kě shì nǐ yǐ jīng yòng zhōng wén liáo le bàn tiān shén me dōu bú huì bú tài zhǔn què

But you've been talking in Chinese for ages. Knowing nothing isn't quite accurate.

对。我其实想说，我还有很多想学的东西。

duì wǒ qí shí xiǎng shuō wǒ hái yǒu hěn duō xiǎng xué de dōng xi

Right. What I really mean is that I still have a lot I want to learn.

那就说，谢谢，我还在学习，你这么说让我更有信心。

nà jiù shuō xiè xie wǒ hái zài xué xí nǐ zhè me shuō ràng wǒ gèng yǒu xìn xīn

Then say, Thank you. I'm still learning, and that gives me more confidence.

这样也承认了进步，不会把自己说得太差。

zhè yàng yě chéng rèn le jìn bù bú huì bǎ zì jǐ shuō de tài chà

That acknowledges my progress without putting myself down.

也可以加一个具体目标，比如我想把发音练得更自然。

yě kě yǐ jiā yí ge jù tǐ mù biāo bǐ rú wǒ xiǎng bǎ fā yīn liàn de gèng zì rán

You can add a specific goal, like wanting to make your pronunciation more natural.

谢谢！我还在练发音，有不自然的地方欢迎告诉我。

xiè xie wǒ hái zài liàn fā yīn yǒu bú zì rán de dì fang huān yíng gào su wǒ

Thank you! I'm still practising pronunciation. Please tell me if anything sounds unnatural.

这句适合愿意帮你的朋友，不必对每个路人都这样说。

zhè jù shì hé yuàn yì bāng nǐ de péng you bú bì duì měi gè lù rén dōu zhè yàng shuō

That's useful with friends who are happy to help. You don't need to say it to every stranger.

不然别人只是打个招呼，我却给他留了一份作业。

bù rán bié rén zhǐ shì dǎ gè zhāo hū wǒ què gěi tā liú le yí fèn zuò yè

Otherwise, they were just being friendly, and I've given them homework.

哈哈，回应也要看对方有没有时间继续聊。

hā ha huí yìng yě yào kàn duì fāng yǒu méi yǒu shí jiān jì xù liáo

Haha. Your response should also fit how much time they have to chat.

还有一个问题，收到夸奖就一定要夸回去吗？

hái yǒu yí ge wèn tí shōu dào kuā jiǎng jiù yí dìng yào kuā huí qù ma

One more question: do you always have to return a compliment?

不一定。有真心想夸的地方，再自然地说。

bù yí dìng yǒu zhēn xīn xiǎng kuā de dì fang zài zì rán de shuō

Not necessarily. Say it naturally when there's something you sincerely appreciate.

别人说我中文好，我不用立刻说，你的中文也好？

bié rén shuō wǒ zhōng wén hǎo wǒ bú yòng lì kè shuō nǐ de zhōng wén yě hǎo

If someone says my Chinese is good, I don't have to immediately say theirs is good too?

对。特别是对方本来就说中文，可能听着有点奇怪。

duì tè bié shì duì fāng běn lái jiù shuō zhōng wén kě néng tīng zhe yǒu diǎn qí guài

Right. Especially if Chinese is their first language, that might sound a little odd.

可以换成，谢谢你一直耐心听我说。

kě yǐ huàn chéng xiè xie nǐ yì zhí nài xīn tīng wǒ shuō

Instead, I could say, Thank you for always listening so patiently.

这个感谢很具体，也比机械地夸回去更真诚。

zhè gè gǎn xiè hěn jù tǐ yě bǐ jī xiè de kuā huí qù gèng zhēn chéng

That's specific and more sincere than automatically returning the praise.

看来好的回应，不是说得最多，而是说得合适。

kàn lái hǎo de huí yìng bú shì shuō de zuì duō ér shì shuō de hé shì

So a good response isn't about saying the most. It's about saying what fits.

不过，有些话听起来像夸奖，听完却不舒服。

bú guò yǒu xiē huà tīng qǐ lái xiàng kuā jiǎng tīng wán què bù shū fu

But some remarks sound like praise and still leave you feeling uncomfortable.

比如，没想到你也能做得这么好。

bǐ rú méi xiǎng dào nǐ yě néng zuò de zhè me hǎo

Like, I didn't expect even you to do such a good job.

对。这个也字，可能让人觉得原来被看低了。

duì zhè gè yě zì kě néng ràng rén jué de yuán lái bèi kàn dī le

Right. That word even can make someone feel they were looked down on before.

说话的人可能是好意，但表达里带了一点比较。

shuō huà de rén kě néng shì hǎo yì dàn biǎo dá lǐ dài le yì diǎn bǐ jiào

The speaker may mean well, but the wording includes an uncomfortable comparison.

可以改成，你这次把重点讲得很清楚。

kě yǐ gǎi chéng nǐ zhè cì bǎ zhòng diǎn jiǎng de hěn qīng chu

They could say instead, You explained the main points really clearly this time.

不猜对方以前有多差，只说这次哪里好。

bù cāi duì fāng yǐ qián yǒu duō chà zhǐ shuō zhè cì nǎ li hǎo

Don't imply how bad they used to be. Say what was good this time.

还有，你看起来比照片瘦多了，也未必让人开心。

hái yǒu nǐ kàn qǐ lái bǐ zhào piàn shòu duō le yě wèi bì ràng rén kāi xīn

Also, You look much thinner than in your photos won't necessarily make someone happy.

因为对方不一定想讨论身材。

yīn wèi duì fāng bù yí dìng xiǎng tǎo lùn shēn cái

Because they may not want to discuss their body.

对。不能因为我是在夸你，就要求别人一定接受。

duì bù néng yīn wèi wǒ shì zài kuā nǐ jiù yào qiú bié rén yí dìng jiē shòu

Right. Saying it's a compliment doesn't mean the other person has to welcome it.

那我听着不舒服，要立刻争论吗？

nà wǒ tīng zhe bù shū fu yào lì kè zhēng lùn ma

If a remark makes me uncomfortable, do I need to argue immediately?

不用。可以说，我知道你是好意，不过这个说法让我不太舒服。

bú yòng kě yǐ shuō wǒ zhī dào nǐ shì hǎo yì bú guò zhè gè shuō fǎ ràng wǒ bú tài shū fu

No. You can say, I know you mean well, but that wording makes me a little uncomfortable.

这句话既说明感受，也没有直接说对方是坏人。

zhè jù huà jì shuō míng gǎn shòu yě méi yǒu zhí jiē shuō duì fāng shì huài rén

That explains my feelings without calling the other person a bad person.

也可以更短一点，我们换个话题吧。

yě kě yǐ gèng duǎn yì diǎn wǒ men huàn gè huà tí ba

Or keep it shorter: Let's change the subject.

关系不同，回答也可以不同，没有唯一正确的句子。

guān xi bù tóng huí dá yě kě yǐ bù tóng méi yǒu wéi yī zhèng què de jù zi

Different relationships call for different responses. There's no single correct sentence.

没错。接受好意和照顾自己的感受，可以同时做到。

méi cuò jiē shòu hǎo yì hé zhào gù zì jǐ de gǎn shòu kě yǐ tóng shí zuò dào

Exactly. You can appreciate good intentions and look after your feelings at the same time.

夸人的时候，也要愿意听对方真实的反应。

kuā rén de shí hou yě yào yuàn yì tīng duì fāng zhēn shí de fǎn yìng

And when giving praise, be willing to hear how the other person actually feels.

对。不是把一句漂亮话说完，就算沟通成功了。

duì bú shì bǎ yí jù piāo liàng huà shuō wán jiù suàn gōu tōng chéng gōng le

Right. Saying something that sounds nice doesn't automatically make communication successful.

明白了。现在让听众也来试试，不能只听我们说。

míng bai le xiàn zài ràng tīng zhòng yě lái shì shi bù néng zhǐ tīng wǒ men shuō

Got it. Now let's let our listeners try, instead of only listening to us.

接下来我们做三个练习。听到夸奖后，先自己回答。

jiē xià lái wǒ men zuò sān gè liàn xí tīng dào kuā jiǎng hòu xiān zì jǐ huí dá

Let's do three exercises. After each compliment, try your own response first.

不用背我们的答案，表达自然、意思清楚就好。

bú yòng bèi wǒ men de dá àn biǎo dá zì rán yì si qīng chu jiù hǎo

You don't need to memorise our answers. Just aim to sound natural and clear.

第一轮，朋友说，你今天做的饭真好吃。

dì yī lún péng you shuō nǐ jīn tiān zuò de fàn zhēn hǎo chī

Round one. A friend says, The meal you made today is delicious.

先停一下，想想你会怎么回答。

xiān tíng yí xià xiǎng xiang nǐ huì zěn me huí dá

Pause for a moment and think about what you'd say.

你可以说，谢谢，你喜欢就好。

nǐ kě yǐ shuō xiè xie nǐ xǐ huān jiù hǎo

You could say, Thank you. I'm glad you like it.

你还可以说，谢谢，这是我第一次用这个做法。

nǐ hái kě yǐ shuō xiè xie zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì yòng zhè gè zuò fǎ

You could also say, Thank you. This is my first time using this recipe.

第二轮，同事说，你把今天的会议安排得很好。

dì èr lún tóng shì shuō nǐ bǎ jīn tiān de huì yì ān pái de hěn hǎo

Round two. A colleague says, You organised today's meeting really well.

这次加一句事实，试着把回答说完整。

zhè cì jiā yí jù shì shí shì zhe bǎ huí dá shuō wán zhěng

This time, add a fact and make your response a little fuller.

比如，谢谢，我提前跟大家确认了时间。

bǐ rú xiè xie wǒ tí qián gēn dà jiā què rèn le shí jiān

For example, Thank you. I checked everyone's availability in advance.

如果有人一起帮忙，也可以说，大家配合得很好。

rú guǒ yǒu rén yì qǐ bāng máng yě kě yǐ shuō dà jiā pèi hé de hěn hǎo

If others helped, you can also say, Everyone worked well together.

第三轮，有人说，没想到你的中文居然这么好。

dì sān lún yǒu rén shuō méi xiǎng dào nǐ de zhōng wén jū rán zhè me hǎo

Round three. Someone says, I never expected your Chinese to be this good.

先想一想，这句话让你觉得开心，还是有点不舒服？

xiān xiǎng yi xiǎng zhè jù huà ràng nǐ jué de kāi xīn hái shi yǒu diǎn bù shū fu

First think: does that make you happy, or a little uncomfortable?

如果你觉得是惊喜，可以说，谢谢，我一直在练习。

rú guǒ nǐ jué de shì jīng xǐ kě yǐ shuō xiè xie wǒ yì zhí zài liàn xí

If you hear it as pleasant surprise, you can say, Thank you. I've been practising.

如果你不喜欢这种说法，也可以说明自己的感受。

rú guǒ nǐ bù xǐ huān zhè zhǒng shuō fǎ yě kě yǐ shuō míng zì jǐ de gǎn shòu

If you don't like the wording, you can explain how it makes you feel.

比如，谢谢你的肯定，不过不用这么惊讶啦。

bǐ rú xiè xie nǐ de kěn dìng bú guò bú yòng zhè me jīng yà la

For example, Thanks for the compliment, but you don't have to sound quite so surprised.

语气可以轻松，也可以认真，要看你们的关系。

yǔ qì kě yǐ qīng sōng yě kě yǐ rèn zhēn yào kàn nǐ men de guān xi

You can sound light-hearted or serious, depending on your relationship.

重要的是，你有选择，不必强迫自己笑着接受。

zhòng yào de shì nǐ yǒu xuǎn zé bú bì qiǎng pò zì jǐ xiào zhe jiē shòu

What matters is that you have a choice. You don't have to force yourself to smile and accept it.

而夸人的人，也可以把重点放在具体进步上。

ér kuā rén de rén yě kě yǐ bǎ zhòng diǎn fàng zài jù tǐ jìn bù shàng

And the person giving praise can focus on specific progress.

比如，你今天把这件事解释得比上次更清楚了。

bǐ rú nǐ jīn tiān bǎ zhè jiàn shì jiě shì de bǐ shàng cì gèng qīng chu le

For example, You explained that more clearly today than last time.

这种夸奖让我知道，我可以继续练习哪些表达。

zhè zhǒng kuā jiǎng ràng wǒ zhī dào wǒ kě yǐ jì xù liàn xí nǎ xiē biǎo dá

That kind of praise helps me understand which expressions I can keep practising.

回到开头，你再夸一次我的蛋糕，我换个回答。

huí dào kāi tóu nǐ zài kuā yí cì wǒ de dàn gāo wǒ huàn gè huí dá

Back to the beginning. Compliment my cake again, and I'll try a different response.

小悦，这个蛋糕真的很好吃，甜度刚刚好。

xiǎo yuè zhè gè dàn gāo zhēn de hěn hǎo chī tián dù gāng gāng hǎo

Xiao Yue, this cake is delicious. The sweetness is just right.

谢谢，我调整了几次配方，你喜欢我很开心。

xiè xie wǒ tiáo zhěng le jǐ cì pèi fāng nǐ xǐ huān wǒ hěn kāi xīn

Thank you. I adjusted the recipe a few times, so I'm glad you like it.

这次我终于不用怀疑，自己是不是吃错东西了。

zhè cì wǒ zhōng yú bú yòng huái yí zì jǐ shì bu shì chī cuò dōng xi le

This time I don't have to wonder whether I ate the wrong thing.

哈哈，我也发现，接受夸奖不会让我变得不谦虚。

hā ha wǒ yě fā xiàn jiē shòu kuā jiǎng bú huì ràng wǒ biàn de bù qiān xū

Haha. And accepting praise doesn't mean I've stopped being modest.

我则记住了，听到哪里哪里，不用跟人争个输赢。

wǒ zé jì zhù le tīng dào nǎ li nǎ li bú yòng gēn rén zhēng gè shū yíng

And I've learned that a modest response doesn't call for an argument I have to win.

理解习惯，再留意具体的人，比贴标签更有用。

lǐ jiě xí guàn zài liú yì jù tǐ de rén bǐ tiē biāo qiān gèng yǒu yòng

Understanding habits and paying attention to individuals is more useful than labelling people.

欢迎大家留言，说说别人夸你时，你通常怎么回答。

huān yíng dà jiā liú yán shuō shuo bié rén kuā nǐ shí nǐ tōng cháng zěn me huí dá

Leave a comment telling us how you usually respond when someone compliments you.

最后告诉大家，大白话中文的网站已经上线啦！

zuì hòu gào su dà jiā dà bái huà zhōng wén de wǎng zhàn yǐ jīng shàng xiàn la

One last thing: the Simply Natural Chinese website is now live!

你可以在那里看本期完整对话脚本，继续复习。

nǐ kě yǐ zài nà lǐ kàn běn qī wán zhěng duì huà jiǎo běn jì xù fù xí

You can read this episode's full dialogue script there and keep reviewing.

还可以回答问题，赚取积分，看看自己听懂了多少。

hái kě yǐ huí dá wèn tí zhuàn qǔ jī fēn kàn kan zì jǐ tīng dǒng le duō shao

You can also answer questions, earn points, and see how much you understood.

你也可以和网站上的小悦聊天，练习今天的表达。

nǐ yě kě yǐ hé wǎng zhàn shàng de xiǎo yuè liáo tiān liàn xí jīn tiān de biǎo dá

You can also chat with Xiao Yue on the website and practise today's expressions.

本期文章链接就在视频简介和评论里。

běn qī wén zhāng liàn jiē jiù zài shì pín jiǎn jiè hé píng lùn lǐ

The link to this episode's article is in the video description and comments.

欢迎大家去看看，有建议也请告诉我们。

huān yíng dà jiā qù kàn kan yǒu jiàn yì yě qǐng gào su wǒ men

We'd love you to visit. Please share any suggestions with us too.

希望下次有人夸你时，你能更自然地接住这份好意。

xī wàng xià cì yǒu rén kuā nǐ shí nǐ néng gèng zì rán de jiē zhù zhè fèn hǎo yì

We hope you'll feel more comfortable accepting a kind compliment next time.

谢谢你的陪伴，我们下期再见！

xiè xie nǐ de péi bàn wǒ men xià qī zài jiàn

Thanks for joining us. See you next time!