Chinese · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 1 of 12
Discussing and debating
讨论和辩论Tǎolùn hé biànlùn
Argue a point in Chinese: concede with 尽管, 即使 and 不管, weigh options with 与其…不如…, structure an argument and interrupt politely.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Concede a point with 尽管, 即使 and 不管
- Weigh two options with 与其…不如…
- Structure an argument: first, second, on the other hand, in short
- Interrupt politely and keep your turn
Listen
At a residents' meeting in a Beijing housing compound, Ms Hou and Mr Lü argue about turning parking spaces into a playground; the property manager, Mr Bai, chairs. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Mr Bai
各位业主，晚上好。今天我们讨论一个问题：要不要把小区东边的二十个停车位改成儿童游乐场。侯女士，您先说吧。
Gèwèi yèzhǔ, wǎnshang hǎo. Jīntiān wǒmen tǎolùn yí ge wèntí: yào bu yào bǎ xiǎoqū dōngbian de èrshí ge tíngchēwèi gǎichéng értóng yóulèchǎng. Hóu nǚshì, nín xiān shuō ba.
Good evening, everyone. Tonight we're discussing one question: whether to turn the twenty parking spaces on the east side of the compound into a children's playground. Ms Hou, would you like to start?
Ms Hou
谢谢白经理。首先，我们小区有一百多个孩子，可是连一个玩的地方都没有。孩子们只能在路边玩，很不安全。其次，东边那些停车位白天有一半都是空的。
Xièxie Bái jīnglǐ. Shǒuxiān, wǒmen xiǎoqū yǒu yìbǎi duō ge háizi, kěshì lián yí ge wán de dìfang dōu méiyǒu. Háizimen zhǐ néng zài lùbiān wán, hěn bù ānquán. Qícì, dōngbian nàxiē tíngchēwèi báitiān yǒu yíbàn dōu shì kōng de.
Thank you, Mr Bai. First, there are over a hundred children in our compound, but there isn't a single place for them to play. They can only play at the side of the road, which isn't safe at all. Second, half of those parking spaces on the east side are empty during the day.
Mr Lü
不好意思，打断一下。尽管白天有不少空位，到了晚上还是停满了车。要是改成游乐场，大家下班回来把车停在哪儿？
Bù hǎoyìsi, dǎduàn yíxià. Jǐnguǎn báitiān yǒu bù shǎo kòngwèi, dàole wǎnshang háishi tíngmǎnle chē. Yàoshi gǎichéng yóulèchǎng, dàjiā xiàbān huílai bǎ chē tíng zài nǎr?
Sorry to interrupt. Even though there are quite a few free spaces in the daytime, by the evening they're still all full. If it becomes a playground, where will people park when they come home from work?
Ms Hou
吕先生，请让我说完。即使少了二十个车位，大家也可以把车停到地下车库。车库里晚上也有不少空位。
Lǚ xiānsheng, qǐng ràng wǒ shuōwán. Jíshǐ shǎole èrshí ge chēwèi, dàjiā yě kěyǐ bǎ chē tíngdào dìxià chēkù. Chēkù li wǎnshang yě yǒu bù shǎo kòngwèi.
Mr Lü, please let me finish. Even if we lose twenty spaces, people can still park in the underground car park. There are plenty of free spaces there in the evening too.
Mr Lü
可是地下车库要另外交钱，一个月三百块呢。不管怎么说，为了一个游乐场占二十个车位，我觉得不值得。
Kěshì dìxià chēkù yào lìngwài jiāo qián, yí ge yuè sānbǎi kuài ne. Bùguǎn zěnme shuō, wèile yí ge yóulèchǎng zhàn èrshí ge chēwèi, wǒ juéde bù zhíde.
But you have to pay extra for the underground car park, three hundred yuan a month. Whichever way you look at it, I don't think a playground is worth taking up twenty parking spaces.
Mr Bai
两位说得都有道理。侯女士，停车费的问题，您怎么看？
Liǎng wèi shuō de dōu yǒu dàoli. Hóu nǚshì, tíngchēfèi de wèntí, nín zěnme kàn?
You both make good points. Ms Hou, what's your view on the parking fees?
Ms Hou
我是这么想的：与其让孩子们在路边玩，不如让大家多走几步路。一方面，孩子们有了安全的地方；另一方面，车库的空位也能用上了。停车费能不能便宜一点儿，我们可以再商量。
Wǒ shì zhème xiǎng de: yǔqí ràng háizimen zài lùbiān wán, bùrú ràng dàjiā duō zǒu jǐ bù lù. Yì fāngmiàn, háizimen yǒule ānquán de dìfang; lìng yì fāngmiàn, chēkù de kòngwèi yě néng yòngshàng le. Tíngchēfèi néng bu néng piányi yìdiǎnr, wǒmen kěyǐ zài shāngliang.
This is how I see it: rather than have the children play by the road, it's better for us all to walk a few extra steps. On the one hand, the children get a safe place; on the other, the empty spaces in the car park get used. Whether the fees can come down a little, we can discuss.
Mr Lü
这一点我同意。可是即使停车费便宜了，老人去地下车库也不方便啊。
Zhè yì diǎn wǒ tóngyì. Kěshì jíshǐ tíngchēfèi piányi le, lǎorén qù dìxià chēkù yě bù fāngbiàn a.
I agree with you on that. But even if the fees go down, the underground car park still isn't convenient for older people.
Ms Hou
那可以给老人留五个车位，其他的改成游乐场。
Nà kěyǐ gěi lǎorén liú wǔ ge chēwèi, qítā de gǎichéng yóulèchǎng.
Then we could keep five spaces for older residents and turn the rest into the playground.
Mr Lü
好吧，这个办法可以考虑。
Hǎo ba, zhège bànfǎ kěyǐ kǎolǜ.
All right, that idea is worth considering.
Mr Bai
总之，大家的意见主要有两个：孩子的安全和停车。这样吧，下个星期六请所有业主投票。不管结果怎么样，我们都按投票结果办。
Zǒngzhī, dàjiā de yìjiàn zhǔyào yǒu liǎng ge: háizi de ānquán hé tíngchē. Zhèyàng ba, xià ge xīngqīliù qǐng suǒyǒu yèzhǔ tóupiào. Bùguǎn jiéguǒ zěnmeyàng, wǒmen dōu àn tóupiào jiéguǒ bàn.
In short, there are two main concerns: the children's safety and parking. Let's do this: next Saturday all the owners will vote. Whatever the result, we'll go with the vote.
Ms Hou
好，我没意见。
Hǎo, wǒ méi yìjiàn.
Fine, I'm happy with that.
Understand
Even though, even if, no matter
In a debate you often admit part of the other side's point before you make your own. (jǐnguǎn) is a stronger, slightly more formal (suīrán): it starts a fact, and the second half usually has (háishi) or (yě), still: (jǐnguǎn báitiān yǒu bù shǎo kòngwèi, wǎnshang háishi tíngmǎnle chē), even though there are free spaces in the daytime, they're still full in the evening.
(jíshǐ … yě …) means “even if”: the first half may not be true yet. (jíshǐ shǎole èrshí ge chēwèi, dàjiā yě kěyǐ tíngdào chēkù), even if we lose twenty spaces, people can still park in the car park. (bùguǎn … dōu …) means “no matter …”, and the first half always contains a question word or an either-or: (bùguǎn jiéguǒ zěnmeyàng, wǒmen dōu àn jiéguǒ bàn). (wúlùn) means the same and is more formal.
| Pattern | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| (jǐnguǎn …, … háishi …) | even though …, still … | a known fact; like (suīrán … dànshì …), but stronger |
| (jíshǐ …, … yě …) | even if …, (still) … | something that may or may not happen |
| (bùguǎn …, … dōu …) | no matter …, … | needs a question word or (háishi) in the first half |
| (wúlùn …, … dōu …) | no matter …, … | the same, more formal |
| (bùguǎn zěnme shuō) | whichever way you look at it, anyway | a fixed phrase |
Rather than …, better to …; putting your points in order
与其 A，不如 B compares two choices and prefers the second: rather than A, it's better to B. (yǔqí ràng háizimen zài lùbiān wán, bùrú ràng dàjiā duō zǒu jǐ bù lù), rather than have the children play by the road, we'd better walk a few more steps. Note the tone: (bùrú) keeps bù, because (rú) is not a fourth tone.
To structure an argument, number your points with (shǒuxiān), (qícì), (cǐwài), (zuìhòu) and sum up with (zǒngzhī). (yì fāngmiàn …, lìng yì fāngmiàn …) weighs two sides; (yī) takes its changed tone here.
| Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (shǒuxiān) | first, first of all |
| (qícì) | second, next |
| (cǐwài) | in addition, besides |
| (zuìhòu) | finally, lastly |
| (yì fāngmiàn …, lìng yì fāngmiàn …) | on the one hand …, on the other hand … |
| (zǒngzhī) | in short, all in all |
Interrupting and keeping your turn
Chinese meetings are polite but lively. Before you cut in, apologise: (bù hǎoyìsi, dǎduàn yíxià), sorry to interrupt. To keep your turn, say (qǐng ràng wǒ shuōwán), please let me finish, using (ràng) and the result complement (wán) you know.
(yǒu dàoli), literally “has reason”, is how you grant a point: (nín shuō de yǒu dàoli), you have a point. (zhè yì diǎn wǒ tóngyì) agrees with one point only, and usually comes before a (kěshì).
| Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (Bù hǎoyìsi, dǎduàn yíxià.) | Sorry to interrupt. |
| (Qǐng ràng wǒ shuōwán.) | Please let me finish. |
| (Nín xiān shuōwán ba.) | Please finish first. |
| (Nín shuō de yǒu dàoli.) | You have a point. |
| (Zhè yì diǎn wǒ tóngyì, kěshì …) | I agree on that, but … |
| (Wǒ shì zhème xiǎng de.) | This is how I see it. |
More in the grammar: Joining sentences: connectors
New words
- 小区xiǎoqūhousing compound, residential estate · a gated group of apartment blocks with its own management
- 业主yèzhǔ(property) owner · (gèwèi yèzhǔ), dear owners, everyone
- 停车位tíngchēwèiparking space · short: (chēwèi); a free space is (kòngwèi)
- 改成gǎichéngto change into, to turn into · (bǎ chēwèi gǎichéng yóulèchǎng)
- 游乐场yóulèchǎngplayground; amusement park · (értóng yóulèchǎng), children's playground; (wán), to play
- 安全ānquánsafe; safety · (bù ānquán), not safe
- 打断dǎduànto interrupt · (dǎduàn yíxià), to interrupt for a moment
- 尽管jǐnguǎneven though, although · with (háishi) or (yě) in the second half
- 即使jíshǐeven if · (jíshǐ … yě …)
- 不管bùguǎnno matter (what, how …) · (bùguǎn … dōu …); formal: (wúlùn)
- 占zhànto take up, to occupy · (zhàn dìfang), to take up space
- 与其…不如…yǔqí … bùrú …rather than …, it's better to …
- 总之zǒngzhīin short, all in all
- 投票tóupiàoto vote; vote · (àn tóupiào jiéguǒ bàn), to go by the result of the vote; (tǎolùn) and (shāngliang), to discuss, to talk over
Practise
1.Which word fits? ___ (___ shǎole èrshí ge chēwèi, dàjiā yě kěyǐ bǎ chē tíngdào dìxià chēkù.)
2.Ms Hou wants to finish what she is saying. Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Mr Lü, please let me finish.
3.Match the Chinese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
4.Which sentence means “No matter what the weather is like, the meeting will go ahead”?
5.You want to agree with one point but not with the rest. What do you say?
0 of 5 exercises done.
Say it out loud
不好意思，打断一下。
Bù hǎoyìsi, dǎduàn yíxià.
Sorry to interrupt.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.