4 · 40 words

Praise, criticism and persuasion

The verbs and nouns of persuading, praising, criticising, complaining and keeping a secret.

These words describe what people do with words: win someone over, praise them, blame them, promise, refuse. Chinese often has several words where English has one, and they differ in who is speaking to whom. 表扬(biǎoyáng)is praise from a teacher or a boss夸(kuā)is praise from anyone赞美(zànměi)is warm and literary; 批评(pīpíng)is criticism骂(mà)is a telling-off Many of them take the person as a direct object, with no “to”: 批评(pīpíng)他(tā), 说服(shuōfú)父母(fùmǔ).

The words

Verb (35)

沟通(gōutōng)to communicate; to get through to each otherVerb4

有(yǒu)问题(wèntí)要(yào)及时(jíshí)沟通(gōutōng)，别(bié)放(fàng)在(zài)心里(xīnlǐ)。If there's a problem, talk about it promptly; don't keep it to yourself.

To understand each other; 交流(jiāoliú) is to exchange ideas or experience.

说服(shuōfú)to persuade; to convinceVerb4

我(wǒ)好不容易(hǎobùróngyì)才(cái)说服(shuōfú)父母(fùmǔ)让(ràng)我(wǒ)出国(chūguó)。It took me a lot of effort to persuade my parents to let me go abroad.

争论(zhēnglùn)to argue; to debateVerb4

他们(tāmen)为(wèi)这个(zhège)问题(wèntí)争论(zhēnglùn)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)下午(xiàwǔ)。They argued about this question all afternoon.

An argument about a point; a quarrel is 吵架(chǎojià).

批评(pīpíng)to criticise; criticismVerb4

他(tā)上课(shàngkè)玩(wán)手机(shǒujī)，被(bèi)老师(lǎoshī)批评(pīpíng)了(le)。He was told off by the teacher for playing on his phone in class.

表扬(biǎoyáng)to praise; to commendVerb4

老师(lǎoshī)在(zài)全(quán)班(bān)面前(miànqián)表扬(biǎoyáng)了(le)她(tā)。The teacher praised her in front of the whole class.

Praise from above: a teacher, a parent, a boss.

鼓励(gǔlì)to encourageVerb4

父母(fùmǔ)一直(yìzhí)鼓励(gǔlì)我(wǒ)做(zuò)自己(zìjǐ)喜欢(xǐhuan)的(de)事(shì)。My parents have always encouraged me to do what I love.

抱怨(bàoyuàn)to complain; to grumbleVerb4

他(tā)总是(zǒngshì)抱怨(bàoyuàn)工作(gōngzuò)太(tài)累(lèi)、工资(gōngzī)太(tài)低(dī)。He is always complaining that the work is too hard and the pay too low.

承诺(chéngnuò)to promise; to commit to; commitmentVerb4

公司(gōngsī)承诺(chéngnuò)七(qī)天(tiān)内(nèi)可以(kěyǐ)退货(tuìhuò)。The company promises that goods can be returned within seven days.

More formal and binding than 答应(dāying).

拒绝(jùjué)to refuse; to turn downVerb4

她(tā)客气(kèqi)地(de)拒绝(jùjué)了(le)他(tā)的(de)邀请(yāoqǐng)。She politely turned down his invitation.

误会(wùhuì)to misunderstand; misunderstandingVerb4

你(nǐ)误会(wùhuì)了(le)，我(wǒ)不(bú)是(shì)这个(zhège)意思(yìsi)。You've misunderstood; that's not what I meant.

称赞(chēngzàn)to praise; to complimentVerb4

客人(kèrén)们(men)都(dōu)称赞(chēngzàn)她(tā)做(zuò)的(de)菜(cài)好吃(hǎochī)。The guests all complimented her on her cooking.

夸(kuā)to praise (colloquial)Verb4

大家(dàjiā)都(dōu)夸(kuā)这(zhè)孩子(háizi)懂事(dǒngshì)。Everyone praises this child for being so sensible.

The everyday word; 表扬(biǎoyáng) comes from above, 夸(kuā) from anyone.

赞美(zànměi)to praise; to extolVerb4

这(zhè)首(shǒu)诗(shī)赞美(zànměi)了(le)家乡(jiāxiāng)的(de)山水(shānshuǐ)。This poem praises the landscape of the poet's home region.

Warmer and more literary than 称赞(chēngzàn).

责备(zébèi)to reproach; to blameVerb4

妈妈(māma)没有(méiyǒu)责备(zébèi)他(tā)，只是(zhǐshì)让(ràng)他(tā)下(xià)次(cì)小心(xiǎoxīn)。His mother didn't reproach him; she just told him to be careful next time.

埋怨(mányuàn)to grumble at; to blame (sb.)Verb4

别(bié)埋怨(mányuàn)别人(biérén)了(le)，先(xiān)想(xiǎng)一下(yíxià)自己(zìjǐ)的(de)问题(wèntí)。Stop blaming other people and think about your own part first.

埋(mán) is read mán only in this word; unlike 抱怨(bàoyuàn), it usually has a person as its target.

骂(mà)to scold; to swear atVerb4

他(tā)迟到(chídào)了(le)，被(bèi)老板(lǎobǎn)骂(mà)了(le)一(yí)顿(dùn)。He was late and got a telling-off from the boss.

Much stronger than 批评(pīpíng); also to curse.

吹牛(chuīniú)to boast; to talk bigVerb4

别(bié)听(tīng)他(tā)吹牛(chuīniú)，他(tā)根本(gēnběn)不(bú)会(huì)开车(kāichē)。Don't listen to his boasting; he can't drive at all.

Separable: 吹(chuī)什么(shénme)牛(niú), what are you boasting about.

说谎(shuōhuǎng)to lie; to tell a lieVerb4

他(tā)一(yì)说谎(shuōhuǎng)就(jiù)脸红(liǎnhóng)。Whenever he lies, he goes red.

In speech also 撒谎(sāhuǎng).

保密(bǎomì)to keep (sth.) secretVerb4

这(zhè)件(jiàn)事(shì)请(qǐng)你(nǐ)一定(yídìng)要(yào)保密(bǎomì)。Please make sure you keep this to yourself.

保证(bǎozhèng)to guarantee; to promiseVerb4

我(wǒ)保证(bǎozhèng)以后(yǐhòu)再(zài)也(yě)不(bù)迟到(chídào)了(le)。I promise I'll never be late again.

提议(tíyì)to propose; to suggest; proposalVerb4

他(tā)提议(tíyì)周末(zhōumò)一起(yìqǐ)去(qù)郊游(jiāoyóu)。He suggested going on an outing together at the weekend.

提问(tíwèn)to ask a question (in class, at a talk)Verb4

讲座(jiǎngzuò)结束(jiéshù)后(hòu)，有(yǒu)很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)举手(jǔshǒu)提问(tíwèn)。After the lecture, many people raised their hands to ask questions.

询问(xúnwèn)to enquire; to ask aboutVerb4

她(tā)打(dǎ)电话(diànhuà)向(xiàng)酒店(jiǔdiàn)询问(xúnwèn)房间(fángjiān)的(de)价格(jiàgé)。She phoned the hotel to ask about room prices.

Formal.

谈论(tánlùn)to talk about; to discussVerb4

大家(dàjiā)都(dōu)在(zài)谈论(tánlùn)昨天(zuótiān)的(de)比赛(bǐsài)。Everyone is talking about yesterday's match.

议论(yìlùn)to discuss; to gossip aboutVerb4

不(bú)要(yào)在(zài)背后(bèihòu)议论(yìlùn)别人(biérén)。Don't talk about people behind their backs.

Often of talking about people rather than to them.

闲聊(xiánliáo)to chat (idly)Verb4

下班(xiàbān)后(hòu)我们(wǒmen)在(zài)咖啡馆(kāfēiguǎn)闲聊(xiánliáo)了(le)一会儿(yíhuìr)。After work we chatted for a while in a café.

插嘴(chāzuǐ)to butt in; to interruptVerb4

别人(biérén)说话(shuōhuà)的(de)时候(shíhou)不(bú)要(yào)插嘴(chāzuǐ)。Don't butt in when other people are speaking.

Separable: 插(chā)一(yí)句(jù)嘴(zuǐ), to put in a word.

打断(dǎduàn)to interrupt; to break offVerb4

对不起(duìbuqǐ)，我(wǒ)打断(dǎduàn)一下(yíxià)，我(wǒ)有(yǒu)个(ge)问题(wèntí)。Sorry to interrupt, but I have a question.

嘲笑(cháoxiào)to laugh at; to mockVerb4

不(bú)要(yào)嘲笑(cháoxiào)别人(biérén)的(de)口音(kǒuyīn)。Don't make fun of other people's accents.

嘱咐(zhǔfù)to urge; to tell (sb.) to rememberVerb4

临(lín)走(zǒu)前(qián)，妈妈(māma)嘱咐(zhǔfù)我(wǒ)按时(ànshí)吃饭(chīfàn)。Before I left, Mum told me to eat regular meals.

祝贺(zhùhè)to congratulateVerb4

祝贺(zhùhè)你(nǐ)找到(zhǎodào)了(le)新(xīn)工作(gōngzuò)！Congratulations on your new job!

描述(miáoshù)to describeVerb4

你(nǐ)能(néng)描述(miáoshù)一下(yíxià)那(nà)个(ge)人(rén)的(de)样子(yàngzi)吗(ma)？Can you describe what that person looked like?

形容(xíngróng)to describe (in words); to characteriseVerb4

我(wǒ)不(bù)知道(zhīdao)怎么(zěnme)形容(xíngróng)当时(dāngshí)的(de)心情(xīnqíng)。I don't know how to describe how I felt at that moment.

An adjective is a 形容词(xíngróngcí).

表态(biǎotài)to state one's positionVerb4

这(zhè)件(jiàn)事(shì)经理(jīnglǐ)还(hái)没有(méiyǒu)表态(biǎotài)。The manager hasn't yet said where he stands on this.

沉默(chénmò)silent; to fall silentVerb4

听到(tīngdào)这个(zhège)消息(xiāoxi)，大家(dàjiā)都(dōu)沉默(chénmò)了(le)。When they heard the news, everyone fell silent.

Noun (5)

反馈(fǎnkuì)feedbackNoun4

我们(wǒmen)很(hěn)重视(zhòngshì)顾客(gùkè)的(de)反馈(fǎnkuì)。We take customer feedback very seriously.

秘密(mìmì)secretNoun4

这(zhè)是(shì)我们(wǒmen)两(liǎng)个(ge)人(rén)之间(zhījiān)的(de)秘密(mìmì)。This is a secret between the two of us.

语气(yǔqì)tone (of voice)Noun4

他(tā)说话(shuōhuà)的(de)语气(yǔqì)让(ràng)人(rén)很(hěn)不(bù)舒服(shūfu)。The tone he speaks in makes people uncomfortable.

Also the grammatical mood of a sentence.

口气(kǒuqì)tone; manner of speakingNoun4

听(tīng)他(tā)的(de)口气(kǒuqì)，好像(hǎoxiàng)不(bú)太(tài)高兴(gāoxìng)。Judging by his tone, he doesn't sound very happy.

Close to 语气(yǔqì), more about the attitude behind the words.

手势(shǒushì)gesture; hand signalNoun4

他(tā)不(bú)会(huì)说(shuō)中文(Zhōngwén)，只好(zhǐhǎo)用(yòng)手势(shǒushì)跟(gēn)人(rén)交流(jiāoliú)。He can't speak Chinese, so he has to communicate with gestures.

This list belongs to Greetings and conversation — six lists and 240 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.