Tact and bluntness, hints and rebuttals, speeches, small talk and slips of the tongue.
Much of what goes on in a Chinese conversation happens between the lines, so the vocabulary for how something is said is large. Putting things gently, 委婉, is usually the polite choice, and being 直截了当 is something people announce before they do it. Several verbs here are formal and belong to meetings and writing — 陈述, 阐述, 归纳 — while others, such as 啰嗦 and 结巴, belong to everyday talk. And a few, such as 声称 and 附和, quietly tell you what the speaker thinks of what was said.
The words
View
Verb (24)
暗示to hint; a hintVerb5
他看了看表，暗示我们该走了。He glanced at his watch, hinting that it was time for us to go.
澄清to clarify; to clear upVerb5
我想澄清一下：我从来没说过这句话。I would like to clear something up: I never said that.
反驳to refute; to retortVerb5
他的观点很有道理，我一时不知道怎么反驳。His point was a good one, and for a moment I did not know how to answer it.
陈述to state, set out (facts)Verb5
请你把事情的经过简单陈述一下。Please give a brief account of what happened.
Formal: statements in court, reports, applications.
阐述to expound, explain in detailVerb5
作者在第一章阐述了自己的观点。The author sets out his views in the first chapter.
概括to summariseVerb5
你能用一句话概括这篇文章吗？Can you sum up this article in one sentence?
归纳to sum up; to group togetherVerb5
最后，老师把大家的意见归纳成三点。Finally, the teacher grouped everyone’s opinions into three points.
转达to pass on (greetings, views)Verb5
请替我向你父母转达问候。Please give my regards to your parents.
回应to respond; a responseVerb5
对于顾客的批评，公司还没有回应。The company has not yet responded to the customers’ criticism.
应 is fourth tone.
质疑to question, call into doubtVerb5
有专家质疑这个数据是否准确。Some experts have questioned whether this figure is accurate.
追问to question closely; to press for an answerVerb5
记者一再追问，他才说出了原因。Only after the reporter pressed him again and again did he give the reason.
坦白to come clean, confess; candidVerb5
我跟你坦白吧，那个杯子是我打破的。I’ll come clean: I was the one who broke that cup.
倾诉to pour out (one’s feelings)Verb5
她心里难受的时候，总是找姐姐倾诉。Whenever she is upset, she goes to her elder sister to pour her heart out.
倾听to listen attentivelyVerb5
好医生会耐心倾听病人的话。A good doctor listens patiently to what the patient says.
附和to echo, go along with (someone’s view)Verb5
他没有自己的看法，总是附和领导的意见。He has no views of his own and always just echoes the boss.
和 is fourth tone hè here, as in joining in a song.
声称to claim, assertVerb5
这家公司声称自己的产品完全没有问题。The company claims there is nothing at all wrong with its product.
Often hints that the speaker doubts the claim.
讽刺to mock, be sarcastic; satireVerb5
他说“你真准时”，其实是在讽刺我迟到。When he said “You’re so punctual”, he was really being sarcastic about my being late.
调侃to tease, poke fun atVerb5
朋友们总拿他的口音调侃，他也不生气。His friends are always teasing him about his accent, and he doesn’t mind.
调 is second tone here; friendly, unlike 讽刺.
恭维to flatter; to pay complimentsVerb5
他很会恭维人，可我不太相信他的话。He is good at flattering people, but I don’t really believe what he says.
寒暄to exchange pleasantries; small talkVerb5
两人寒暄了几句，就开始谈正事。The two of them exchanged a few pleasantries and then got down to business.
劝告to advise, urge; adviceVerb5
医生劝告他少喝酒。The doctor advised him to drink less.
示意to signal, motion (to someone)Verb5
老师用手示意大家安静。The teacher motioned with her hand for everyone to be quiet.
结巴to stammer, stutterVerb5
他一紧张说话就结巴。As soon as he gets nervous, he starts to stammer.