Responding to compliments

[emmaleeson]

Hi there, I think it would be really great if there was a lesson on how to accept or decline compliments in mandarin, with varying degrees of formality or politeness. I’ve heard that in Chinese you shouldn’t accept a compliment straight away but what phrases are best to use, and what should you say if you do want to eventually accept the compliment?

I know when most of us mandarin learners go to China we are frequently told how well we speak (even if it’s clearly a polite lie) so it would be a really useful lesson.

[Fiona]

Hey Emma,

What a great suggestion. I’ve passed the idea onto constance and we’ll see what we can put together.

In the meantime, we made a lesson specifically on how to say thank you when someone compliments you on your Chinese. You might find it useful

Fi

[788388773]

Any chance it could also include when someone compliments your appearance? I just arrived in China a few months ago and often when I meet people, the first thing they say after hello is “you’re very beautiful” or something along those lines.
At the moment I just say thank you, but any ideas would be appreciated!
P.S. I’m not a supermodel or anything so I think this is more along the lines of telling someone their Chinese is good because you can say 2 sentences.

[Constance_Fang]

Hi there @788388773,

Here are some good responses to any compliments:

哪里、哪里 / nǎlǐ, nǎlǐ (typical one)

你太客气了 / nǐ tài kèqìle

哪里，这样说我会不好意思 / nǎlǐ, zhèyàng shuō wǒ huì bù hǎoyìsi
(When people say “you’re very beautiful”, this might be a way to respond them)

Hope that helps

Constance

[emmaleeson]

Thanks, the video was the kind of thing I was looking for!

[enthus]

I found the following lesson useful: http://chinesepod.com/lessons/dealing-with-praise