面子 Face — HSK 4 Reading

在zài中国Zhōngguó，面子miànzi是shì一yí个ge非常fēicháng重要zhòngyào的de词cí。

In China, 'face' is an extremely important word.

面子miànzi不是bú shì你nǐ的de脸liǎn，而是érshì别人biéren对duì你nǐ的de看法kànfǎ。

Face is not your actual face, but how other people see you.

朋友péngyou一起yìqǐ吃饭chīfàn的de时候shíhou，大家dàjiā常常chángcháng抢qiǎng着zhe付fù钱qián，谁shéi付fù了le钱qián，谁shéi就jiù有yǒu面子miànzi。

When friends eat out together, everyone often fights to pay the bill — whoever pays gains face.

如果rúguǒ你nǐ在zài很多hěn duō人rén面前miànqián批评pīpíng一yí个ge人rén，他tā会huì觉得juéde自己zìjǐ丢diū了le面子miànzi，可能kěnéng再zài也yě不bù想xiǎng跟gēn你nǐ做zuò朋友péngyou了le。

If you criticize someone in front of many people, he will feel he has lost face and may never want to be your friend again.

所以suǒyǐ中国人Zhōngguórén提tí意见yìjiàn的de时候shíhou，喜欢xǐhuan说shuō得de客气kèqi一点儿yìdiǎnr，先xiān说shuō优点yōudiǎn，再zài说shuō问题wèntí。

So when Chinese people give feedback, they like to put it politely — strengths first, problems second.

有人yǒurén觉得juéde太tài讲jiǎng面子miànzi很hěn累lèi，请客qǐngkè、送sòng礼物lǐwù都dōu要yào花huā很多hěn duō钱qián。

Some people find caring too much about face exhausting — treating guests and giving gifts all cost a lot of money.

我wǒ觉得juéde，面子miànzi就jiù像xiàng衣服yīfu一样yíyàng：穿chuān得de合适héshì让ràng人rén舒服shūfu，穿chuān得de太tài多duō就jiù会huì热rè得de受不了shòu bu liǎo。

I think face is like clothing: worn right, it makes people comfortable; worn in too many layers, you get unbearably hot.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

面子miànziface; social standing

抢qiǎngto fight over; to grab

批评pīpíngto criticize

意见yìjiànopinion; suggestion

优点yōudiǎnstrong point; merit

受不了shòu bu liǎocannot bear

谁……，谁就……

A question word used twice means "whoever / whichever": 谁付了钱，谁就有面子。

谁先到，谁就先点菜。— Whoever arrives first orders first.

V + 得 + adjective

得 after a verb introduces how the action is done or to what degree: 说得客气一点儿；热得受不了。

他汉语说得非常好。— He speaks Chinese very well.

1. According to the text, what is 'face'?

2. When friends eat out together, who gains face?

3. How do Chinese people prefer to give feedback?

After this reading

I'm Fei, and I teach Mandarin one-on-one on Preply. Bring this text to a trial lesson — we'll fix your tones and turn it into a real conversation.