初到中国的外国人常常感到困惑：明明做得很出色，中国人却总说“做得不好，请多指教”。
Foreigners newly arrived in China are often puzzled: the work is clearly excellent, yet Chinese people keep saying, "I did it poorly — please give me your guidance."
受到称赞时，一句“哪里哪里”几乎是本能的反应；人们还把自己的作品称为“拙作”，把自己的看法称为“浅见”。
When praised, replying "oh, not at all" is almost instinctive; people also call their own writing "my clumsy work" and their own views "my shallow opinion."
这种谦虚并非虚伪，而是深深植根于儒家传统的处世之道。
This modesty is by no means hypocrisy; it is a way of conducting oneself in the world, deeply rooted in the Confucian tradition.
孔子说“三人行，必有我师”，提醒人们无论多么优秀，都能从别人身上学到东西。
Confucius said, "When three people walk together, one of them is surely my teacher," reminding us that no matter how outstanding we are, we can still learn from others.
在传统观念里，锋芒毕露不仅显得缺乏修养，还容易招来嫉妒，正所谓“枪打出头鸟”。
In the traditional mindset, flaunting your brilliance not only looks uncultivated but also easily attracts jealousy — as the saying goes, "the gun shoots the bird that sticks its head out."
因此，适当地贬低自己、抬高对方，成了维系人际和谐的一种礼仪。
Playing yourself down a little while talking the other person up thus became a form of etiquette for maintaining interpersonal harmony.
不过，时代在变化：在如今的求职面试中，年轻人已经学会大方地展示自己的长处。
Times are changing, though: in today's job interviews, young people have learned to present their strengths with confidence.
如果有人夸你汉语说得好，你既可以谦虚地回答“还差得远呢”，也可以微笑着说声“谢谢”；两种回应，代表着两个时代。
If someone compliments your Chinese, you can either reply modestly, "Oh, I still have a long way to go," or simply smile and say "thank you" — two responses that stand for two different eras.
想想看，在你的文化里，接受赞美的最佳方式又是什么呢？
Think about it: in your culture, what is the best way to accept a compliment?
🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now —
teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.
Key words 生词
拙作zhuōzuòmy clumsy work (humble term for one's own work)
浅见qiǎnjiànmy shallow opinion (humble term for one's own view)
虚伪xūwěihypocritical; insincere
锋芒毕露fēng máng bì lùto flaunt one's brilliance; make a show of one's talent
贬低biǎndīto belittle; to play down
维系wéixìto maintain; to hold together (relationships)
Grammar note 语法点
无论…，都…
'No matter how/what A, B still holds' — 无论 introduces an open-ended condition (often with a question word like 多么/什么), and 都 asserts the unchanging result. 例：无论遇到什么困难，都不要放弃。
无论多么优秀，都能从别人身上学到东西。 — No matter how outstanding you are, you can still learn something from others.
不仅…，还…
'Not only A, but also B' — stacks a second, often weightier consequence on top of the first; the written cousin of 不但…而且…. 例：熬夜不仅伤身体，还影响第二天的效率。
锋芒毕露不仅显得缺乏修养，还容易招来嫉妒。 — Flaunting your brilliance not only looks uncultivated but also easily attracts jealousy.
既可以…，也可以…
Presents two equally valid options: 'you can either A or B'. 既…也… coordinates the alternatives without ranking them. 例：周末既可以在家休息，也可以出去走走。
你既可以谦虚地回答“还差得远呢”，也可以微笑着说声“谢谢”。 — You can either reply modestly, "I still have a long way to go," or smile and say "thank you."
Check yourself 小测验
1. What is 拙作 used to refer to?
2. Why was flaunting one's brilliance frowned upon in the traditional mindset?
3. What change in today's China does the text mention?