Ever been asked a nosy or annoying question in Chinese?
In this video I share a few different ways you could deal with that type of situation...
5 Ways to Avoid Answering Questions in Chinese
(A summary of the phrases from the video)
#1 Answer with a question
- 你猜猜看？nǐ cāi cāi kàn?
Can you guess?
- 你觉得呢？nǐ jué de ne?
What do you think?
- 你问这个干嘛呀？nǐ wèn zhè gè gàn ma ya?
Why are you asking this?
- 这个嘛，怎么说呢？zhè gè ma, zěn me shuō ne?
This... How should I put it?
#2 "I Will Tell You Later"
- 我下次告诉你。wǒ xià cì gào sù nǐ.
I will tell you next time.
- 让我想想，再回答你。ràng wǒ xiǎng xiǎng, zài huí dá nǐ.
Let me think about it and get back to you with an answer.
- 哎呀！我的记性不好，等我想起来了，下次再跟你说吧！āi ya! wǒ de jì xìng bù hǎo, děng wǒ xiǎng qǐ lái le, xià cì zài gēn nǐ shuō ba!
Oops! My memory is bad. I will tell you later when I remember it.
- 这个我要问问我老公，改天告诉你。zhè gè wǒ yào wèn wèn wǒ lǎo gōng, gǎi tiān gào sù nǐ.
Well... I need to ask my husband. I'll tell you another day.
#3 Saying "Long Story..."
- 这说来话长。zhè shuō lái huà cháng.
It's a long story...
- 太复杂了，没办法说清楚。tài fù zá le, méi bàn fǎ shuō qīng chǔ.
It’s complicated and hard to explain clearly.
- 这个嘛，不是三言两语能说清楚的。zhè gè ma, bù shì sān yán liǎng yǔ néng shuō qīng chǔ de.
Well... It's not easy to explain this clearly in just a few words.
- 一言难尽！yī yán nán jìn!
It’s hard to explain in a few words (idiom).
#4 "I Can't Tell You"
- 抱歉，我不能告诉你。bào qiàn, wǒ bù néng gào sù nǐ.
Sorry, I can’t tell you.
- 不好意思，我不方便说。bù hǎo yì sī, wǒ bù fāng biàn shuō.
Sorry, I don’t feel comfortable talking about it.
- 不好意思，我记性不好。bù hǎo yì sī, wǒ jì xìng bù hǎo.
Sorry, I got a bad memory.
- 抱歉，我现在很忙。bào qiàn, wǒ xiàn zài hěn máng.
Sorry, I’m so buy right now.
- 对不起，我赶时间。duì bù qǐ, wǒ gǎn shí jiān.
Sorry, I’m in a hurry.
- 这是个秘密。zhè shì gè mì mì.
It’s a secret.
- 没什么可说的。méi shén me kě shuō de.
There’s nothing to say about it.
#5 "Stop Asking Me!"
- 别问我了！bié wèn wǒ le!
Stop asking me!
- 够了！不要再问我了！gòu le! bù yào zài wèn wǒ le!
Enough! Don't ask me any more!
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